DPSS ePolicy

Data Month

The month prior to the SAR 7 submit month. The information reported for the “Data Month” determines CalFresh eligibility and benefit allotment for the upcoming Payment Period.

Mandatory Mid-Period Reports

The CalFresh Program has three mandatory Mid-Period reports that must be made by the HH within ten calendar days as follows:

1. Income that exceeds the HH Income Reporting Threshold (IRT). HHs that report no income or report income under 130% Federal Poverty Level (FPL) will have an IRT based on their HH size and must report new or ongoing income when it is over 130% of the FPL for the HH size.
   
   Note: HHs with verified income between 131% through 200% of the FPL and are conferred Modified Categorical Eligibility or Categorically Eligible, do not have an IRT reporting requirement. 
   
   
2. Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) who meet the work requirement through employment are required to report when hours drop below 20 hours per week or an average of 80 hours per month.
   
   Note: The statewide ABAWD waiver is in effect until January 31, 2026. Eligibility staff must continue to screen ABAWDs for exemptions when applications are submitted to minimize future screening needs once the ABAWD policies are implemented.
   
   
3. Section 4009 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (84 FR 15083) established new reporting requirements for CalFresh recipients who receive substantial gambling and/or lottery winnings. Substantial winnings are defined as a cash prize won in a single game, purchase of a ticket, hand, or similar bet before taxes or other amounts are withheld. The Substantial amount won is equal to or greater than the CalFresh resource limit set for elderly and/or disabled HH member(s) at the beginning of each Federal Fiscal Year (FFY).

Prospective Budgeting

A methodology used to compute the CalFresh HHs benefit allotment for the upcoming Payment Period based on an estimate of income and circumstances. At Intake, the estimate is based on the income received in the most recent 30 days from the application date. At RE, the estimate is based on the most recent 30 days of income that is either provided with the RE application or requested at the time the RE interview is conducted if income verification was not previously provided. At SAR 7, the estimate is based on the income provided for the Data Month.

RAI

RAI is the “anticipated income” the county determines, with reasonable certainty, by using the best available information. This includes the income verification provided by the applicant/participant or HH, verification sources available to the county, and/or information gathered during an interactive interview. The gross amount and pay date(s) or pay frequency of the income the HH will receive during any month of the Payment Period is the known income that has been or will be approved or authorized as of a known date within the upcoming Payment Period.

Submit Month

The month SAR 7 or RE is due, which is the month after the Data Month.

Note: Any income or changes reported for the month following the Submit Month should also be considered when determining the eligibility and benefit amount if applicable

At Intake, the HH must provide verification of income received in the most recent 30 days prior to the application date (which includes the date of application) unless the HH just started working and cannot RAI for the application month or following Payment Period.

Income received during the most recent 30 days from the application date must be used as an indicator of the income that is and will be available to the HH during the upcoming Payment Period. However, if income changes have occurred or can be anticipated, the Eligibility staff must not use the past income as an indicator to anticipate income for the upcoming Payment Period.

When income fluctuates to the extent that a 30-day period alone cannot provide an accurate indication of the anticipated income, Eligibility staff can use a longer period than the most recent 30 days if it provides a more accurate indication of anticipated income.

When the applicant/participant has just started working and has not received a full month of income, the following can be used to reasonably anticipate the applicant/participant income:

• The employer’s statement;
  
  
• Income verification provided;
  
  
• Answers to income questions on the application; and/or
  
  
• Income details reported during an interactive interview.
  

If a HH member’s last day of work was within 30 days of the application date, then the HH member’s income must be verified, which includes the HH member’s last day of work and last pay date, and gross income received. Income received in the month of application must be used when determining CalFresh eligibility and benefit amount. Eligibility staff cannot anticipate income from the job that has ended for the upcoming Payment Period. An HH is not required to provide verification of job loss unless questionable.

When an HH has zero income, a statement from the HH that it has zero income on the application is sufficient evidence that the HH cannot RAI during the upcoming Payment Period unless the HH indicates otherwise or anticipates changes. An HH is not required to provide verification of zero income unless questionable.

Note: If all attempts to verify the income have been unsuccessful because the person or organization providing the income has failed to cooperate with the HH and all sources of verification including electronic verification such as “The Work Number” are unavailable, Eligibility staff must determine an amount to be used based on the best available information.

Income that is starting or ending Mid-Period will not be averaged over the Payment Period. This income will only be counted in the months the income is reasonably anticipated to be received. If the HH is certain that their income will be ending and/or new income will be starting in a certain month of the Payment Period (the pay date(s) or pay frequency and gross income amount are known), that income will only be used to determine CalFresh benefit allotments for the months in which it is/will be received.

When the HH reports a decrease in income in the Submit Month, this income will be treated as a mid-period change. The information of decreased income will be used to anticipate income for the remaining Payment Period if the change is reasonably expected to continue.

To determine RAI, the following information is required:

• The type of income (earned, self-employment, unearned);
  
  
• The source of income (cash, check, pay stubs, etc.);
  
  
• Pay date(s) or pay frequency;
  
  
• The gross amount or work hours and hourly pay rate; and
  
  
• The HH's reasonable estimation of income.
   

If with the help of the HH, a determination cannot be made on how the income will change, the Eligibility staff will use the best available information (which is the income verification provided) to anticipate income until the verification of the anticipated change is provided.

• Intake – To determine CalFresh eligibility and benefit amounts, the income received on the date of application (when applicable) and the 30 days prior to the date of application will be used to RAI for the remaining pay dates of the application month and the upcoming Payment Period unless there is a reasonable explanation as to why the income that was verified is expected to change;
  
  
• RE – To determine CalFresh eligibility and benefit amounts, the income provided with the RE application or the income received on the date of the RE interview (when applicable) and the 30 days prior to the RE interview date, will be used to RAI for the upcoming Payment Period unless there is a reasonable explanation as to why the income that was verified is expected to change; and
  
  
• SAR 7 – The income received in the “Data Month” which is the month prior to the SAR 7 due month or submit month, will be used to RAI for the upcoming Payment Period unless there is a reasonable explanation as to why the income that was verified is expected to change. 

• Pay stubs - All pay stubs are not required to anticipate income if monthly income can be determined with fewer pay stubs;
  
  
• Income Tax Returns;
  
  
• Written statement from employer or completed;
  
  
• PA 1672-1, Request for Employment Verification;
  
  
• PA 167, Monthly Earnings Report;
  
  
• The Work Number, when applicable;
  
  
• Timesheet At Glance or In-Home Supportive Services Income, when applicable; or
  
  
• An affidavit signed under penalty of perjury is accepted as a last resort when the source of the verification is not available (i.e., employer refuses to cooperate).

• Award letter(s);
  
  
• Printouts from the income source;
  
  
• Check stubs;
  
  
• Copy of check(s);
  
  
• Income Eligibility Verification System abstracts;
  
  
• Payment Verification System abstracts;
  
  
• Medi-Cal Eligibility Data System records;
  
  
• General Relief and CalWORKs income records;
  
  
• Child Support Payment Verification System;
  
  
• The applicant/participant’s written statement; or
  
  
• An affidavit signed under penalty of perjury is accepted as a last resource when the source of the verification is not available.

• PA-167 Monthly Earnings Report;
  
  
• Income Tax Returns;
  
  
• Copy of check(s);
  
  
• Written statement from contractor(s);
  
  
• App statement(s) from gig income (Door Dash, Lyft, Uber, etc.);
  
  
• Business checking account statement(s);
  
  
• The applicant/participant’s written statement; or
  
  
• An affidavit signed under the penalty of perjury is accepted as a last resort when the source of the verification is not available (i.e., self-employment providers refuse to cooperate).