WAC 388-450-0162 How does the department count my income to determine if my assistance unit is eligible and calculate the amount of my cash and Basic Food benefits?

1.     Countable income is all income your assistance unit (AU) has after we subtract the following:

a.     Excluded or disregarded income under WAC 388-450-0015; 

b.     For cash assistance, earned income incentives and deductions allowed for specific programs under WAC 388-450-0170 and 388-450-0175;

c.     For Basic Food, deductions allowed under WAC 388-450-0185; and

d.     Income we allocate to someone outside of the assistance unit under WAC 388-450-0095 through WAC 388-450-0160.

2.     Countable income includes all income that we must deem or allocate from financially responsible persons who are not members of your AU under WAC 388-450-0095 through 388-450-0160.

3.     For cash assistance:

a.     We compare your countable income to the payment standards in WAC 388-478-0020 and WAC 388-478-0030.

b.     You are not eligible for benefits when your AU's countable income is equal to or greater than the payment standard plus any authorized additional requirements.

c.      Your benefit level is the payment standard and authorized additional requirements minus your AU's countable income.

4.     For Basic Food, if you meet all other eligibility requirements for the program under WAC 388-400-0040, we determine if you meet the income requirements for benefits and calculate your AU's monthly benefits as specified under Title 7 Part 273 of code of federal regulations for the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP). The process is described in brief below:

a.      How we determine if your AU is income eligible for Basic Food:

                                                        i.           We compare your AU's total monthly income to the gross monthly income standard under WAC 388-478-0060. We don't use income that isn't counted under WAC 388-450-0015 as a part of your gross monthly income.

                                                      ii.           We then compare your AU's countable monthly income to the net income standard under WAC 388-478-0060.

A.    If your AU is categorically eligible for Basic Food under WAC 388-414-0001, your AU can have income over the gross or net income standard and still be eligible for benefits.

B.    If your AU includes a person who is sixty years of age or older or has a disability, your AU can have income over the gross income standard, but must have income under the net income standard to be eligible for benefits.

C.   All other AUs must have income at or below the gross and net income standards as required under WAC 388-478-0060 to be eligible for Basic Food.

b.     How we calculate your AU's monthly Basic Food benefits:

                                                        i.           We start with the maximum allotment for your AU under WAC 388-478-0060.

                                                      ii.           We then subtract thirty percent of your AU's countable income from the maximum allotment and round the benefit down to the next whole dollar to determine your monthly benefit.

                                                    iii.           If your AU is eligible for benefits and has one or two persons, your AU will receive at least the minimum allotment as described under WAC 388-412-0015, even if the monthly benefit we calculate is lower than the minimum allotment.