1620 Responsibility Budgeting

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
TANF Policy Manual

Policy Title:

Responsibility Budgeting

Effective Date:

December 2022

Chapter:

1600

Policy Number:

1620

Previous Policy Number(s):

MT 52

Updated or Reviewed in MT:

MT-70

Requirements

A responsibility budget is completed to determine the amount of income to deem from a non-AU member to an AU member or the amount of income to allocate from an AU member to a non-AU member.

Basic Considerations

Deemed income is the income of a non-AU member that is considered available to the AU because of the non-AU member’s financial responsibility for an AU member.

Deemed income is added to the other income of the AU to determine financial eligibility and benefit amount.

Allocated income is the income of an AU member that is considered available to a non-AU member because of the AU member’s financial responsibility for a non-AU member.

Allocated income is deducted from the AUs income prior to determining financial eligibility and benefit amount.

A responsibility budget is completed to determine the amount of income of the following individuals to deem to the AU:

  • an ineligible parent

  • an ineligible spouse of an eligible adult or child

  • an ineligible parent of a minor parent who is the head of household (HOH)

  • an ineligible spouse of the non-parent specified caretaker relative who is receiving TANF cash assistance for themselves.

A responsibility budget is also completed to determine the amount of income an AU member can allocate to the following individuals:

  • an ineligible spouse of an eligible adult or child

  • an ineligible parent of a minor parent who is the head of household (HOH)

  • an ineligible spouse of the non-parent specified caretaker relative who is receiving TANF cash assistance for themselves.

Refer to the appropriate sections in this chapter for specific budgeting procedures.

Allowable Deductions

Allowable deductions are unique to responsibility budgeting and include the following:

  • $250.00 standard work deduction

  • the standard of need for the number of dependents living in the home who are or could be claimed as federal tax dependents

  • actual verified amounts of alimony and/or child support paid to individuals living outside the home

  • actual verified amounts contributed to individuals outside the home who are or can be claimed as federal tax dependents