ASSISTANCE STANDARD
An amount set under Minnesota Statutes to provide for an ASSISTANCE UNIT's shelter, food, fuel, clothing, utilities, household supplies, and personal expenses. See 0020 (Net Income Limits).

MFIP : Also see TRANSITIONAL STANDARD in 0002.67 (Glossary: Thrifty...), FAMILY WAGE LEVEL in 0002.23 (Glossary: Fair Hearing...).
ASSISTANCE UNIT
A group of people receiving or applying for BENEFITs together.

ASYLEE
People in the United States who have experienced persecution or have a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country and have been GRANTED protection to stay in the United States. See 0031.01.09 (Asylees).

ASYLUM
An immigration status that grants protection to people fleeing persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country. See 0031.01.09 (Asylees).

ATM (AUTOMATIC TELLER MACHINE)
An electronic banking device used by some units to get their assistance benefits.

AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
A person authorized in writing by the UNIT or CLIENT to act on their behalf. See 0005.06 (Authorized Representatives).

AUTOMATIC TELLER MACHINE
An electronic banking device used by some units to get their assistance benefits.

AVAILABILITY
Used in reference to income or ASSETS. A client's degree of access to income due them or assets they own. See 0015.06 (Availability of Assets), 0015.06.03 (Availability of Assets with Multiple Owners), 0015.06.06 (Availability of Trusts), 0017.03 (Available or Unavailable Income).

AVAILABLE
See AVAILABILITY above.

BALLOON PAYMENT
A final payment, much larger than previous ones, on a mortgage or CONTRACT FOR DEED agreement.

BANKED MONTHS
MFIP : Months credited during the initial 60 months of MFIP eligibility, which can potentially be used after the 60-month time limit is reached to extend eligibility. Banked months are accrued when a caregiver meets the conditions for special medical criteria. See 0011.36 (Special Medical Criteria).

SNAP : Extra months of SNAP benefits that a Time-limited SNAP Recipient (TLR) may receive after they have used their 3 initial counted months in the same 36-month period. Banked month availability varies and may not be available for statewide use. For more information, see 0011.24 (Time-limited SNAP Recipients).

BANKRUPTCY
A legal proceeding in federal court where a person or company owing money seeks protection from creditors.

BASIC NEEDS
MFIP, GA : The minimum personal requirements of subsistence, restricted to: shelter, utilities, food, clothing, and other items the loss or lack of which is determined by the county agency to pose a direct, immediate threat to the physical health or safety of the applicant or participant.

BASIS OF ELIGIBILITY
An identifying characteristic of a category of people specified as potentially eligible for an ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. People without 1 of the specified characteristics are ineligible.

BATTERED NON-CITIZEN
A person who has received an immigration status because they were battered by a spouse, child, or parent who is a United States citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident. See 0031.18 (Battered Spouses, Children, and Parents of Battered Children).

BATTERED WOMEN'S SHELTER
See DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER in 0002.17 (Glossary: Displaced Homemaker...).

BATTERY/CRUELTY
See BATTERED NON-CITIZEN.

BEER
Beneficiary Earnings and Exchange Record. A monthly IEVS exchange between the Social Security Administration and the Department of Human Services reporting wages, self-employment, and federal pension earnings from federal tax returns. The original source is the Internal Revenue Service.

BENEFICIARY
The person named to receive BENEFITs or payments.