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Each year, the Federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) publishes the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPGs) in the Federal Register. Publication of the FPGs usually occurs in late January. States may use the FPG to establish eligibility standards for certain public assistance programs.
For DTA, the FPGs are used to calculate the eligibility standards for the TAFDC and SNAP programs as follows:
TAFDC: Income from the parent(s) of a Parent under age 18 (200 percent of the FPGs),
TAFDC: Total countable household income from clients for the 100% Earned Income Disregard (200 percent of the FPGs) and
SNAP: Gross Monthly Categorical Eligibility Income Standards (200 percent of the FPGs).
Once the new FPGs are published, BEACON is programmed to use new figures in the eligibility calculations for these TAFDC and SNAP eligibility standards.
Note |
If the FPGs are published in January, the effective date for these new standards is usually for the first cyclical payment date in February. |
Location of the eligibility standards
The TAFDC and SNAP program eligibility charts and tables affected by the FPGs are posted on the DTA website at: https://www.mass.gov/lists/dta-program-eligibility-charts-and-tables (this link can be opened in another tab if window to view).
Note |
State Letters 1346 and 1353 issued the change that moved the income eligibility tables from the regulations onto the DTA website. DTA will provide paper copies when requested. |
See Income from the Parent(s) of a Parent Under Age 18 (TAFDC), 100% Earned Income Disregard 200% of the FPL test (TAFDC) and Categorical Eligibility (SNAP) for details on how the FPG are applied to these programs.
Federal Poverty Guidelines Policy and Procedures