When certain TAFDC households close, the Department provides
Transitional Benefits Alternative (TBA) SNAP benefits for five months.
(A)
Determining the TBA Benefit
Amount. The Department will determine the TBA amount by
recalculating the SNAP benefit without counting new income such as wages. The
Department will count only the income the household had in the month the
household's TAFDC benefits stopped, excluding the TAFDC grant.
For TBA purposes, closed cash cases with an associated NPA SNAP
household will have their Transitional Support Services (TSS) income excluded
when determining the SNAP benefit amount.
If at the time of the TAFDC closing, the household reports a
change(s), the Department will recalculate the SNAP benefits.
(1) If the recalculated SNAP benefit amount
is less than or equal to the TBA amount, the Department will pay the TBA
amount.
(2) If the recalculated
SNAP benefit amount is greater than the TBA amount, the Department will
recertify the household and pay the increased SNAP benefit amount.
(B)
The TBA
Period. When TBA-eligible TAFDC households close, the Department
will automatically assign a five-month SNAP certification period.
(C)
Households Ineligible for TBA
Benefits. TBA will not be provided to a former TAFDC household
when the household or household member has:
(1) failed to comply with a TAFDC program
requirement;
(2) failed to comply
with a SNAP work requirement as defined in
106 CMR
362.300:
Work Requirements;
or
(3) been disqualified due to an
Intentional Program Violation in accordance with
106 CMR
367.525:
Definition of an Intentional
Program Violation (IPV) and 367.800:
Disqualification
Penalties.
(D)
Change Reporting Requirements During the TBA Period.
The TBA household is not required to report or provide verification of any
changes in household circumstances during the TBA period. Any change(s)
reported to the Department during the TBA period which results in eligibility
for SNAP benefits greater than the TBA amount will be treated as a request to
recertify.
(1) If a TBA household reports a
change during the TBA period, the Department will recalculate the SNAP
benefits.
(a) If the change results in a SNAP
benefit amount that is less than or equal to the TBA amount, the Department
will continue to pay the current TBA amount for the remaining TBA
period.
(b) If the change results
in a SNAP benefit amount that is greater than the current TBA amount, the
Department will recertify the household and pay the increased SNAP benefit
amount.
If the household is determined to be over income based on the
recalculation, the TBA case will close for that reason during the TBA
period.
(2) If
the Department receives an income change from another program, such as, but not
limited to, Social Security benefits, for the TBA household during the TBA
period, the Department will recalculate the SNAP benefits.
(a) If the change results in a SNAP benefit
amount that is less than or equal to the current TBA amount, the Department
will continue to pay the current TBA amount for the remaining TBA
period.
(b) If the change results
in a SNAP benefit amount that is greater than the current TBA amount, the
Department will recertify the household and pay the increased SNAP benefit
amount.
If the household is determined to be over income based on the
recalculation, the TBA case will close for that reason during the TBA
period.
(E)
Recertification Requirements
for TBA Households. The TBA household must recertify for SNAP at
the end of the TBA period and will be notified to recertify in accordance with
106 CMR
366.310:
Notification to
Recertify.
