The text below provides detailed specifications for the simulation of SNAP reporting requirements, including:

• Simulating Reporting Requirements in January and Remaining Months of the Year
• January
• February - December
• Effect of Lump Sum Income on Reporting Requirements
• Units with One or More Elderly or Disabled Members
• Units with No Elderly or Disabled Members
• Implications of Reporting Requirements for Eligibility Counts and the Participation Decision
• All Units Except TANF Leavers Eligible for Transitional SNAP Benefits
• For the Purpose of Tables and Output Variables Related to Eligibility
• For TANF Leavers Eligible for Transitional SNAP Benefits

Simulating Reporting Requirements in January and Remaining Months of Year

January

Calculate SNAP eligibility and benefits based on income and resources in January. Store the following values for use in subsequent months:

• UnitBenefitsEligibleFor
• UnitEarnedIncome
• UnitUnearnedIncome
• Work status (for each adult in unit: not working/working; in future, we plan to add ability to recognize changes in part-time/full-time status)
• TANF benefits received

Create a value for MonthOfReportingPeriod according to the following rules:

If the unit is found eligible in January:

• If all members of the unit are elderly and/or disabled and none have any earned income, MonthOfReportingPeriod = a random integer from 1 to 12
• Else MonthOfReportingPeriod = a random integer from 1 to M, where M is ReportingPeriodEarners if anyone in the unit has earnings that month, and ReportingPeriodNonearners if no one in the unit has earnings that month.

If the unit is found ineligible in January:

• Set MonthOfReportingPeriod = 0.

February-December

Check a). If a) does not apply, check b). If b) does not apply, check c). If c) does not apply, proceed as indicated in d).

a) ABAWD units

If any member of the unit is an ABAWD, SNAP eligibility and benefits will be based on information for the current month. If the unit is eligible, set MonthOfReportingPeriod = 1. If the unit is ineligible, set MonthOfReportingPeriod = 0.

b) TANF leavers

If TANF benefits received in current month = 0 AND TANF benefits received in previous month > 0 AND TransitionalBenefits > 0 AND PotentialFoodBenefitUnitElig in previous month = 0, set TransitionalBenefitsMonthsRemaining equal to TransitionalBenefits. Calculate SNAP eligibility and benefits based on income in the current month (the month immediately following departure from TANF). This is an approximation of real-world rules, in which the SNAP benefit is based on income in the last month of TANF receipt, less the TANF benefit.

In subsequent months, subtract 1 from TransitionalBenefitsMonthsRemaining. If that sets TransitionalBenefitsMonthsRemaining to 0, redetermine SNAP eligibility and benefits based on information for the current month and set MonthOfReportingPeriod = 1 (if the unit is eligible) or 0 (if the unit is ineligible). Otherwise, continue to use SNAP eligibility and benefits based on income in the month immediately following the last TANF month, unless the unit would receive a larger benefit by basing eligibility and benefits on the current month (in which case, use the current month’s eligibility and benefits and set MonthOfReportingPeriod = 1).

If a unit goes back on TANF in any of the subsequent months OR (TANForSSIReceiptReporting = 1 and the unit did not have SSI in the first month of the transitional benefit period but goes on SSI in a subsequent month), then calculate eligibility and benefits based on current month characteristics (and stop considering this a transitional benefits case). If the unit is eligible, set MonthOfReportingPeriod = 1. If the unit is ineligible, set MonthOfReportingPeriod = 0.

c) All members of the unit are elderly and/or disabled and none have any earnings in the base month.

If MonthOfReportingPeriod = 0, determine eligibility and benefits based on characteristics in the current month. If the unit is found eligible, then set MonthOfReportingPeriod = 1. Otherwise, leave MonthOfReportingPeriod = 0.

Else, if MonthOfReportingPeriod is > 0, increment MonthOfReportingPeriod by 1.

• If the result is > 12, determine SNAP eligibility and benefits based on information for the current month. If the unit is found eligible, set MonthOfReportingPeriod = 1. If the unit is found ineligible, set MonthOfReportingPeriod = 0.
• If the result is < = 12, do the tests listed under d) conditions except the 130% gross income test.
• If none of the d) conditions apply, set SNAP eligibility and benefits equal to eligibility and benefits in the base month.
• If any of the d) conditions apply, set eligibility and benefits equal to eligibility and benefits for the current month. If the unit is eligible in the current month, set MonthOfReportingPeriod = 1. If the unit is ineligible in the current month, set MonthOfReportingPeriod = 0.

d) All other units

If MonthOfReportingPeriod = 0, determine eligibility and benefits based on characteristics in the current month. If the unit is found eligible, then set MonthOfReportingPeriod = 1. Otherwise, leave MonthOfReportingPeriod = 0.

Else, If MonthOfReportingPeriod is > 0, increment MonthOfReportingPeriod by 1.

• If the result is > ReportingPeriodEarners (or ReportingPeriodNonearners, as appropriate), determine SNAP eligibility and benefits based on information for the current month. If the unit is found eligible, set MonthOfReportingPeriod = 1. If the unit is found ineligible, set MonthOfReportingPeriod = 0.
• If the result is < = ReportingPeriodEarners (or ReportingPeriodNonearners, as appropriate) do the tests listed under d) conditions.

1. If none of the d) conditions apply, set SNAP eligibility and benefits equal to eligibility and benefits in the base month.
2. If any of the conditions in d) conditions apply, set eligibility and benefits equal to eligibility and benefits for the current month. If the unit is eligible in the current month, set MonthOfReportingPeriod = 1. If the unit is ineligible in the current month, set MonthOfReportingPeriod = 0.

d) Conditions

• MonthOfReportingPeriod = 1
• UnitBenefitsEligibleFor in the current month would be > UnitBenefitsEligible in the base month (because we assume participants will report info that leads to an increase in their benefits)
• ReportingType = 1 AND gross income > 130% of federal poverty guidelines*
• ReportingType = 3 AND earned income in base month > 0 AND gross income > 130% of federal poverty guidelines*
• ReportingType = 4 AND earned income in base month = 0 AND gross income > 130% of federal poverty guidelines*
• ReportingType = 2 AND StatusReporting = 0 AND current earned income - base earned income > = ReportingThresholdEarned
• ReportingType = 2 AND current unearned income - base unearned income > = ReportingThresholdUnearned AND ReportingThresholdUnearned > 0
• ReportingType = 2 AND StatusReporting = 1 AND work status for any adult in unit < > work status for same adult in base month
• ReportingType = 3 AND unit had no earnings in base month AND StatusReporting = 0 AND current earned income > = ReportingThresholdEarned
• ReportingType = 3 AND unit had no earnings in base month AND ReportingThresholdUnearned > 0 AND current unearned income - base unearned income > = ReportingThresholdUnearned
• ReportingType = 3 AND unit had no earnings in base month AND StatusReporting = 1 AND work status for any adult in unit < > work status for same adult in base month
• ReportingType = 4 AND unit had earnings in base month AND StatusReporting = 0 AND current earned income - base earned income > = ReportingThresholdEarned
• ReportingType = 4 AND unit had earnings in base month AND ReportingThresholdUnearned > 0 AND current unearned income - base unearned income > = ReportingThresholdUnearned
• ReportingType = 4 AND unit had earnings in base month AND StatusReporting = 1 AND work status for any adult in unit < > work status for same adult in base month
• ActOnAllChanges = 1 AND ReportingType = 1 AND TANF benefits in current month > 0 AND current income (earned + unearned) > base month income
• ActOnAllChanges = 1 AND ReportingType = 1 AND SSI benefits in current month > 0 AND current income (earned + unearned) > base month income
• ActOnAllChanges = 1 AND ReportingType = 3 AND TANF benefits in current month > 0 AND unit had earnings in base month AND current income (earned + unearned) > base month income
• ActOnAllChanges = 1 AND ReportingType = 3 AND SSI benefits in current month > 0 AND unit had earnings in base month AND current income (earned + unearned) > base month income
• ActOnAllChanges = 1 AND ReportingType = 4 AND TANF benefits in current month > 0 AND unit had no earnings in base month AND current income (earned + unearned) > base month income
• ActOnAllChanges = 1 AND ReportingType = 4 AND SSI benefits in current month > 0 AND unit had no earnings in base month AND current income (earned + unearned) > base month income
• TANForSSIReceiptReporting = 1 and ((TANF benefits in current month > 0 and TANF benefits in base month = 0) or (SSI benefits in current month > 0 and SSI benefits in base month = 0))

Notes:

* Do not apply the 130% gross income test to the following units:

• units that are automatically eligible due to TANF or SSI status
• TANF leavers receiving transitional benefits
• units with one or more members who are elderly or disabled

Lump Sum Income and Reporting Requirements

Lump sum income is not usually available on the CPS. However, if the user specifies a lump sum income variable through program rule LumpSumIncome, then TRIM3 will treat the income according to the rules pertaining to treatment of lump sum income. Lump sum income is counted as income for the purpose of determining SNAP reporting requirement, but is counted as assets when computing SNAP eligibility.

TRIM3 assumes that the entire lump sum amount is spent in the month it is received. TRIM3 therefore ignores the lump sum in determining reporting requirements, eligibility, and benefits in subsequent months.

In the month the lump sum is received, TRIM3 also ignores the lump sum if any of the following conditions is met:

• ReportingThresholdUnearned = 0
• Unit is automatically eligible due to TANF or SSI status
• Unit is composed of TANF leavers receiving transitional SNAP benefits

If none of the conditions above is met, TRIM3 proceeds as follows in the month the lump sum is received:

Units with one or more elderly or disabled members

• When determining eligibility and benefits based on "current month" characteristics, ignore the lump sum for purposes of the 100% net income test, but include the lump sum for purposes of the asset test.
• When determining if any of the d) conditions apply, include the lump sum income in unearned income for the purpose of the ReportingThresholdUnearned test.

Units with no elderly or disabled members

When determining eligibility and benefits based on "current month" characteristics:

• Ignore the lump sum for purposes of the 130% gross income test and the 100% net income test.
• Include the lump sum for purposes of the asset test

When determining whether the SNAP unit would be required to report income and assets in the month (i.e., whether d) conditions are met):

• Count the lump sum as unearned income for purposes of the 130% gross income test.
• Count the lump sum as unearned income when performing the ReportingThresholdUnearned test.

Implications of Reporting Requirements for Eligibility Counts and Participation Decision

When UseReportingRules = 1, the participation decision is made on the basis of unit characteristics in the base month of each reporting period, except for TANF leavers eligible for transitional SNAP benefits, where the participation decision is made on the basis of unit characteristics in the last month of TANF receipt.

For all units except TANF leavers eligible for transitional SNAP benefits

• If the unit is chosen to participate in the base month, assign the unit to participate in all remaining months of the reporting period.
• If the unit is not chosen to participate in the base month, then do not assign the unit to participate in any of the remaining months of the reporting period (note: by definition, all remaining months of the reporting period will have eligible benefits < = the base month, otherwise a new reporting period would have been triggered. Therefore, we don’t have to worry that this approach will cause us to prevent the unit from having the opportunity to participate in higher-benefit months.)

When simulating the reporting period that includes January, treat January as the base month.

For the purpose of tables and output variables related to eligibility

• If MonthOfReportingPeriod = 1 or month = January, then use the current month’s eligibility status and characteristics for all tables and output variables related to eligibility.
• If MonthOfReportingPeriod > 1 then use the eligibility status, eligible benefit level, and characteristics of the base month for all tables and output variables related to eligibility.
• For transitional SNAP units, use the eligibility status, eligible benefit level, and characteristics of the first month of the transition period (i.e., the month following the last month of TANF receipt.)

Note: MonthOfReportingPeriod reflects the month of reporting period after all tests have been performed to see if a unit would be required (or choose to) report (and if so, after MonthOfReportingPeriod has been reset to 1 or 0 as appropriate).

For TANF leavers eligible for transitional SNAP benefits

• If the unit is a SNAP participant during the last month of TANF receipt, then the unit should be considered a SNAP participant for the transitional SNAP benefit months as well.
• If the unit winds up not participating in SNAP in the last TANF month, then it should not participate in the transitional benefit months.
• If the nonparticipating unit enters another "reporting period" during the transitional benefit months, then the participation decision should be made on the basis of the "base month" of the new reporting period.
• For purposes besides the participation decision, consider the base month for transitional SNAP units to be the month following the last month of TANF receipt.