SELF-EMPLOYMENT INCOME FROM ROOMER/BOARDER
ISSUE DATE: 06/2021
A unit receives roomer/boarder income when someone living in their home pays them for lodging and/or meals, or eats with the unit and pays them for meals. Units with roomer/boarder income are considered self-employed. Count the income as earned income. For the definition of BOARDER, see 0002.07 (Glossary: Benefit…). For the definition of ROOMER, see 0002.57 (Glossary: Relative…). For MAXIS instructions, see TEMP Manual TE02.10.49 (Room and Board Income (RBIC)).
Roomer/boarder income is different from rental property. For information on rental property income, see 0017.15.33.30 (Self-Employment Income From Rental Property).
For information on budgeting Self-Employment Income, see 0017.15.33.03 (Self-Employment, Convert Inc. To Monthly Amt - Cash), 0017.15.33.05 (Self-Employment, Determine Countable Monthly Income – SNAP).
MFIP, DWP, GA, GRH:
Follow general provisions.
SNAP:
If the client owns the home and is renting to someone else, this is considered Rental Income. See 0017.15.33.30 (Self-Employment Income From Rental Property). Below is more information on how to count income and expenses for roomers and boarders.
● | Roomer/Roommate: A roomer/roommate is a non-mandatory assistance unit member who rents part of a home which is rented by the SNAP unit. The money the client collects from the roomer/roommate for their living expenses is counted as income to the SNAP unit. For MAXIS instructions, see TEMP Manual TE02.10.49 (Room and Board Income (RBIC)). |
● | Boarder: A boarder is a person who eats with the unit and pays for meals but does not live with the unit and is not a unit member. The income the boarder pays to the SNAP unit is considered self-employment income and coded on the STAT/RBIC panel. Allow the verified expense of providing the food or the Thrifty Food Plan, whichever is greater as a deduction from the boarder income. For Thrifty Food Plan amounts or for treatment of boarders who pay less than the Thrifty Food Plan amount for food, see 0022.12.01 (How to Calculate Benefit Level - SNAP/MSA/GRH). If there is more than 1 boarder, use the total number of boarders as the unit size in determining the Thrifty Food Plan amount. |
● | Roomer and boarder: A roomer and boarder is someone who lives and eats with the SNAP unit and has an agreement to pay the SNAP unit for their housing and meals. Roomer and boarders are mandatory assistance unit members since they eat with the SNAP unit. |
For Roomer/Boarder system guidance, see TEMP Manual TE02.10.49 (Room and Board Income (RBIC)).
MSA:
For non-SSI recipients, follow general provisions.
For SSI recipients, SSA determines income. No county action is required.
PREVIOUS REVISIONS
| Date | Notes |
|---|---|
| 08/2019 | in general provisions adds in the last paragraph cross-references to 0017.15.33.03 (Self-Employment, Convert Inc. to Monthly Amt - Cash), 0017.15.33.05 (Self-Employment, Determine Countable Monthly Income – SNAP). Moves SNAP to its own provisions. |
| 03/2016 | delete previous SNAP provisions because SNAP follows general provisions. |
| 01/2016 | deletes previous Self-Employment policy and adds Simplified Self-Employment policy throughout. This change was EFFECTIVE 02/01/15. |
| 12/2015 | in MFIP/DWP updates the boarder and roomer/boarder rates. |
| 06/2015 | in general provisions adds 2 new paragraphs about the Simplified Self-Employment Policy Guide (Effective 02/01/15) and prior Self-Employment policy. |
| 12/2014 | Removed WB. This program was suspended 12/1/14. |
| 06/2013 | update cross-references to 0014.03.06 (Determining the SNAP Unit), 0022.12.01 (How to Calculate Benefit Level - SNAP/MSA/GRH). No policy was changed. |
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