N.M. Admin. Code § 8.102.520.8 - GENERAL

A. Income eligibility: To be eligible for cash assistance based on income eligibility factors:

(1) the countable gross income available to the benefit group cannot equal or exceed the maximum gross income limit for the size of the benefit group;

(2) the net countable income available to the benefit group cannot equal or exceed the standard of need applicable to the size of the benefit group;

(3) all income exempted or deducted in the gross income test shall be exempted or deducted in the net income test;

(4) all income considered available in the net income test shall be considered in determining the amount of payment to the benefit group.

B. Gross income test (eighty-five percent test): For the benefit group to be eligible, the countable gross income available to the benefit group cannot exceed eighty-five percent of the federal poverty guidelines for the size of the benefit group.

C. Net income test: For the benefit group to be eligible, the countable net income must be less than the standard of need applicable to the size of the benefit group.

D. Eligibility for support services only: Subject to the availability of state and federal funds, a benefit group that is not receiving cash assistance but has countable gross income that is less than one hundred percent of the federal poverty guidelines applicable to the size of the benefit group may be eligible to receive services.

E. Counting income during the certification period:

(1) For the purposes of cash assistance eligibility and payment determination, income is money received by or available to the benefit group in each month of the certification period.

(2) Only income which is actually received, or can reasonably be expected to be received, is counted for financial eligibility and payment calculation.

(3) The benefit group must take appropriate steps to apply for and receive income from any other source to which the group may potentially be eligible. A benefit group may be found ineligible for failing or refusing to apply for or pursue potential benefits from other sources.

(4) A benefit group member who is 62 years of age or older must apply for and take all necessary steps to receive a reduced OASDI benefit in order to comply with this eligibility criterion.

F. Income availability:

(1) The availability of income to the benefit group is determined by who must be included in the benefit group, and whether income must be deemed available to the benefit group.

(2) Income belongs to the person who gains it, either through the person's own efforts, as in the case of earnings, or as a benefit, as in the case of a beneficiary of social security administration income.

(3) Any unearned income, benefits, or payments, such as but not limited to: child support or social security benefits, for a child are considered as belonging to the benefit group in which the child is included.

(4) Noncitizen sponsors: The gross income and resources belonging to an individual who is the sponsor of a non-citizen included in the cash assistance benefit group, and the income belonging to the sponsor's spouse, shall be counted in its entirety to determine the eligibility and payment amount if the sponsor has executed an affidavit of support pursuant to Subsection 213-A of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The income and resources of the non-citizen sponsor, and spouse, shall be counted until the sponsored noncitizen achieves citizenship or can be credited with 40 qualifying quarters under title II of the federal Social Security Act.

G. Unavailable income: In some situations, individuals who are included in the benefit group, either an applicant or participant status, have a legal right to income but do not have access to it. Such income is not counted as available income for purposes of cash assistance eligibility and benefit calculation. A benefit group may be found ineligible for failing or refusing to immediately take all steps necessary to obtain access to the income.

H. Ineligible noncitizen: The countable income belonging to an ineligible non-citizen is deemed available to the benefit group and is prorated according to the size of the benefit group to determine the eligibility and payment amount for the benefit group.

Notes

N.M. Admin. Code § 8.102.520.8

8.102.520.8 NMAC - Rp 8.102.520.8 NMAC, 7/1/2001; A, 11/15/2007, Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXV, Issue 12, June 25, 2024, eff. 7/1/2024