1730 Financial Changes | TANF

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
TANF Policy Manual

Policy Title:

Financial Changes

Effective Date:

June 2019

Chapter:

1700

Policy Number:

1730

Previous Policy Number(s):

MT 5

Updated or Reviewed in MT:

MT-48

Requirements

When an assistance unit (AU) experiences a change in its resources, income or expenses, ongoing eligibility must be determined, and action taken to adjust the benefit level.

Basic Considerations

A financial change is defined as a change in resources, income and/or expenses. It includes the following:

a new resource
a change in the value of a resource
the loss of a resource
a new income source
a termination of income
a change of employer
an increase or decrease in the rate of pay
an increase or decrease in number of hours worked
an increase or decrease in the dependent care expense due to a change in provider, number of hours of care, number of individuals for whom care is given, or the amount charged a change in self-employment.

The above list is not all-inclusive.

If a decrease in income is reported after the month of change, the AU is not entitled to receive a corrective.

All financial changes must be reported within 10 days of the date of the change. A change in income or expenses requires a recalculation of the representative income or expenses based on the AU’s past, current and/or anticipated circumstances. Verification of changes in income and resources is required.

Normal fluctuations in the income amounts are not considered a change in circumstances and do not require a recalculation of the representative income amount. Normal fluctuations include the following:

overtime not expected to last for more than one calendar month
a fifth or periodic paycheck
vacation pay received within a calendar month.

All financial changes must be verified. The worker must act on the reported change immediately upon receiving the required verification, but no later than 10 days after receipt.

Change Causes Benefits to Increase

If the reported change in income, resources, or deductions causes cash assistance to increase, determine and document:

the date on which the change was reported,
the nature of the change,
the date on which the change became/will become effective,
the type of income, resource, or deduction,
the new amount of income, resource, or deduction
the AU member who receives the income, owns the resource, or pays the deduction,
the frequency with which wages are received or expenses paid,
the date on which wages are received or expenses paid,
the verification source.

After the verification has been obtained, complete the following steps:

Complete a trial budget. Determine representative pay or expenses, using the correct conversion factor for the ongoing month. Refer to Chapter 1600, Budgeting.
Make changes in the system effective the month after the change is reported or the month in which the client provides verification of the reported change, whichever is later.

Change Causes Benefits to Decrease

If the reported change in income or deductions causes cash assistance to decrease, determine and document:

the date on which the change was reported,
the nature of the change,
the date on which the change became/will become effective,
the type of income, resource, or deduction,
the new amount of income, resource, or deduction
the AU member who receives the income, owns the resource, or pays the deduction,
the frequency with which wages are received or expenses paid,
the date on which wages are received or expenses paid,
the verification source.

Follow the steps below after verification has been obtained:

Complete a trial budget. Determine representative pay or expenses, using the correct conversion factor for the ongoing month. Refer to Chapter 1600, Budgeting.
Make changes in the system effective the first or second month following the month in which the change occurred, depending on when the worker takes action and timely notice expires. Provide timely notice.