Appendix I, Definition of Income
Revision 23-2; Effective Sept. 8, 2023
Definition of Income
Types of Income | Countable | Exempt |
---|---|---|
Adoption Payments | X | |
Cash Gifts and Contributions* | X | |
Child Support Payments* | X | |
Child's Earned Income | X | |
Crime Victim's Compensation* | X | |
Disability Insurance Benefits | X | |
Dividends, Interest and Royalties* | X | |
Educational Assistance | X | |
Energy Assistance | X | |
Foster Care Payment | X | |
In-Kind Income | X | |
Job Training | X | |
Loans (Noneducational)* | X | |
Lump-Sum Payments* | X | X |
Military Pay* | X | |
Mineral Rights* | X | |
Pensions and Annuities* | X | |
Reimbursements | X | |
Retirement, Survivors and Disability(RSDI)/Social Security Payments* | X | |
Self-Employment Income* | X | |
Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) | X | |
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Payments | X | |
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) | X | |
Unemployment Compensation* | X | |
Veterans Affairs (VA)* | X | X |
Wages and Salaries, Commissions* | X | |
Workers’ Compensation* | X |
*Explanation of countable income provided below.
Cash Gifts and Contributions – Count unless they are made by a private, nonprofit organization based on need and total $300 or less per household in a federal fiscal quarter. The federal fiscal quarters are January through March, April through June, July through September and October through December. If these contributions exceed $300 in a quarter, count the excess amount as income in the month received.
Exempt any cash contribution for common household expenses, such as food, rent, utilities and items for home maintenance if it is received from a noncertified household member who:
- lives in the home with the certified household member;
- shares household expenses with the certified household member; and
- no landlord or tenant relationship exists.
Child Support Payments – Count as income after deducting $75 from the total monthly child support payments the household receives.
Disability Insurance Payments/SSDI – Countable. SSDI is a payroll tax-funded, federal insurance program of the Social Security Administration.
Dividends, Interest and Royalties – Countable. Exception: Exempt dividends from insurance policies as income. Count royalties, minus any amount deducted for production expenses and severance taxes.
In-Kind Income – Exempt. An in-kind contribution is any gain or benefit to a person that is not in the form of money or check payable directly to the household, such as clothing, public housing or food.
Loans (Noneducational) – Count as income unless there is an understanding that the money will be repaid, and the person can reasonably explain how they will repay it.
Lump-Sum Payments – Count as income in the month received if the person receives it or expects to receive it more often than once a year. Exempt lump sums received once a year or less, unless specifically listed as income.
Military Pay – Count military pay and allowances for housing, food, base pay and flight pay, minus pay withheld to fund education under the G.I. Bill.
Mineral Rights – Countable. A payment received from the excavation of minerals, such as oil, natural gas, coal, gold, copper, iron, limestone, gypsum, sand, gravel, etc.
Pensions and Annuities – Countable. A pension is any benefit derived from former employment, such as retirement benefits or disability pensions.
Reimbursements – Countable, minus the actual expenses. Exempt a reimbursement for future expenses only if the household plans to use it as intended.
RSDI/Social Security Payments – Count the RSDI benefit amount, including the deduction for the Medicare premium, minus any amount that is being recouped for a prior RSDI overpayment.
Self-Employment Income – Count the total gross earned, minus the allowable costs of producing the self-employment income.
SSI Payments – Exempt SSI benefits.
Terminated Employment – Count terminated income in the month received. Use actual income and do not use conversion factors if terminated income is less than a full month’s income. Income is terminated if it will not be received in the next usual payment cycle.
Unemployment Compensation Payments – Count the gross benefit less any amount being recouped for an Unemployment Insurance Benefit (UIB) overpayment.
VA Payments – Count the gross VA payment, minus any amount being recouped for a VA overpayment. Exempt VA special needs payments, such as annual clothing allowances or monthly payments for an attendant for disabled veterans.
Wages, Salaries, Tips and Commissions – Count the actual (not taxable) gross amount.
Workers’ Compensation – Count the gross payment, minus any amount being recouped for a prior workers’ compensation overpayment or paid for attorney’s fees. Note: Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) or a court sets the amount of the attorney’s fee to be paid.