A-1250, Verification Requirements

Revision 16-2; Effective April 1, 2016

TANF, SNAP, Children on TP 32 and Children on TP 56

Staff must verify:

  • resources if:
    • they are questionable,
    • the value is within $300 of the maximum allowable limit, or
    • it is a regional requirement.
  • all checking or savings accounts at application or when a household reports a new account (except SNAP, see below).
  • that inaccessible resources, including bank accounts:
    • are used solely for the non-member's benefit, and
    • that no household members use the money for their benefit.
  • a person’s statement about the inaccessibility of a vehicle if it is within $300 of the resource limit.
  • the fair market value of licensed vehicles as explained in A-1238.5, How to Determine Fair Market Value of Vehicles.
  • an exempt trust fund that meets conditions in A-1237, Trust Funds.
  • the exempt or countable status of an education and/or retirement plan or account at application or when a household reports a new account.
  • the death of an alien's sponsor (does not apply to children on TP 32).

TANF, Children on TP 32 and Children on TP 56

Staff must verify a good faith effort to sell by verifying that the:

  • property is for sale, and
  • household has not refused a reasonable offer.

SNAP

Staff must verify:

  • the equity value of a licensed vehicle if exempting the vehicle because the equity value is less than or equal to $1,500.
  • a bank account if verification can be obtained during the interview. If verification cannot be obtained during the interview, the person’s statement may be accepted without verification if:
    • the person states that the household's total combined balance for all accounts does not exceed $1,000; and
    • the person’s statement is not questionable.

The EDG is pended only if the reported account balance exceeds $1,000 or the person’s statement is questionable.

TANF

Staff must verify:

  • the date of marriage between a TANF recipient and new spouse. The date of marriage is used to determine the six-month period in which the new spouse's earnings can be excluded as a resource.
  • the amount of liquid resources resulting from the earnings of a new TANF spouse.

 

 

A—1251 Verification Sources

Revision 21-1; Effective January 1, 2021

TANF, SNAP, Children on TP 32 and Children on TP 56

Vehicles

  • Data Broker System;
  • statements from:
    • finance company or bank;
    • insurance agent;
    • car dealers; or
    • Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV);
  • city or county government records; or
  • newspapers.

Real Property

  • statements from:
    • tax appraisal or collector office;
    • county courthouse official;
    • real estate company;
    • bank or financial institution;
    • local land owners (nonrelative); or
    • county agent.

Alien Sponsor's Death

The Texas Bureau of Vital Statistics (BVS), if available, is considered the primary source of verification of death. If BVS is available but the date of death (DOD) does not match reported information, accept BVS as verification. No additional verification is required.

If BVS verification is not available, verify the DOD using two of the following sources:

  • Social Security Administration (SSA);
  • statement from guardian or authorized representative;
  • copy of death certificate;
  • statement from a doctor;
  • newspaper death notice (obituary);
  • statement from a relative or household member;
  • statement from funeral director; or
  • records from the hospital or other institution where the person died.

TANF, SNAP, Children on TP 32 and Children on TP 56

Bank Account

  • current bank statements (within last three months), or
  • statement from bank official.

Debit Account

  • Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cash accounts via the:
    • EBT System; or
    • Lone Star Help Desk automated voice response system at 800-777-7328, if staff have the cardholder's 19-digit personal account number (PAN);
  • Unemployment Insurance Benefit (UIB) debit accounts via:
  • Texas Office of Attorney General (OAG) child support debit accounts online at EPPICard.com; or
  • Social Security Direct Express card (RSDI or SSI) debit accounts via:
    • online at USDirectExpress.com;
    • calling the Direct Express card help desk automated voice response system at 888-741-1115, if the advisor has the cardholder's 16-digit card number; or
    • current receipt (free of charge) from any ATM that displays the MasterCard® logo.

Other Liquid Assets/Personal Property

  • recent sales slips;
  • insurance or tax appraisals;
  • catalogs or newspaper;
  • statements from:
    • experts or other collectors;
    • bank;
    • brokers; or
    • local merchants;
  • retirement benefit letters; or
  • education plan or account benefits summary letters.

Life Insurance

  • Insurance policy; or
  • Statements from:
    • Insurance company;
    • Insurance agent; or
    • Union, employer, funeral director, organization or agency that provides insurance.

Nonrecurring Lump-sum Payments

  • statements from the company, agency or organization that provided payment;
  • checks, award letters or check stubs; or
  • bank statements or deposit slips.

TANF

Ceremonial Marriage

  • marriage license or certificate;
  • church records;
  • statement from clergy; or
  • family Bible records.

Common Law Marriage

  • Declaration of Informal Marriage filed with the county clerk;
  • sworn statement signed by both spouses; or
  • Form H1057, Declaration of Informal Marriage.

Related Policy

Questionable Information, C-920
Providing Verification, C-930