10-144-301 Me. Code R. § 400-FS 444-3
GENERAL RULE - Foster care individuals (both children and adults) placed in the home of relatives (including parents and siblings) or other individuals or families by a federal, state, or local governmental foster care program shall be considered boarders. These foster care boarders and all other boarders are ineligible to participate independent of the household with whom they live. Do not count income and assets of a boarder, foster children and foster adults to determine eligibility of a household, unless the household chooses to include him/her as a member.
NOTE: When the household chooses not to include the foster person, do not include foster care payments even though they go direct to the provider household.
EXCEPTION: Consider "boarders" paying less than the Thrifty Food Plan (FS 999-3 Chart 5) as household members (FS 111-1).
DETERMINING INCOME FROM BOARDERS - Include all direct payments to the household, including contributions for meals, room and shelter.
EXCEPTION: Do not count shelter expenses paid directly to someone outside the household as income or deductions to the household. Do not count any portion of foster care payments unless the foster children or foster adults are included as members.
COSTS OF DOING BUSINESS FOR HOUSEHOLDS WITH BOARDERS WILL BE:
NOTE: Verify these expenses only if questionable.
Count income from boarders, less the cost of doing business, as earned income to the household (FS 555-2).
NOTE: If room and board are being provided, use both the "Income From Roomers" policy at FS 444-2 and the boarder policy described here to determine room and board cost of doing business.
10-144 C.M.R. ch. 301, § 400-FS 444-3