Calculation of Applicant Income

“Gross income” shall mean the anticipated income of a person or family for the twelve-month period following the date of determination of income. If the circumstances are such that it is not reasonably feasible to anticipate a level of income over a twelve-month period, a shorter period may be used subject to a redetermination at the end of such a period. “Income” shall consist of the following:

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), all payments from all sources received by the family head (even if temporarily absent) and each additional member of the family household who is no a minor shall be included in the annual income of a family. Income shall include, but not be limited to:

  1. The gross amount, before any payroll deductions, of wages and salaries, overtime pay, commissions, fees, tips and bonuses;
  2. The net income from operation of a business or profession or from rental or real or personal property (for this purpose, expenditures for business expansion or amortization of capital indebtedness shall not be deducted to determine the net income from a business);
  3. Interest and dividends;
  4. The full amount of periodic payments received from social security, annuities, insurance policies, retirement funds, pensions, disability or death benefits and other similar types of periodic receipts;
  5. Payments in lieu of earnings, such as unemployment and disability compensation, worker’s compensation and severance pay (but see subdivision (b)(3)).
  6. Public Assistance. If the public assistance payment includes an amount specifically designated for shelter and utilities which is subject to adjustment by the public assistance agency in accordance with the actual cost of shelter and utilities, the amount of public assistance income to be included as income shall consist of:
    • The amount of the allowance of grant exclusive of the amount specifically designated for shelter and utilities, plus
    • The maximum amount which the public assistance agency could in fact allow for the family for shelter and utilities,
  7. Periodic and determinable allowances such as alimony and child support payments, and regular contributions or gifts received from persons not residing in the dwelling;
  8. All regular pay, special pay and allowances of a member of the Armed Forces (whether or not living in the dwelling) who is head of the family or spouse (but see subdivision (b)(5)).

Where a family has net family assets in excess of five thousand dollars ($5,000), income shall include the actual amount of income, if any, derived from all of the net family assets or 10 percent (10%) of the value of all such assets, whichever is greater. For purposes of this section, net family assets means value of equity in real property other than the household’s full-time residence, savings, stocks, bonds, and other forms of capital investment. The value of necessary items such as furniture and automobiles shall be excluded.

(b) The following items shall not be considered as income:
  1. Casual, sporadic or irregular gifts;
  2. Amounts which are specifically for or in reimbursement of the cost of medical expenses;
  3. Lump-sum additions to family assets, such as inheritances, insurance payments (including payments under health and accident insurance and worker’s compensation), capital gains and settlement for personal or property losses;
  4. Amounts of educational scholarships paid directly to the student or to the educational institution, and amounts paid by the government to a veteran for use in meeting the costs of tuition, fees, books and equipment. Any amounts of such scholarships, or payments to veterans not used for the above purposes of which are available for subsistence are to be included in income;
  5. The special pay to a serviceman head of a family away from home and exposed to hostile fire;
  6. Relocation payments made pursuant to federal, state, or local relocation law;
  7. Foster child care payments;
  8. The value of coupon allotments for the purchase of food pursuant to the Food Stamp Act of 1964 which is in excess of the amount actually charged the eligible household;
  9. Payments received pursuant to participation in the following volunteer programs under the ACTION Agency:
    • National Volunteer Antipoverty Programs which include VISTA, Service Learning Programs and Special Volunteer Programs.
    • National Older American Volunteer Programs for persons aged 60 and over which include Retired Senior Volunteer Programs, Foster Grandparent Program, Older American Community Services Program, and National Volunteer Program to Assist Small Business Experience, Service Corps of Retired Executive (SCORE) and Active Corps of Executives (ACE).