Gift Cards and Gift Certificates

Gift Cards and Gift Certificates. A. This type of income is treated as follows: 1. The value of a gift card or gift certificate is unearned income in the month it is received if the gift card or certificate can be used to purchase food or shelter or can be resold. a) Absent evidence to the contrary, presume a gift card or certificate can be resold. 1) Evidence to the contrary could include a legally enforceable prohibition on resale or transfer of the card/certificate imposed by the card issuer/merchant printed on the card or certificate. 2. The value of the gift card/certificate is subject to general rules pertaining to income and income exclusion, e.g., infrequent or irregular income exclusion policy.