Financial Eligibility Requirements

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What are the asset limits?

What assets are counted?

What are the income limits?

What income is counted?

What is net countable income?

Are there special financial eligibility rules for noncitizens?

What are the asset limits?

Assets are money you have, such as cash or savings, or property you own, such as a car. Some types of assets are counted, and some are not. If you have too many countable assets, you will not be eligible for EAEDC.

You are allowed countable assets up to:

• $250 for an individual
• $500 per couple or family

Note: If you give away countable assets or sell them for less than they are worth within 12 months of applying for EAEDC, just so you can become eligible for EAEDC, you will be ineligible for a period of time. The period of ineligibility depends on the value of the assets you transferred.

What assets are counted?

Countable assets include:

• cash, bank accounts, savings
• pensions and retirement accounts, including IRAs, 401(k)s, and Keogh plans, if the money is accessible
  (counted fully, minus early withdrawal penalties)
• stocks and bonds
• the equity value of your car above $1,500
• the equity value of any real estate you own other than your home

• If you are living with someone who is not applying for EAEDC, but is legally required to support you (such as a spouse), DTA will, in most cases, also count that person's assets.

• If you are caring for a disabled person, the disabled person's countable assets can be no greater than $2000.

Noncountable assets include:

• your home
• household or personal belongings, such as furniture, appliances, or jewelry
• the first $1500 of equity value of one vehicle
• property that you cannot access
• food stamps
• student grants, loans, or scholarships for educational purposes
• assets of SSI recipients
• burial plots and prepaid funeral arrangements (up to $1500 per person)
• property needed for employment, such as tools or machinery
• earned income credits

These lists do not include all countable and noncountable assets. Your DTA worker can give you a complete list.

What are the income limits?

Income is the money you have coming in each month, either earned or unearned. Some types of income are counted and some are not. If you are working, you are allowed certain deductions for work expenses and child care. Your total countable income minus these deductions is your net countable income.

To be eligible for EAEDC, your net countable income has to be less than the EAEDC Standard of Assistance for your family size. The Standard of Assistance is the maximum EAEDC benefit you can get each month. It depends on your living situation, how many people live with you, if you live with EAEDC or TAFDC recipients, if you have shelter costs, or if you are homeless.

The table below shows the Standard of Assistance for people with shelter costs (rent or mortgage payments, utilities, and taxes) who do not live with spouses seeking EAEDC or children receiving TAFDC.

If you have a different living situation, ask your DTA worker for the Standard of Assistance that applies to you.

What income is counted?

In determining eligibility for EAEDC, some types of income are countable and some are not.

Countable income includes:

• wages, salary, tips, commissions
• self-employment income (minus expenses)
• dividends and interest
• unemployment and workers' compensation
• pensions and Social Security benefits
• Veterans' benefits
• rental income (minus expenses)
• some types of in-kind income (free rent, free food, etc.)
• lump sum income above $600  (special rules apply)

• Some of the income of a spouse or parent who lives in the same household as an EAEDC applicant may be counted, even if the spouse or parent is not applying for EAEDC.

• If you are caring for a disabled person, the disabled person's monthly countable income cannot be greater than $1500.

Noncountable income includes:

• income of SSI recipients
• cash value of food stamps, school meals, or government surplus food
• first $130 of DET or MRC training stipends
• student grants, loans, or scholarships used for educational purposes
• small gifts or irregular income (less than $30 per quarter)
• state or federal housing subsidies
• earned income of a dependent child who is under 14 or a full-time student
• fuel assistance
• $50 of child support or spousal support per month
• certain other noncountable income

These lists do not include all types of countable and noncountable income. Your DTA worker will explain the rules about all types of income that apply to you.

What is net countable income?

Net countable income is your total countable income minus certain allowed deductions. You can take these deductions only if you earn money from a job or self-employment.

If you have earned income:

• you can take a $90 per month deduction for work expenses
• you may be allowed a deduction for child care or other dependent care expenses
• you may be allowed to subtract a certain amount of your earnings each month (called a "disregard") for a limited amount of time

Check with your DTA worker to make sure you are getting all the deductions you are allowed. Your total countable income minus these deductions is your net countable income.

The higher your net countable income, the lower your EAEDC benefits will be. If your net countable income is too high, you will not be eligible.

Are there special financial eligibility rules for noncitizens?

There are no special EAEDC financial eligibility rules for noncitizens. The same income and asset rules apply to citizens and noncitizens for this program. Sponsor deeming is not used in determining eligibility. If you are a sponsored noncitizen, your sponsor's assets and income are not counted.