Home > EAEDC > Financial Requirements > Income - EAEDC > Income Overview - EAEDC > Unearned Income - EAEDC
Unearned income is all income that results from government benefit programs, financial holdings, bank accounts, pensions and other income a person does not earn from a job. Unearned income can include, but is not limited to:
Unemployment Compensation (UC for Massachusetts is verifiable via Division of Unemployment Assistance)
The Division of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) Match is used to verify unemployment insurance claims, and, in limited circumstances, job terminations. The DUA Match does not verify wages or earned income. At times, a client may have reported earnings listed in their unemployment claim. You must not use the reported earnings for proof of earned income. Earnings must be verified with wages or a termination letter, see verifications (link to verification chart).
Social Security RSDI (Retirement, Survivors and Disability Insurance (verifiable via SVES. An overnight request must be submitted.)
Supplemental Security Income (SSI), including State Supplement Program (SSP) (verifiable via SVES. An overnight request must be submitted.)
Child Support (payments made to the household through the Department of Revenue is verifiable via MobiusView)
Veterans’ benefits (federal veteran benefits are verifiable via SVES for clients who receive SSI. An overnight request must be submitted.)
Pensions (sometimes verifiable via SVES. An overnight request must be submitted.)
Worker’s compensation (verifiable via SVES for clients who receive SSI. An overnight request must be submitted.)
Contributions (benefit received in any form other than money for specific expenses. This is usually verified by collateral contact of the person providing the contribution, preferably on paper)
Important |
Staff must always use the electronic databases available as the primary source of verification for unearned income, if available. These databases include DUA, SVES, SAVE, and MobiusView. Clients must only be asked to provide verification if there is discrepant information. |
If the applicant has countable unearned income, obtain verifications for up to the four previous weeks. Enter the weekly amounts as described in the procedures below. For current clients, enter verified countable income as soon as it is reported.
Unearned income is counted when determining the client’s eligibility and grant and must be entered in the Other Income Status page. To enter unearned income, you must:
go to the Assessed Person Income and Expenses workflow
open the Other Income Status page
on the Source tab, select the appropriate type of unearned income by clicking the Type drop-down box. Click the check box next to the appropriate selection. For these Income types, entries in certain fields must be made
Income Type |
Field Name |
Contribution or Donation |
Select Purpose |
Education Assistance |
Enter Number of E/T months |
RSDI or Railroad Retirement |
Enter a valid Claim Number |
Employment Related Pension |
Enter the Country from which the client receives his or her pension |
select how often the payments are received by clicking the Frequency drop-down box and selecting the appropriate interval. If the amount is a lump sum, you must select Monthly
select Active from the Status drop-down box
click Yes in the Countable EAEDC field
click either the Yes or No Countable FS radio button. See Earned Income Introduction in the SNAP Income book for information on how income is counted for SNAP
select the appropriate Form of Payment from the drop-down box
click Save
click the Income tab
click the Yes or No radio button for Garnished. Garnishment is the withholding of all or part of a client's or former client's wages to satisfy a judgment. Often, wages are garnished for child support or alimony, but garnishment can be applied to many other debts
enter the amount of Unearned Income for the most recent periods displayed, but not for any period after the current date. The period displayed is determined by the frequency in the Frequency drop-down box
click Save
click the Prospective tab
check the appropriate Prospective Averaging box(es)
click Calculate. This will provide the monthly prospective amount for calculating the grant, once all income has been entered. When the client’s total countable monthly income exceeds the Need Standard, the client is ineligible for cash benefits
click Save
Always remember to verify information the client provides on the Verification tab and complete Interview Wrapup