N.M. Admin. Code § 8.240.500.14 - UNEARNED INCOME

A. Unearned income exclusions: All social security and railroad retirement beneficiaries receive cost of living adjustments (COLAs) in January of each year. The ISD caseworker must disregard the COLA from January through March when (re)determining QMB eligibility. For redeterminations made in January, February and March and for new QMB applications registered in January, February or March, the ISD caseworker uses the December social security and railroad retirement benefit amounts. For QMB applications registered from April through December, total gross income including the new COLA figures are used to determine income and compared to the new April federal poverty levels. This exclusion does not apply to other types of income.

B. Evaluation of applicant/recipient's income: The ISD caseworker determines the amount of income available to the applicant/recipient using only the applicant/recipient's own income. A standard $20 disregard is allowed in accordance with Section 8.215.500.22 NMAC. The federal poverty level standard disregard is only given if the applicant/recipient lives with an ineligible spouse. See Section 8.240.500.15 NMAC for deemed income.

Notes

N.M. Admin. Code § 8.240.500.14

2/1/95; 9/15/95; 8.240.500.14 NMAC - Rn, 8 NMAC 4.QMB.523 & A, 7/15/10; 8.240.500.14 NMAC - Rn, 8.240.500.13 NMAC, 10/1/12, Amended by New Mexico Register, Volume XXIX, Issue 04, February 27, 2018, eff. 3/1/2018, Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXV, Issue 12, June 25, 2024, eff. 7/1/2024