Home > SNAP > Certification Types > Simplified Reporting > Simplified Reporting During Case Maintenance
Simplified Reporting households have minimal reporting requirements outside of application, Interim Report (IR) and recertification periods. These households are only required to report to DTA if the household’s income exceeds its maximum monthly income limit. The income limit is dependent on the household size and composition.
To find the monthly income limits for a household go to: www.mass.gov/dta/program eligibility charts
Important
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Information that is verified upon receipt must be acted upon immediately, even if the client was not obligated to report a change. When verified upon receipt information is received from the client or a match, benefits must be recalculated, regardless of how the benefit changes. The Work Number is not verified upon receipt. It may only be used at application, Interim Report and recertification. Under no other circumstances is it to be used outside of these periods. |
Reporting Requirements for Simplified Reporting - 12 Months (Back to Index)
These households are only required to report to DTA during case maintenance if their gross income exceeds its maximum monthly gross income limit. For example, a household calls to report a slight change in income. You must review the reporting requirement. If the reported change does not put the household over the gross income limit, they are not required to report or verify this change during the certification period. If the household experiences a change in income that puts them over their gross income limit, they must report this change no later than the 10th day following the end of the calendar month in which the change occurred. For example, if the household receives a change in pay and the first payment is received on November 25th, the household would have to report the change by December 10th.
A Verification Checklist (VC-1) for proof of income must only be sent if the client indicates that they may exceed the monthly gross income limit. A VC-1 for optional verifications can be sent any time the client reports a change. A detailed narrative is critical so that a subsequent case manager knows that Simplified Reporting rules were appropriately considered when a VC-1 was or was not sent.
Verification that is submitted by the client which is from the primary source or a data source that is verified upon receipt must be acted on immediately, even if it was not required to be reported. If they submit paystubs to the Department, without our requesting it, we are required to act on the information and recalculate the case even if it did not put them over the limit as it is verified upon receipt.
However in some situations, verified upon receipt information may require the collection of additional verifications in order to properly institute the change. The Department may only request additional information from the household, if the point that needs clarification meets the criteria for unclear information as outlined below.
SIMP-12: Reporting Address Change During Case Maintenance
Households on Simplified Reporting are not required to report an address change during the certification period. However, if the client does report it, then they are required to give us the associated shelter and SUA changes.
If they report the change of residential address on the phone, you can immediately ask for the telephonic signature of shelter and utility costs.
If they report the residential address change in writing, you must attempt to cold call the client to ask for a telephonic signature of shelter and utility costs. If you get the telephonic self-declaration, no VC-1 is necessary; you can just wrap the case and recalculate the benefits with the updated shelter costs and SUA.
If both cold calls are unsuccessful, send an optional VC-1 for shelter and utility costs. To ensure that the client knows specifically what you are requesting on the VC-1, select Additional Verification for Element and type the following for Document(s) of evidence:
“You reported on DTA Connect that your address changed. Please tell us your new housing costs and what utilities you pay for. You can do this on DTA Connect, by calling us or sending a written statement. If you do not provide the updated costs your SNAP benefits may change.”
Disposition the action and wrap the case without crediting the client with shelter and SUA. (However, if the client was already credited with H-EAT or LIHEAP, they will retain those credits and continue getting the Heating/Cooling SUA.)
If not counting the expense results in a $0 benefit level or the case being denied for over-income, the case must not be wrapped at this time. Rather, you must follow these steps:
Remove the authorization to process the case.
Create an Action to process the change the day after the VC-1 Due Date (for more information on creating an Action, see Creating Follow-up Actions).
If the optional verification is received, enter the expense and recalculate the benefits.
If verification is not received process the case without entering the expense(s).
If the client subsequently follows up with verification, the FAW who receives the Action to review the documents must add them to the BEACON record and recalculate the benefits. If necessary, FAW must issue a related benefit (see Department Responsibility to Take Timely Action for more information).
Reporting Requirements for Elderly Disabled Simplified Application Project (EDSAP Reporting) (Back to Index)
These households do not have a gross monthly income limit. They are only required to report changes in household composition or if any member of the household receives earned income at any point during the certification period. Information that is submitted by the client which is from a primary source or a data source that is verified upon receipt must be acted on immediately, even if it was not required to be reported.
Note |
Simplified Reporting households with at least one elderly and/or disabled member do not have a gross income limit. This rule applies to all SNAP households that include at least one household member who is elderly or federally certified as disabled. These households are only required to report changes at reporting periods. |
These households are not required to report when a minor child graduates high school or when the minor turns 18.
EDSAP Reporting and Noncountable Earned Income (Back to Index)
Households that report and verify earned income considered to be noncountable for SNAP are also considered eligible for EDSAP Reporting, if otherwise eligible. The presence of countable earned income in a case will preclude a household from being converted to EDSAP Reporting. The addition of countable earned income to a household previously certified as EDSAP Reporting will result in the household being converted to Simplified Reporting (Former EDSAP). For more, please see Type of Earned Income.
Reporting Requirements for Simplified Reporting (Former EDSAP) (Back to Index)
When households become ineligible for EDSAP Reporting, they will be converted to Simplified Reporting (Former EDSAP). Converted households will maintain the same certification end date, but will begin to receive Interim Reports. Simplified Reporting (Former EDSAP) households may receive consecutive IRs during their certification period.
The household will receive its first Interim Report 45 days before the end of the household's next applicable Interim Report period. For more on EDSAP Reporting’s Interim Report requirements please see Simplified Reporting Interim Report.
Households converted to Simplified Reporting (Former EDSAP) will appear in BEACON as:
When a household converts from EDSAP Reporting to Former-EDSAP, their reporting requirements will mimic those for Simplified Reporting households with no gross income limit. For more on EDSAP Reporting eligibility, please see Simplified Reporting Overview.
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Simplified Reporting – 12 Months households that contain an elderly or disabled member are not subject to a gross income limit. Simplified Reporting – 12 Months households that do not contain an elderly or disabled member are subject to the gross income limit. These households only need to report household composition or income changes if the change causes the entire household’s income to exceed the household’s gross income limit. |
To assist in identifying these households, an indicator icon will be applied for all Former EDSAP households. This will be displayed on the ECF Home page in BEACON.
Changes that May Be Acted Upon at Anytime (Back to Index)
The following changes may be acted upon at any point during the certification period, even if it decreases the household’s benefits, if the:
· household has voluntarily requested case closure;
· Department has information that is considered verified upon receipt;
· Department has identified a household member as a fleeing felon, probation or parole violator.
Unclear Information (Back to Index)
The Department must pursue clarification and verification of unclear information received during case maintenance if the information:
· is less than 60 days old at the time of the current month of review; and
· would have been required to be reported under Simplified Reporting rules.
Additionally, the Department must pursue clarification and verification (if applicable) of household circumstances that appears to present significantly conflicting information from that used by the Department at the time of certification. If the unclear or questionable information contributed to an overpayment, the Department must submit a fraud referral.
Note |
A client sends in their Interim Report and indicates no change for all fields. They are claiming no income or expenses, and they are not homeless. The Interim Report is approved for ongoing benefits. Two months later, the client voluntarily sends in four weekly wage stubs. The wage stubs are entered into BEACON. The amount exceeds the household’s gross income limit, thus closing out the case. However, based upon the client’s current rate of pay and their year-to-date amount, you determine that the client began working four months ago and would have closed if the change was reported timely. You must complete a referral for recoupment. |
Reporting Requirements for Simplified Reporting (Back to Index)
When Bay State CAP clients choose to opt-out of Bay State CAP reporting, they will be converted to either EDSAP or Simplified Reporting. If clients are ineligible for EDSAP reporting, they will be converted to Simplified Reporting. Converted households will maintain the same certification end date but will begin to receive Interim Reports unless waived. Simplified Reporting subject to the IR requirement households may receive consecutive IRs during their certification period.
Households subject to the IR will receive their first Interim Report 45 days before the end of their next applicable period. For more on EDSAP Reporting’s Interim Report requirements, please see Simplified Reporting Interim Report.
When information is received from SDX, BEACON will automatically convert a case from Bay State CAP to EDSAP or Simplified Reporting because the case is no longer eligible for Bay State CAP. For more details, please see Bay State Combined Application Project (CAP) Overview.