Use counted income received or anticipated in the month of application to determine eligibility and benefit amount. Follow MFIP policy in determining counted income, see 0017.12.03 (Unearned Income), 0017.12.06 (Earned Income).

Do not count any cash received from Initial Refugee Resettlement Funds provided by local resettlement agencies. See 0030.01 – Local Resettlement Agencies.
Do not count any payments vendor paid by local resettlement agencies to third parties from Initial Refugee Resettlement Funds.

Do not count any cash received from or payments vendor paid by a federal resettlement program (such as Welcome Corps or other resettlement programs) equivalent to the Initial Refugee Resettlement Funds amount. If the amount provided by a federal resettlement program is more than the Initial Refugee Resettlement Funds amount, disregard up to the Initial Refugee Resettlement Funds amount. Count any amount remaining after the disregard is applied as unearned income. If you have questions, submit a PQ.

Do not count any assets remaining in the applicant’s country of origin.

Do not consider a U.S.Tie’s income accessible to a refugee solely because the person is serving as a U.S.Tie. For information on US Ties, see 0002.71 (Glossary: Two Party...), 0030 (Refugee Assistance Programs).

Disregard the 1st $65 of earned income per wage earner plus half of the remaining earned income per wage earner in the assistance unit. Count the remaining amount toward the grant calculation.

Do not count income from VA benefits awarded from 12-1-01 to children of Vietnam veterans for a covered birth defect identified by the VA as associated with the service of these veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam from 2-28-61 through 5-7-75 and performed active military service.


NEW SPOUSE INCOME (NSI) POLICY

Assess if newly married members of RCA assistance units are eligible for the New Spouse Income (NSI) policy. If eligible, follow NSI policy to determine which member is the Designated Spouse. The Designated Spouse’s income may not count for the remainder of the 12 consecutive calendar months starting the month after the verification of the marriage is received. Follow MFIP in 0022.11 (New Spouse Income).

The New Spouse Income policy does not apply to RCA applicants joining a spouse already in the United States.


INCOME OF AN INELIGIBLE SPOUSE

When an RCA applicant joins a spouse who has income and is ineligible for RCA, apply the following calculations:

Earned income:

1.	Determine the spouse’s gross earned income.
2.	Disregard the 1st $65 of earned income plus half of the remaining earned income.
3.	Deduct amounts the ineligible person actually paid to people not living in the same household but whom the ineligible person claims or could claim as a dependent for federal income taxes.
4.	Deduct an allocation of $187 for the spouse’s needs.
5.	Deem the remaining income as unearned income to the applicant.

Unearned income:

1.	Determine the spouse’s gross unearned income. (NOTE: do not count the SSI income of an ineligible spouse.)
2.	Deduct amounts the ineligible person actually paid to people not living in the same household but whom the ineligible person claims or could claim as a dependent for federal income taxes.
3.	Deduct an allocation of $187 for the spouse’s needs.
4.	Deem the remaining income as unearned income to the applicant.