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TANF Unearned Income - Oklahoma

The following rules apply to the counting of unearned income for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program:

· Capital investments. Proceeds from interest or dividends from capital investments, which include savings accounts, bonds, other than U.S. Savings Bonds, Series A through EE, notes, and mortgages received subsequent to certification constitute income.

· Real property held as reserve. If the individual has income from property held as a reserve, only the income after deducting the actual business expense is considered.

· Life estate and homestead rights. For income from life estate and homestead rights, see OAC 340:10-3-4(d). If you are connected to the Internet, you can find the regulations at: OK Department of Human Services Policy

· Minerals. If the individual owns minerals, but not the surface, only actual income from minerals, delayed rentals, and production is considered.

· Home produce. Any home produce from garden, livestock, and poultry utilized by the individual and his or her household for their consumption represents resourcefulness on the part of the individual in improving his or her situation, and is not considered in determining the amount of benefit.

· Contributions. Appreciable contributions recurrently received in cash are considered as income except in instances where the contribution is not made directly to the recipient.

· Retirement, disability, and unemployment benefits. Income received monthly from these sources is considered as unearned income. Retirement benefits received as a lump sum payment at termination of employment are considered a resource. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) does not fall under these types of benefits.

· Military benefits. Life insurance, pensions, compensation, servicemen dependents' allowances, and similar benefits, are all sources of income which the individual and dependents may be eligible to receive.

· Income from any agency or organization. Financial aid provided to individuals by agencies or organizations which base their payment on financial need is not considered in determining the amount of the TANF benefit provided duplication does not exist between such other assistance and that provided by the Department. Financial aid given by other agencies or organizations does not constitute duplication if the financial aid is given:

o for a different purpose than that provided by the Department;

o for goods and services that are not included in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) need standard; or

o in an amount sufficient to make it possible for the individual to have the amount of money as determined by the TANF need standard. In this instance, the non-duplicated amount is the difference between the monthly payment standard and the monthly need standard. Any amount of financial aid that exceeds that difference is considered as unearned income.

· Income from Vocational Rehabilitation Program through Department of Rehabilitation Services. Assistance or services received by a TANF individual from the Vocational Rehabilitation Program through the Department of Rehabilitation Services which are allocated to items not covered in the TANF standards, such as car fare to a rehabilitation center, extra clothing, lunches, grooming needed for a training program, and any other such complementary payments, are disregarded in determining the amount of the assistance payments.

· Casual and inconsequential gifts. Monetary gifts that do not realistically represent income to meet living expenses, for example, Christmas, graduation, and birthday gifts, not to exceed $30 per calendar quarter for each individual, are disregarded as income. The amount of the gifts is disregarded as received during the quarter until the aggregate amount has reached $30. At that time the portion exceeding $30 is counted as lump sum income. If the amount of a single gift exceeds $30, it is not inconsequential and the total amount is counted. If the recipient claims that the gift is intended for more than one person in the assistance unit, it can be divided among these persons. Gifts between members of the assistance unit are not counted.

· Grants. Grants that are not based on financial need are considered income to the extent the grant is available for current maintenance. Any portion of the grant that is expended, designated, or intended for items not included in current maintenance is excluded. Any remaining portion of a grant excluded as not for current maintenance must have detailed case documentation to justify the exclusion. The countable amount of a grant received for a period covering more than one month is prorated over the period it is intended to cover.

· Funds held in trust by Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). The BIA frequently puts an individual's trust funds in an Individual Indian Money (IIM) account. To determine the availability of funds held in trust in an IIM account, the social services specialist must contact the BIA in writing and ascertain if the funds, in total or any portion, are available to the individual. If any portion of the funds is disbursed to the individual client, guardian, or conservator, such funds are considered as available income. If the BIA determines the funds are not available, they are not considered in determining eligibility. Funds held in trust by the BIA and not disbursed are considered unavailable.

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TANF Unearned Income - Oklahoma

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