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When EBT benefits are unused they may be removed from the EBT card. Each program has it’s own rules about how long benefits can remain on the EBT card. Unaccessed benefits may indicate that the client has a barrier or that they have had a change in circumstances.
When a household’s SNAP benefit account has not been accessed at all for a total of 274 days, SNAP benefits that have been issued 274 or more days prior will be permanently purged from their EBT account.
The Department will mail the household a notice that includes the date benefits will be expunged and what the household must do to prevent the expungement. This notice will be mailed no later than 30 days before the date of expungement.
Example 1: Maleya was issued $150 in SNAP benefits on August 1, 2021. On August 15, 2021, Maleya used $50 of their SNAP benefits. They do not access their account again. Maleya is sent a Warning Expungement Notice on April 16, 2022 indicating that the remaining $100 SNAP benefits will be expunged by May 16, 2022. They access their SNAP benefits on May 1, 2022 and spends $75. The remaining $25 in SNAP benefits that Maleya did not use will not be expunged as they accessed the benefits before the expungement date.
Example 2: Junior was issued $200 in SNAP benefits on October 1, 2021. They did not access their SNAP account. On June 2, 2022, Junior receives a Warning Expungement Notice indicating that their remaining $200 SNAP benefits will be expunged by July 2, 2022. On July 2, 2022, Junior still does not access the SNAP account. The benefits will be permanently expunged.
The EBT High Balance – FS view is located under Assistance Units Lists. This view is available to all staff with the exception of FAW-model case managers. Cash case managers must be sure to check this view for combo cases.
The EBT High Balance – FS View identifies the following:
Grantee
AP ID
Month
Calculated Amount
Contacted (date contact was made or attempted)
Telephone (client’s primary phone number on file)
Worker; and
TAO
The calculated SNAP balance is the available SNAP balance less the monthly benefit issuance and any corrections issued as the result of an underpayment or Fair Hearing decision. When a calculated SNAP balance reaches $5,000 or more, the case appears on a view, EBT High Balance – FS, for outreach by the assigned case manager.
The view displays cases for the previous two months and also cases with no date in the Contacted field.
To disposition a case on this view, you must select the case from the EBT High Balance – FS view and click the EBT High Balance Activity icon (with a $ sign) at the top of the page. This icon will open the new EBT High Balance Activity - FS page.
DTA benefits are intended to assist individuals with immediate needs. A high balance can be an indication that a person is having trouble accessing benefits or may no longer need the benefits. You must attempt to contact the grantee by phone to determine if the grantee:
is aware of the SNAP balance
has any trouble using the EBT card
has any barriers to accessing the benefits
needs information about the benefit or help accessing benefits, e.g., mailing an authorized representative form, a community resource referral, etc.
has had a change in circumstances that may affect eligibility; or
no longer has a need for assistance
The EBT High Balance Activity - FS page displays the Program type, Month, Monthly Benefit Amount, any Underpayments, the full EBT Balance and the Calculated Amount. Additionally, this page displays the Last Accessed date and time, the Primary Account Number (PAN) and Last Used At information (location name and address). You should use this information if the grantee has questions about his or her benefits and when they were last accessed.
You must enter the date contact was made or attempted in the Contacted field. A second attempt is to be made, if the first is unsuccessful. The Comment field must then be completed. For example:
Spoke with Lisa Hutz regarding high SNAP balance. Ms. Hutz is elderly and reports difficulty getting to the market. Client was unaware that she could designate an authorized representative. Mailed client a Request to Choose Someone to be my Authorized Representative form (Image-10) so that her daughter can assist her in grocery shopping.
or
Attempted to contact Sam Marbury on 3/3/2022 and 3/6/2022 regarding high SNAP balance. Left message.
Important |
If the client has a Heightened Level of Security (HLS) indicator, do not contact the client by phone. Follow current procedures for contacting the client |
You can then change the Status from Open to Closed. Additionally, if after speaking with the client, you believe there is cause for further review, the Referral checkbox should be checked to generate an automatic referral to the Fraud Investigation and Data Match (FIDM) Unit.
Example |
Mark Jones’s only reported income is $600 in SSI payments. His rent is $500 and he pays $100 monthly in utility expenses. He states he does not access food pantries, eat with others, etc. and yet he still maintains a high SNAP balance. A review of the Last Used At field on the EBT High Balance Activity –FS page shows only one transaction for $5.73 over the past three months. FIDM referral is appropriate. You enter this information in the Comment field and click the Referral checkbox. |
Cash benefit balances are expunged 90 days after the benefit availability date. Clients will receive a Cash Expungement Notice of the action. Subsequently clients receive a Cash Expungement Notice on a quarterly basis advising them when their cash benefits are permanently expunged.
Procedures for processing requests for restoration of these benefits are located in Expunged Benefit Restoration Requests.
The calculated cash balance is the available cash balance, less the monthly benefit issuance and any benefits issued as the result of an underpayment or fair hearing decision for the month they are issued and the month following issuance. When a calculated cash balance reaches $4,000 a Cash Warning notice will be issued.
DTA benefits are intended to assist individuals with day-to-day needs. A high balance can be an indication that a person is having trouble accessing benefits or may no longer need the benefits. The Cash Warning notice advises clients of the cash program asset limits and the 90-day expungement policy. Clients are also advised to contact the Department if they are having difficulty accessing benefits, have any questions or no longer need assistance.
When a Cash Warning notice is issued, you must contact the grantee (displayed on the Documents Sent for Past Week view and the Client Communications tab) by phone and to determine if the grantee:
is aware of the cash balance
has any trouble using the EBT card
has any barriers to accessing the benefits
needs information about the benefit or help accessing benefits, e.g., mailing an authorized representative form, a community resource referral, scheduling of a home visit, etc.
has had a change in circumstances that may affect eligibility; or
no longer has a need for assistance
You should note the results of the contact on the Narrative tab.
The EBT High Cash view is located under Assistance Units Lists. This view is available to all staff with the exception of FAW staff. Clients who have a calculated cash balance of $5,000 or more are closed for EBT balance in excess of limits and receive an EBC notice regarding the closing.
The EBT High Balance Cash view identifies the following:
Grantee
SSN
Month
Calculated Amount
Check Issued
Worker; and
TAO
Cases remain on this view for two months after case closing. No client contact is required by you. Cases that are closed due to their high cash EBT balance and remain closed for two months will have their remaining cash benefits expunged from their EBT card and are centrally issued a check for the balance. The expungement and check issuance will occur on the 21st day of the month, or the next available business day, following the cash case closing. Clients are advised of this process in both the closing letter and in the Check Issuance notice.
Important |
To issue these checks, the clients have their Benefit Issuance Mechanism changed from EBT to Check. If the client reapplies or reopens, you must go to the Benefit Issuance Mechanism page, and adjust the Type, as needed. |
You do not need to take any action to disposition high balance cash cases. The Status of the high balance will be set to Closed after two months. To see details of the case, you must select the case you wish to review from the EBT High Balance – Cash view and click the EBT icon at the top of the page. This icon will open the new EBT High Balance Activity - Cash page.
The EBT High Balance Activity - Cash page displays the Program type, Month, Monthly Benefit Amount, any Underpayments, the full EBT Balance and the Calculated Amount. Additionally, this page will display the Last Accessed date and time, the PAN and Last Used At information (location name and address). This page can also be accessed from the ECF/Tool tab by selecting the EBT High Balance Activity History icon.
Additionally, if after reviewing the case, you believe there is cause for further review, the Referral checkbox should be checked on this page to generate an automatic referral to the Fraud Investigation and Data Match (FIDM) Unit for further review. The Comment field must be annotated to reflect the reason for the referral.
Example |
Mark Jones receives $631 in TAFDC for themself and their children. Their rent is $600 and they pay $100 monthly in utility expenses, yet the client still maintains a high TAFDC balance. |
If cash benefits were removed from the EBT card and a check was issued, the information is displayed in the Check issued field. The date issued is displayed in the Sent field. These fields are view only as the notice is automatically generated and does not require any action. If this check is reported lost or stolen, follow established procedures to replace it.
Electronic Benefit Transfer - Policy and Procedures