CEP APPLICATION FACT SHEET

When filling out the application form, please pay careful attention to these helpful hints.

SNAP/TANF/FDPIR case number: This must be the complete valid case number supplied to you by the agency including all numbers and letters, for example, E123456, or whatever combination is used in your county.  Refer to a letter you received from your local Department of Social Services for your case number or contact them for your number.

Foster Child: A child who is living with a family but who is under the legal care of the welfare agency or court may be listed on your family application.  List the child's “personal use” income.  This includes only those funds provided by the agency which are identified for the personal use of the child, such as personal spending allowances, money received by his/her family, or from a job.  Funds provided for housing, food and care, medical, and therapeutic needs are not considered income to the foster child.  Write “0” if the child has no personal use income.

Household: A group of related or non-related people who are living in one house and share income and expenses.

Adult Family Members: All related and non-related people who are 21 years of age and older living in your house.

Financially Independent: A person is financially independent and a separate economic unit/house­hold when his or her earnings and expenses are not shared by the family/household. Separate economic units in the same residence are characterized by prorating expenses and by economic independence from one another.

Current Gross Income:  Money earned or received at the present time by each member of your household before deductions.  Examples of deductions are federal tax, State tax, and Social Security deductions. If you have more than one job, you must list the income from all jobs. If you receive income from more than one source (wage, alimony, child support, etc.), you must list the income from all sources. Only farmers, self-employed workers, migrant workers, and other seasonal employees may use their income for the past 12 months reported from their 1040 Tax Forms.

Examples of gross income are:

• Wages, salaries, tips, commissions, or income from self-employment

• Net farm income – gross sales minus expenses only – not losses

• Pensions, annuities, or other retirement income including Social Security retirement benefits

• Unemployment compensation

• Welfare payments (does not include value of SNAP)

• Public Assistance payments

• Adoption assistance

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Survivor's Benefits

• Alimony or child support payments

• Disability benefits, including workman's compensation

• Veteran's subsistence benefits

• Interest or dividend income

• Cash withdrawn from savings, investments, trusts, and other resources which would be available to pay for a child's meals

• Other cash income