TN 32 (02-92)

A. Introduction

It is important to distinguish between resources and income to know which counting rules to use for any given month. An item is not subject to both income and resources counting rules in the same month.

B. Policy principles

1. Income - Counting Rules

Items received in cash or in kind during a month are evaluated under the income-counting rules.

2. Resource - Counting Rules

Items retained as of the first moment of the month following receipt are subject to evaluation under resource-counting rules.

C. Example

1. Situation

Beverly Thompson, a single, disabled SSI recipient, received $275 as a birthday gift in January. She used $50 to repay a loan; spent $100 for a Series EE U.S. Savings Bond; and put the remainder ($125) in her savings account. As of February 1, the account balance was $1,400.

2. Analysis

The $275 gift was income to Ms. Thompson in January when she received it. In February, only $125 of the cash gift counts as a resource; the remaining $150 she spent or converted into another form in the same month she received it. The U.S. Savings Bond is not a resource in February since Ms. Thompson cannot legally redeem it for 6 months. However,it will become a resource on August 1, when it is first legally redeemable. The $125 that she put in her savings account is a resource (along with the $1,275 deposited previously) as of February 1.