The Trainer: May 2018

April 13, 2018

Determining Household Size for Income Eligibility

In this month’s feature, we discussed whom you must count—and whom you mustn’t count—as members of your assisted households. Correctly determining the size of each household at your site is essential because the income limits you must use to check household eligibility are organized by household size. If you don’t use the correct income limits, you risk making costly certification mistakes.

Determining Household Size for Income Eligibility

In this month’s feature, we discussed whom you must count—and whom you mustn’t count—as members of your assisted households. Correctly determining the size of each household at your site is essential because the income limits you must use to check household eligibility are organized by household size. If you don’t use the correct income limits, you risk making costly certification mistakes. However, while determining a household’s size sounds straightforward, it’s not as simple as counting the number of people who occupy a unit.

QUESTION #1

When determining a household’s size, you shouldn’t include a resident’s live-in aide. True or false?

a. True.

b. False.

QUESTION #2

A divorced resident’s daughter lives with her only 50 percent of the time, so you shouldn’t include the daughter as a household member. True or false?

a. True.

b. False.

QUESTION #3

A resident’s son has gone away to college for most of the year, so you should no longer count him as a household member. True or false?

a. True.

b. False.

 

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ANSWERS & EXPLANATIONS

QUESTION #1

Correct answer: a

True. Although live-in aides normally occupy a unit full time, don’t count them as part of a household. They’re allowed to occupy the unit as long as: (1) they’re essential to the care and well-being of a household member; (2) they’re not obligated for the support of the member; and (3) their only reason for living in the unit is to provide necessary supportive services. If someone called an “aide” doesn’t meet this three-part test, the person doesn’t qualify as a live-in aide and can’t live in the unit without being counted as a household member.

QUESTION #2

Correct answer: b

False. If a child is in a joint custody arrangement, count the child as a household member if she spends 50 percent or more of her time living in the unit [Handbook 4350.3, par. 3-6(E)(4)(b)].

QUESTION #3

Correct answer: b

False. Children who go away to school but return to the unit during breaks count as household members [Handbook 4350.3, par. 3-6(E)(4)(c)].

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