Transitional Benefits Alternative

When certain TAFDC households close, the Department provides Transitional Benefits Alternative (TBA) SNAP benefits for five months. (A) Determining the TBA Benefit Amount. The Department will determine the TBA amount by recalculating the SNAP benefit without counting new income such as wages. The Department will count only the income the household had in the month the household's TAFDC benefits stopped, excluding the TAFDC grant. For TBA purposes, closed cash cases with an associated NPA SNAP household will have their Transitional Support Services (TSS) income excluded when determining the SNAP benefit amount. If at the time of the TAFDC closing, the household reports a change(s), the Department will recalculate the SNAP benefits. (1) If the recalculated SNAP benefit amount is less than or equal to the TBA amount, the Department will pay the TBA amount. (2) If the recalculated SNAP benefit amount is greater than the TBA amount, the Department will recertify the household and pay the increased SNAP benefit amount. (B) The TBA Period. When TBA-eligible TAFDC households close, the Department will automatically assign a five-month SNAP certification period. (C) Households Ineligible for TBA Benefits. TBA will not be provided to a former TAFDC household when the household or household member has: (1) failed to comply with a TAFDC program requirement; (2) failed to comply with a SNAP work requirement as defined in 106 CMR 362.300: Work Requirements; or (3) been disqualified due to an Intentional Program Violation in accordance with 106 CMR 367.525: Definition of an Intentional Program Violation (IPV) and 367.800: Disqualification Penalties. (D) Change Reporting Requirements During the TBA Period. The TBA household is not required to report or provide verification of any changes in household circumstances during the TBA period. Any change(s) reported to the Department during the TBA period which results in eligibility for SNAP benefits greater than the TBA amount will be treated as a request to recertify. (1) If a TBA household reports a change during the TBA period, the Department will recalculate the SNAP benefits. (a) If the change results in a SNAP benefit amount that is less than or equal to the TBA amount, the Department will continue to pay the current TBA amount for the remaining TBA period. (b) If the change results in a SNAP benefit amount that is greater than the current TBA amount, the Department will recertify the household and pay the increased SNAP benefit amount. If the household is determined to be over income based on the recalculation, the TBA case will close for that reason during the TBA period. (2) If the Department receives an income change from another program, such as, but not limited to, Social Security benefits, for the TBA household during the TBA period, the Department will recalculate the SNAP benefits. (a) If the change results in a SNAP benefit amount that is less than or equal to the current TBA amount, the Department will continue to pay the current TBA amount for the remaining TBA period. (b) If the change results in a SNAP benefit amount that is greater than the current TBA amount, the Department will recertify the household and pay the increased SNAP benefit amount. If the household is determined to be over income based on the recalculation, the TBA case will close for that reason during the TBA period. (E) Recertification Requirements for TBA Households. The TBA household must recertify for SNAP at the end of the TBA period and will be notified to recertify in accordance with 106 CMR 366.310: Notification to Recertify.