SI 01310: Deeming, General
TN 6 (04-99)
A. Definition
A household is a person, or group of persons sharing common living quarters and facilities, living in a residence under such domestic arrangements and circumstances as to create a single economic unit. A household does not exist if a person or group of persons does not have a residence.
For deeming purposes, a household comprises:
the eligible individual; and
the spouse; or
any of the couple's children (or children of either member of the couple);
- OR -
the eligible child; and
the eligible child's parent(s); and
other children of the parents.
- OR -
the eligible individual; and
his or her essential person.
B. Policy
1. Household
Relationship of Household to Deeming — Deeming from spouse to spouse or parent to child only applies in household situations as defined in A. above. Unless temporarily absent, only those individuals residing in the household are a part of the household for deeming purposes.
Lack of Residence — Spouse-to-spouse and parent-to-child deeming do not apply in situations where a family does not have a residence. For example, if a family lives in a car because they cannot afford shelter, neither spouse-to-spouse nor parent-to-child deeming would apply.
Absence From the Household — An individual is not a member of the household if he/she is absent from home for a period which is not a temporary absence as defined in SI 01310.165 (for example, confinement in a public institution as described in
SI 00520.001). For absences due to active duty military assignments, see SI 01310.170.Child Born at Home — A child born at home, for whom a claim for SSI benefits is filed, is a member of the household from the month of birth.
Child Born in an Institution — If a child is born in an institution (e.g., a hospital), he/she is not a member of the household until the month after the month he/she goes home.
2. Institutional Setting
Deeming does not apply when an eligible individual and ineligible spouse are living in an institution even when they are sharing a room.
3. Noninstitutional Care Situations
Deeming does apply in noninstitutional care situations (e.g., adult foster care) if the eligible individual is placed with a deemor (see SI 00835.790A.2.).
4. Sponsor to Alien Deeming
Deeming applies from a sponsor to an alien even if they do not live together in the same household. However, certain statutory exclusions of a sponsor's income only apply if the sponsor and alien are living in the same household (see SI 01320.105).
C. References
Residence defined for living arrangement purposes, SI 00835.020
Transient status, SI 00835.060
Principle place of residence for resources SI 01130.100A.3.