Use the notice of expiration when you:

•  learn of a change of circumstances from the household or another source; and

 
•  cannot establish continued eligibility or the benefit amount without additional information; and 

 
•  request the additional information from the household and give them 10 days to provide the information; and 

 
•  do not receive sufficient information from the household to establish continued eligibility or the benefit amount.

• Review this memorandum with staff.

 
• File the revised Sections 1140.005.00 and 1140.005.20 in the Food Stamp manual.

Changes occur in household circumstances during the certification period.  Households are required to report certain changes.  Others are discovered at an IM reinvestigation, elderly/disabled mid-certification review, or from other sources.  Act on all changes.  Verification, necessary action, and the time frame for action depend on the type of change and its effect on eligibility and benefits.
 

1140.005.00    CHANGE IN CIRCUMSTANCES
IM-#90  July 30, 1998

Household Reporting Requirements

Households must report:

 1. Changes in gross monthly unearned income of more than $25 (changes in IM grants are not required to be reported).

  A household is required to report changes of more than $25 in gross monthly unearned income regardless of the fact that gross income includes an averaged/converted source of income.

 2. The following changes in earned income:

  a. a change in base rate of pay (EXAMPLE:  $5.10 per hour to $5.25 per hour OR $220 per week to $225 per week);

  b. any permanent change in hours worked that can be expected to continue (EXAMPLE:  employee knows number of hours worked will increase or decrease for a period of time; this does not include normal fluctuations in hours worked);

  c. becoming employed or losing employment; or

  d. a change in the source of earned income.

 3. Changes in any source of income.

 4. Changes in the number of people in the household.

 5. Changes in residence, and the resulting changes in shelter costs.

 6. Acquisition of a vehicle.

 7. Resources reaching or exceeding $2,000.

 NOTE:  Advise households to report approval of SSI.  This may

  b. If a hearing is requested and the IM grant is continued pending the hearing, continue FS benefits at the same basis of issuance.

  c. If the household does not request a hearing, notify the household that its certification period expires at the end of the month following the month of notification.  Advise the household it must reapply if it wishes to continue to participate and the certification period is expiring because of changes in circumstances that may affect FS eligibility and benefit level.

1140.005.20      Date of Reported Change
IM-#90  July 30, 1998

Consider the date the change is reported as:

 1. the date of personal contact or telephone contact with the agency;

  NOTE:  If a household reports a change to any caseworker, such as a social service worker, consider the change reported.

 2. the date the change report form was received in the county office; 

 3. the date correspondence from the household was received; or

 4. the date the county office learns of a change from a source other than the household.

1140.005.25      Agency Responsibility for Reported Changes
IM-#90  July 30, 1998

Promptly act on all reported changes from all sources.  Determine, within ten days, the effect of the reported change on the household's benefit level and eligibility.

During the ten (10) day time frame:

 1. determine what information is needed to act on the reported change;

 2. request any required information giving the household 10 days to provide the information; and 

 3. take action according to policy outlined under Insufficient Information or Information Supplied.

1140.005.30      Insufficient Information

If after 10 days the household failed to provide the information that it is able to provide concerning an eligibility factor, send a Notice