Budgeting for Persons Being Added to the Household 400-19-105-40-30

(Revised 4/1/2013 ML #3362)

Except in the case of newborns, TANF households are required to report all individuals, who enter their household within 5 days from the date of entry. The date of the verbal request must be documented in the case record as it is considered a request for benefits. (For budgeting information when adding a newborn, see Section 400-19-105-40-20, Budgeting of Newborn.)

Except in the case of newborns, the needs of an individual will be added to the household as of the date of the verbal request if:

A written request is received within 10 days from the date of the verbal request, and

The required verifications are received within 30 days of the written request.

A written request is defined as:

Listing the individual on the monthly report; or
A signed statement from the recipient; or
The receipt of any of the required verifications.

When a written request is received within 10 days from the date of the verbal request but the required verifications are not received within 30 days from the written request, the individual is added to the household effective the date the required verifications are received.

When a written request is not received within 10 days from the date of the verbal request and the required verifications are received within 30 days from the written request, the individual is added to the household effective the date of the written request.

When a written request is not received within 10 days from the date of the verbal request and the required verifications are not received within 30 days from the written request, the individual is added to the household effective the date the required verifications are received.

When an individual’s entry to the home is reported on the monthly report, filed timely (by the 5th day of the month, or the first work day after the 5th day of the month if the 5th day falls on a weekend or holiday), and the individual entered the household within 5 days prior to the 1st day of the month in which the report is received, the request is deemed to have been made timely.

When an individual is reported on the monthly report and the household's report of the individual's entry is timely (within 5 days from their date of entry), the request is deemed to have been made on the first day of the month in which the monthly report was received provided the monthly report was received by the normal deadline of the 5th day of the month (or the first work day after the 5th day of the month if the 5th day falls on a weekend or holiday).

Note: The individual will be added effective the date of entry if the required verifications are received within 30 days from the date of the written request.

Example: An individual entered the household on June 28th. The household includes the individual on the Monthly Report received by July 5th along with all required verifications. The individual is added effective June 28th [the date of entry is deemed to be reported within 5 days since the information was included on a monthly report filed timely]. A supplemental benefit is issued to the household for June and July to meet the financial needs of the individual.

Note: The date entered in the ‘Date Reported’ field in the automated computer system is July 1st.

If the household verbally reports an individual entered the household, but does not provide a written request within 10 days or the required verifications are not received within 30 days from the date of the written request, an advance (10-day) notice must be sent to the household to close the case if the individual is a mandatory household member.

Eligible individuals who are added to an existing TANF household must have their needs met as if they are applicants.

If the individual being added to an existing TANF household received TANF benefits in North Dakota or another State in the month prior to the month being added, the individual’s benefit must be determined effective the 1st day of the month of request, or prorated from the date of eligibility, whichever is later.
If the individual being added to an existing household did not receive TANF benefits in the previous month, the individual’s benefits are prorated from the date of request to be added or the date of eligibility, whichever is later.

If the individual being added to an existing TANF household did not receive TANF benefits or received TANF benefits in another state in the previous month, the individual’s income and expenses are budgeted prospectively for the first 2 months. For the 3rd and subsequent months, the individual’s income and expenses are budgeted retrospectively.

Individuals whose benefit was prospectively budgeted must have that month’s benefit re-budgeted using their actual income and expenses.

If the verified amounts of income or expenses are different from the amounts used to determine the benefit for the first month the individual was added (the individual’s first prospective month), the benefit month must be reworked to establish an underpayment or overpayment for that month. A supplemental payment will be issued immediately to adjust any underpayment. Benefit adjustments for an overpayment will be made in subsequent months.

If the verified amounts of income or expenses are different from the amounts used to determine the benefit for the second month the individual was added (the individual’s second prospective month), the benefit month must be reworked to establish an underpayment or overpayment for that month. A supplemental payment will be issued immediately to adjust any underpayment. Benefit adjustments for an overpayment will be made in subsequent months.

If the individual being added to an existing household received TANF in North Dakota in the previous month, the individual’s income and expenses are budgeted retrospectively, unless the initial month in the new case is the individual’s second month of eligibility.