218 R.I. Code R. 218-RICR-20-00-1.6 - [Effective 4/29/2025] Verification
1.6.1
Verification Introduction
A. Verification is the use of third (3rd)
party information or documentation to establish the accuracy of statements on
the application. This Section sets forth the general requirements for
verification of financial and non-financial eligibility factors.
1. The agency representative must examine
both financial and non-financial information provided by applicant households
as part of the eligibility process.
a.
Financial information includes statements presented by the household on its
resources, monthly income , and deductible expenses.
b. Non-financial information includes
residency in the project area, the composition of the household, its
citizenship or alien status, the need for certain members to register for work,
and verification of Social Security Number(s) (SSN).
1.6.2
Verification
of Questionable Information
A. The
agency representative must verify, prior to certification of the household, all
factors of eligibility which the agency representative determines are
questionable and affect the household's eligibility and benefit level.
Questionable information cannot be based on race, religion, ethnic background,
or national origin. Groups such as migrant farmworkers or American Indians
cannot be targeted for more intensive verification.
1. As a guideline, questionable information
is information that is:
a. Inconsistent with
statements made by the applicant or with other information on the application
or previous applications; or,
b.
Inconsistent with information received from another
source.
1.6.3
Sources for Verification
A. The agency representative uses documentary
evidence as the primary source of verification. Documentary evidence consists
of a written confirmation of a household's circumstances. Although documentary
evidence must be the primary source of verification, acceptable verification
must not be limited to any single type of document and may be obtained from the
applicant /member or other source. Whenever documentary evidence cannot be
obtained or is insufficient to make a firm determination of eligibility or
benefit level, the agency representative may require collateral contacts or
home visits.
1. Documentary Evidence
a. The agency representative accepts any
reasonable documentary evidence provided by the household and is primarily
concerned with how adequately the verification proves the statements on the
application.
(1) If the household is unable
to obtain the documentary evidence in a timely manner, or the agency
representative can do so more expeditiously than the household, the agency
representative offers assistance to the household in obtaining the documentary
evidence. The agency is not required, however, to assist households in
obtaining verification of shelter costs for an unoccupied home if verification
would have to be obtained from sources outside of the project area.
b. When information from another
source contradicts statements made by the household, the household is
immediately afforded the opportunity to resolve the discrepancy.
(1) Whenever documentary evidence is
insufficient to make a firm determination of eligibility or benefit level, or
cannot be obtained, the agency representative uses alternate sources of
verification, such as collaterals contact and home visits. In all cases, the
method of verification is recorded in the case record.
2. Collateral Contacts
a. A collateral contact is an oral
confirmation of a household's circumstances by a person outside of the
household who can be expected to provide accurate third (3rd) party
verification.
(1) The collateral contact may
be made either in-person or over the telephone.
(2) The agency representative may select a
collateral contact if the household fails to designate one or designates one
unacceptable to the agency representative.
b. If the agency representative designates a
collateral contact, the agency representative must not make the contact without
providing prior written or oral notice to the household. At the time of this
notice, the agency representative must inform the household that it has the
following options:
(1) Consent to the contact;
or,
(2) Provide acceptable
verification in another form; or,
(3) Withdraw its application.
c. If the household refuses to
choose one (1) of the options in § 1.6.3(A)(2)(b) of this Part, its
application must be denied in accordance with the normal procedures for failure
to verify information under §
1.3 of this Part.
3. Home Visits
a. Home visits are used as verification only
if documentary evidence cannot be obtained and the visit is scheduled in
advance with the household.
4. Self-attestation
a. The agency will accept a household's
attestation or self-declaration as verification of the following factors:
(1) Shelter deductions;
(2) Utility expenses such as heating and
cooling expenses which qualify the household for the Standard Utility
Allowance;
(3) Receipt of
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance ;
(4) Dependent care expenses.
b. Verification shall only be
required if the information provided by household is considered questionable as
defined in § 1.6.2 of this Part.
1.6.4
Verification of Reported
Changes
A. Changes reported during the
certification period are subject to the same verification procedures as apply
at initial certification, except that the agency should not verify changes if
the total medical expenses or actual utility expenses are unchanged or have
changed by twenty-five dollars ($25.00) or less, unless the information is
incomplete, inaccurate, inconsistent, or outdated.
1. Households must verify medical expenses of
over thirty-five dollars ($35.00) if no previous medical deduction was provided
in order to receive the Standard Medical Deduction of one hundred eighty-three
dollars ($183.00).
a. Households that elect
to claim actual medical expenses (those households with medical expenses over
two hundred eighteen dollars ($218.00), must verify at a reported change,
previously unreported medical expenses and total recurring allowable medical
expenses that have changed by more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00).
b. Medical expenses that are unchanged or
changed by twenty-five dollars ($25.00) or less will not be verified unless
information regarding these expenses is incomplete, inaccurate, inconsistent or
outdated.
c. If the household
declares a medical expense that must be verified, but chooses not to verify it,
this decision must be documented in the case record. The household will be
advised that the case will be processed without the medical expense and that it
may furnish this required verification at a later date.
d. When the household does provide
verification of the medical expense, the expense will be deducted, and the SNAP
benefit amount adjusted according to the timeliness standards for a reported
change.
e. If the agency learns of
a change in its medical expenses from a source other than the household, the
agency must act on the change, provided that no additional information or
verification is required from the household. The agency will not contact the
household and will not take any action on the household's medical expense
deduction if the report of a change in medical expenses requires contact with
the household.
1.6.5
Verification at
Recertification
A. Income Changes
1. At recertification, all income information
shall be considered outdated and shall require updated verification to
determine the accuracy of the information as outlined within this Section when
determining continued eligibility of uninterrupted benefits .
B. Expense Changes
1. At recertification, the agency shall not
verify total medical expenses claimed by households which are unchanged or have
changed by twenty-five dollars ($25.00) or less, unless the information is
incomplete, inaccurate, inconsistent or outdated.
2. For households eligible for the child
support exclusion, the agency shall require to household to verify any changes
in legal obligation to pay child support, the obligated amount, and the amount
of legally obligated child support a household member pays to a non-household
member.
a. The agency representative shall
verify reportedly unchanged child support information only if the information
is incomplete, inaccurate, inconsistent or outdated.
1.6.6
Verification
after Non-Cooperation with Quality Control
A. The agency representative must verify all
factors of eligibility for households who have been terminated for refusal to
cooperate with the DHS Quality Control (QC) reviewer, and who reapply after one
hundred twenty-five (125) days from the end of the annual review period.
1. Also, the agency representative must
verify all factors of eligibility for households who have been terminated for
refusal to cooperate with a Federal QC reviewer, and who reapply after nine (9)
months from the end of the annual review period.
1.6.7
Non-Financial Verification
A. Identity
1. The identity of the person making
application must be verified.
2.
When an authorized representative applies on behalf of a household, the
identity of both the authorized representative and the head of household must
be verified.
3. Identity may be
verified through readily available documentary evidence, or if this is
unavailable, through a collateral contact.
a.
Any documents which reasonably establish the applicant 's identity must be
accepted, and no requirement for a specific type of document, such as a birth
certificate, may be imposed.
B. Social Security Numbers
1. The agency must verify the Social Security
Numbers (SSNs) of all household members applying for participation in the SNAP
by submitting them to the SSA for verification according to procedures
established by the SSA.
2. The
agency should not delay the certification for, or issuance of, benefits to an
otherwise eligible household solely to verify the SSN of a household
member.
C. Residency
1. Rhode Island residency must be verified
except in unusual cases (such as a homeless household, a migrant farm worker
household or a household newly arrived in the project area) where verification
of residency cannot reasonably be accomplished.
2. Verification of residency should be
accomplished to the extent possible in conjunction with the verification of
other information such as, but not limited to, rent and mortgage payments,
utility expenses, and identity.
a. If
verification of residence cannot be accomplished in conjunction with the other
verification, then the agency representative may use a collateral contact or
other readily available documentary evidence.
b. Documents used to verify other factors of
eligibility should normally suffice to verify residency as well. Any documents
or collateral contact which reasonably establish the applicant 's residency must
be accepted and no requirement for a specific type of verification may be
imposed.
D.
Household Composition
1. Households must list
on their applications the various members they wish to be considered for SNAP
benefits . Individuals who claim to be a separate household from those with whom
they reside based on the various age and disability factors for determining
separateness are responsible for proving a claim of separateness (at the
agency 's request) in accordance with the provisions of §
1.2 of this
Part.
E. U.S. Citizenship
1. U.S. citizenship must be verified only
when the citizenship statement is inconsistent with other information on the
application, previous applications or other documented information known to the
agency representative.
2. When a
household's statement that one (1) or more of the members are U.S. citizens is
questionable, the agency representative must request the household to provide
acceptable verification.
a. Participation in
the RI Works program may be considered acceptable verification if verification
of citizenship was obtained for that program.
3. If verification cannot be obtained, and
the household can provide a reasonable explanation as to why verification is
not available, the agency representative may accept a signed statement from
someone who is a U.S. citizen which declares, under penalty of perjury, that
the member in question is a U.S. citizen.
4. A member whose citizenship is in question
is ineligible to participate until proof of U.S. citizenship is obtained.
a. The member whose citizenship is in
question has their income , less a pro rata share, and all
their resources considered available to any remaining household members as set
forth in § 1.5.6 of this Part.
5. Pending verification from USCIS, the
agency must not delay, deny, reduce, or discontinue the individual's
eligibility for benefits on the basis of the individual's immigration status.
a. The agency must provide non-citizen
applicants with a reasonable opportunity to submit acceptable documentation of
their eligible non-citizen status as of the thirtieth (30th) day following the
date of application.
b. A
reasonable opportunity is at least ten (10) days from the date of the agency 's
request for an acceptable document.
c. When the agency accepts non-USCIS
documentation and fails to provide a non-citizen applicant with a reasonable
opportunity as of the thirtieth (30th) day following the date of application,
the agency must provide the household with benefits no later than thirty (30)
days following the date of application provided the household is otherwise
eligible.
F.
Disability Verification
1. A disabled
household member means a member of a household who receives one (1) or more of
the following benefits authorized under the Social Security Act, U.S.C. Title
42:
a. Supplemental security income benefits
under Title XVI of the Social Security Act or disability or blindness payments
under Titles I, II, X, XIV, or XVI of the Social Security Act;
b. Federally or State -administered
supplemental benefits under § 1616(a) of the Social Security Act provided
that the eligibility to receive the benefits is based upon the disability or
blindness criteria used under Title XVI of the Social Security Act;
c. Federally or State -administered
supplemental benefits under § 212(a) of Pub. Law 93-66.
(1) For individuals to be considered disabled
under this definition, the household shall provide proof that the disabled
individual is receiving benefits under Titles I, II, X, XIV or XVI of the
Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. Chapter 7.
2. Is a veteran with a service-connected or
non-service-connected disability rated by the Veteran's Administration (VA) as
total or paid as total by the VA under U.S.C. Title 38;
a. For individuals to be considered disabled
this definition, the household must present a statement from the Veterans
Administration (VA) which clearly indicates that the disabled individual is
receiving VA disability benefits for a service-connected or
non-service-connected disability and that the disability is rated as total or
paid at the total rate by VA.
3. Is a veteran considered by the VA to be in
need of regular aid and attendance or permanently housebound under U.S.C. Title
38;
a. Is a surviving spouse of a veteran and
considered by the VA to be in need of regular aid and attendance or permanently
housebound or a surviving child of a veteran and considered by the VA to be
permanently incapable of self-support under U.S.C. Title 38;
(1) For individuals to be considered disabled
under this definition, proof by the household that the disabled individual is
receiving VA disability benefits is sufficient verification of
disability.
4.
Receives disability retirement benefits from a governmental agency because of a
disability considered permanent under the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §
221(i) .
a. Is a surviving spouse or surviving
child of a veteran and considered by the VA to be entitled to compensation for
a service-connected death or pension benefits for a non-service-connected death
under U.S.C. Title 38 and has a disability considered permanent under the
Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 221(i) . "Entitled" as used in this
definition refers to those veterans' surviving spouses and surviving children
who are receiving the compensation or pension benefits stated or have been
approved for such payments, but are not yet receiving them;
(1) For individuals to be considered disabled
under this definition, the State agency shall use the SSA's most current list
of disabilities considered permanent under the Social Security Act, U.S.C.
Title 42, for verifying disability.
(2) If it is obvious to the agency
representative that the individual has one of the listed disabilities, the
household shall be considered to have verified disability.
(3) If disability is not obvious to the
agency representative, the household shall provide a statement from a physician
or licensed or certified psychologist certifying that the individual has one
(1) of the nonobvious disabilities listed as the means for verifying
disability.
5.
Receives an annuity payment under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974, 45 U.S.C. §
231(a), and is determined to be eligible to receive Medicare by
the Railroad Retirement Board; or
a.
§
2(a)(1)(v) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 and is determined to be
disabled based upon the criteria used under Title XVI of the Social Security
Act, 42 U.S.C. Chapter 7.
(1) For individuals
to be considered disabled under this definition, the household shall provide
proof that the individual receives a Railroad Retirement disability annuity
from the Railroad Retirement Board and has been determined to qualify for
Medicare.
6. Is
a recipient of interim assistance benefits pending the receipt of SSI a
recipient of disability related medical assistance under Title XIX of the
Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. Chapter 7, or a recipient of disability-based
State general assistance benefits provided that the eligibility to receive any
of these benefits is based upon disability or blindness criteria established by
the State agency which are at least as stringent as those used under Title XVI
of the Social Security Act (as set forth in 20 C.F.R. Part 416, Subpart I,
Determining Disability and Blindness as defined in Title XVI).
a. For individuals to be considered disabled
under this definition, the household shall provide proof that the individual
receives interim assistance benefits pending the receipt of SSI; or
b. Disability-related medical assistance
under Title XIX of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. Chapter 7; or
c. Disability-based State general assistance
benefits .
(1) The State agency shall verify
that the eligibility to receive these benefits is based upon disability or
blindness criteria which are at least as stringent as those used under Title
XVI of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. Chapter
7.
1.6.8
Financial Verification
A. The agency representative must use
documentary evidence as the primary source of verification. If other types of
verification are used, the agency representative documents the case record as
to why an alternate source was used.
B. Loan
1.
When verifying that income is exempt as a loan, a legally binding agreement is
not required. A simple statement signed by both parties that indicates that the
payment is a loan and must be repaid is sufficient verification.
2. However, if the household receives
payments on a recurrent or regular basis from the same source, but claims the
payments are loans, the agency representative must also require that the
provider of the loan sign an affidavit indicating that repayments are being
made or that payments will be made in accordance with an established repayment
schedule.
C. Income
Budgeting
1. For the purpose of determining a
household's eligibility and monthly allotment, the agency representative takes
into account the income already received by the household during the
certification period and any anticipated income the household and the agency
representative are reasonably certain will be received during the remainder of
the certification period.
a. If the amount of
income that will be received, or when it will be received, is uncertain, the
portion of the household's income that is uncertain is not counted by the
agency representative.
2.
Income received during the past thirty (30) days is used as an indicator of
anticipated income . However, past income is not used for any month in which a
change in income has occurred or can be anticipated.
a. If income fluctuates to the extent that a
thirty (30) day period alone cannot provide an accurate indication of
anticipated income , the agency representative may use a longer period of past
time if it provides an accurate indication of anticipated income .
b. If the household's income fluctuates
seasonally, it may be appropriate to use the most recent season comparable to
the certification period, rather than the last thirty (30) days, as one (1)
indicator of anticipated income .
c.
In many cases of seasonally fluctuating income , the income also fluctuates from
one (1) season in one (1) year to the same season in the next year.
(1) In no event may the agency representative
automatically attribute to the household the amounts of any past
income .
(2) The agency
representative may not use past income as an indicator of anticipated income
when changes in income have occurred or can be anticipated during the
certification period.
3. Cases with Earnings
a. In cases where the head of the household
is steadily employed, income from previous months is usually a good indicator
of the amount of income which can be anticipated in the month of application
and subsequent months.
b. Hourly
and Piece Work Wages
(1) When income is
received on an hourly wage or piece work basis, weekly income may fluctuate if
the wage earner works less than eight (8) hours some days or is required to
work overtime on others.
(2) When
determining the amount of anticipated income , review pay stubs from the
previous four (4) weeks in order to determine a weekly average.
c. Withheld Wages: Wages withheld
at the request of the employee must be considered income to the household in
the month the wages would otherwise have been paid by the employer.
(1) However, wages withheld by the employer
as a general practice, even if in violation of law, are not counted as income
to the household, unless the household anticipates that it will ask for and
receive an advance, or the household anticipates that it will receive income
from wages that were previously held by the employer as general practice and
that were, therefore, not previously counted as income by the agency .
d. Advances on wages must only
count as income if reasonably anticipated.
4. Verification of Income
a. Gross non-exempt income must be verified
for all households prior to certification.
(1) However, where all attempts to verify
income have been unsuccessful because the income provider fails to cooperate
with the household and the agency representative, and because all other sources
of verification are unavailable, the agency representative must determine an
amount to be used, based on the best available information.
5. Averaging Income
a. Whenever a full month's income is
anticipated but is received on a weekly basis, the agency representative
converts the income to a monthly amount by multiplying the weekly income by
4.3333.
b. Whenever a full month's
income is anticipated but is received on a bi-weekly basis, the agency
representative converts the income into a monthly amount by multiplying the
income by 2.1666.
c. A household
that, by contract or self-employment, derives its annual income in a period of
time shorter than one (1) year has such income averaged over a twelve (12)
month period, provided the income from the contract is not received on an
hourly or piece work basis.
(1) Examples of
such households may include school employees, sharecroppers, farmers and other
self-employed households. However, these provisions do not apply to migrant or
seasonal farm workers.
(2) Such
income shall not affect more budget months than the number of months in the
period over which it is annualized or pro-rated.
d. Income must not be averaged for a
destitute household since averaging would result in assigning to the month of
application income from future periods which is not available to the destitute
household for its current food needs.
D. Self-Employment Income
1. Self-employment income includes the total
gross income from a self-employment enterprise, including the total gain from
the sale of any capital goods or equipment related to the business, excluding
the costs of doing business.
2.
Ownership of rental property is considered self-employment. However, income
derived from the rental property is considered earned income only if a member
of the household is actively engaged in management of the property at least an
average of twenty (20) hours per week.
a.
Payments from a roomer or boarder and returns on rental property are also
self-employment income .
3. Examples of types of verification for
self-employment income include State or Federal income tax returns,
self-employment bookkeeping records, or sales and expenditure
reports.
E. Unreported
Income
1. In addition to verifying reported
income , the agency representative may have occasion to explore the
possibilities of unreported income .
a. When
the applicant states that they have no earnings or other income , and the
applicant is employable, or it appears they may be eligible for other benefits
such as Social Security, unemployment insurance, or assistance payments, it is
necessary to verify that they are not receiving income from such
sources.
b. Additional situations
in which the possibility of unreported income are investigated are difficulty
in finding the head of the household at home, seasonal employment in the area
which is at its peak, shelter costs higher than reported income , or similar
questionable situations.
Notes
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