BASIC (11-02)

A. Policy -- special quarterly computation – general

When one member of an eligible couple is receiving in-kind support and maintenance while living in the house­hold of another throughout a month (see SI 00835.000 ff.). A special quarterly computation is required. All quarterly income received by the couple in the quarter is used in computing the couple payment amount. However, the full couple payment is apportioned in a special way.

B. Procedure -- payment computation steps

1. Determine the appropriate FBR for the quarter for living arrangement A (see SI 02001.020).

2. Determine all the countable income received by the couple within the quarter. Include as unearned income any in-kind support and maintenance received by the member of the couple for a partial month in which he or she lived in the household of another. (See SI 00835.500.)

3. Subtract the couple's quarterly countable income from the couple's quarterly FBR. The remainder is the amount due the couple for the quarter.

4. Divide the quarterly amount due by three to obtain the monthly amount due the couple.

5. For any month(s) within the quarter that both mem­bers of the eligible couple are in their own household (LA "A") divide the monthly amount due the couple (step 4) in half to determine the payment amount for each mem­ber of the couple.

6. For any month(s) within the quarter that one mem­ber of the eligible couple is living in the household of an­other throughout the month. The payment to the member of the couple living in his/her own household is 2/3 of the couple's monthly amount as determined at step 4. The member living in the household of another is paid the re­maining 1/3 of the couple's monthly amount minus the value of support and maintenance received during the full month(s) in which he/she was living in the household of an­other . (The monthly value of this support and mainte­nance is presumed to be 1/6 of the couple's monthly FBR (see SI 02001.020.); unless rebutted by evidence showing the actual value to be less. This is a special presumed maximum value and differs from the amount used in step 2. In addition, if the general income exclusion ($60.00) was not completely used to re­duce the couple's countable income to zero (step 3), apply the unused general income exclusion to reduce the monthly value of the support and maintenance received by the member living in the household of another.)

   NOTE: If for a past month (in the current or a prior quar­ter) a member of a couple received more than his/her pro­portional share of the couple's benefits, retroactive adjustment is not required as long as the quarterly total amount of payment to the couple is correct. If the quarterly total amount is not correct, consider the amounts actually paid to the couplet as a unit, to decide if an over payment or underpayment exists.

C. Examples

1. Couple has Only In-Kind Income - (Example 1)

Paul and Amy Percy are an aged couple living in their own home. Neither Paul nor Amy has any income be­sides their monthly SSI checks. On July 15, 1981, Amy moves into the household of her daughter on a permanent basis. She does not contribute to the household expenses. Computation of the payments for the third quarter is:

$391.613 x 2/3 = $261.075, monthly payment amount to Paul for August and September (rounded to $261.08)

$391.613 x 1/3 = $130.537 less $66.16 = $64.377, monthly payment to Amy for August and September (rounded to $64.38) (she did not rebut the presumed value of the in-kind income)

Computation of the payments for the fourth quarter:

$397.00 x 2/3 = $264.666, monthly payment amount to Paul (rounded to $264.67)

$397.00 x 1/3 = $132.333 less $46.16* = $86.173, monthly payment amount to Amy (rounded to $86.18)

*The monthly presumed value of in-kind income was reduced by the appropriate portion of the unused general income exclusion. ($20.00 per month in this case.) Computation for the first quarter of 1981 would differ from the final quarter of 1982 since a couple status change occurs (see SI 02009.025 for computation of benefits when there is a couple status change).

2. Couple Has Other Income - (Example 2)

George and Jane Goodwin are an aged couple living in their own home. Their only income is George's $220 per month city retirement pension. On July 1, 1981 Jane moves into the household of her son. She does not con­tribute to the household expenses. Computation of pay­ments for the third quarter is:

$171.613 x 2/3 = $114.408, monthly payment amount to George for August and September 1981 (rounded to $114.41)

$171.613 x 1/3 = $57.204 less $66.16= $0.00 monthly pay­ment amount to Jane for August and September 1981. (She did not rebut the presumed value of the in-kind income)

George and Jane receive $133.34 and $0.00 respectively each month in the fourth quarter based on the following computation:

$197.00 x 2/3 = $131.333, monthly payment amount to George (rounded to $131.34)

$197.00 x 1/3 = $ 65.666 less $66.16 = $0.00, monthly pay­ment amount to Jane

NOTE: In example 2, the computation of benefits due George and Jane was based on the eligible couple rate. This computation is used even if no payment can be made to the spouse in the household of another because of in-kind sup­port and maintenance income charged only to him/her.