Simplified reporting is a term used to describe the limited reporting requirements for all households receiving food assistance benefits.
Six-month reporting is a term used to describe those simplified reporting households who are required to submit a report form during the sixth month of the certification period.
All households are assigned a 12-month certification period (unless ineligibility can be predicted with reasonable certainty based on information provided at the certification interview).
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Households must report required changes by the 10th day of the month after the month during which the change occurred.
Households with no earned income and all adult household members are elderly or disabled have no additional required reporting requirements during their assigned certification period. Eligibility and benefit level for the entire certification period are determined prospectively based on the best information available at the time of certification to anticipate for the entire certification period.
All other households are subject to six-month reporting. They are sent a computer generated six-month report form, which must be completed and returned by the specified filing date in order to continue receiving benefits, if eligible. Eligibility and benefit levels for the first six months of the certification period are determined prospectively, based on the best information available at the time of certification to anticipate for the first six months of the certification period. Eligibility and benefit level for the last six months of the certification period are determined prospectively based on information reported on the six month report form to anticipate for the remaining six months of the certification period.
All households must be provided with information at certification to advise them of their gross income limits for reporting purposes.
No other changes must be reported by households during their certification period, except for those changes required on the six month report form.
If a household voluntarily reports a change, the change will only be acted on if the change will result in an increase in the household's benefits.
Ala. Admin. Code r. 660-4-2-.10
Author: Pamala Pace
Statutory Authority: Food Stamp Act of 1977, 7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq; Code of Ala. 1975, § 38-2-6(17); 7 C.F.R. Subtitle B, Chapter II Subchapter C Section 273.21(b).