MFIP, MSA, GA, HSP:

Multiple ownership of an asset may make it partly or entirely unavailable to a client.

When 2 or more people own an asset, presume each person owns an equal share of the asset, EXCEPT that each joint owner of a personal checking account or savings account is considered to own the entire account.

A unit may prove that it only has access to part of the asset. When the unit proves greater or smaller ownership, use the verified ownership amount to determine net asset value for both applicants and participants. See 0010 (Verification).

For procedures on completing the asset panels in MAXIS, see TEMP Manual TE02.10.31 (Jointly Owned Assets).

Consider assets of people living in shelters for battered women and children inaccessible if another owner is a member of their former household, and access to the asset is dependent on the cooperation of a member of the former household.

Military persons being deployed overseas may provide their parent or other people access to their bank accounts allowing them to pay the military persons’ bills or otherwise handle their affairs while they are gone. Exclude the accounts if the unit can document that it can only access the account, or a portion of the account, to pay the deployed military persons’ bills, AND the unit cannot use the funds for its own needs. Verification must be provided from the deployed military persons, a statement from the bank or financial institution or other verification documenting this arrangement.


SNAP:
Only non-categorically eligible SNAP units ARE subject to an asset test. Categorically eligible SNAP units are NOT subject to an asset test. See 0013.06 (SNAP Categorical Eligibility/Ineligibility) to determine categorical eligibility or ineligibility.

For non-categorically eligible SNAP units, see 0015.81 (Assets – SNAP) for the SNAP asset policies, including jointly owned assets.