Determination of Family
Income for Adults & Youth
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Low income
Eligibility Staff must determine
whether an Adult or Youth is
“low-income”
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“Automatic” Low-Income Status
“Automatic” low-income criteria:
 Individual/family receives public
cash assistance
 Individual is a member of
household that receives Food
Stamps or is determined eligible
for Food Stamps during the 6month period prior to application
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“Automatic” Low-Income Status
 Homeless
 Foster Child
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FAMILY INCOME
If an Adult or Youth is not determined
low-income under one of the
automatic criteria, eligibility staff
must record and document family
income.
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FAMILY INCOME
WIA Definition
An individual who received an income, or is
a member of a family that received a total
family income, for the 6-month period prior
to application that, in relation to family
size, does not exceed the higher of –
 The poverty line, for an equivalent
period; or
 70 percent of the lower living standard
income level, for an equivalent period
is considered low-income.
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FAMILY INCOME
To determine family income, follow
several steps:
1. Determine family composition
(size)
2. Gather information about all
includable sources of income for
each member of the applicant’s
family
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FAMILY INCOME
3.
4.
5.
Document all sources of includable
income
Calculate the family income for the
6 months prior to application
Multiply 6-month income by 2 to
get “annualized” income.
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FAMILY INCOME
Recording family income in the State
Management Information System (MIS)
 Record family size
 Record annualized family income
 Compare family income/family size to
Federal poverty/LLSIL guidelines
Note: the State MIS will automatically
match family size/income to determine
whether the applicant is low income.
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FAMILY COMPOSITION
Under WIA, a family is composed of
 individuals who are related by
blood, marriage, or court decree
 who live in a single
residence
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FAMILY COMPOSITION
A family is defined as:
 A husband and wife (and their
dependent children, if applicable)
 A parent or guardian and
dependent children
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FAMILY COMPOSITION
Unmarried individuals with no
children:
 Adult is generally considered family
of 1
 Youth generally counted as member
of parent(s)’s or guardian’s family
 “Dependency” follows IRS
guidelines
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VERIFICATION OF
FAMILY COMPOSITION
To verify family composition (size), the
following records may be used:
 Birth Certificates
 Decree of Court
 Public Assistance/Social Service Records
 Marriage Certificate
 Public Housing Authority
 Telephone Verification
 Applicant Statement in limited cases
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INCLUDABLE INCOME
The Agency for Workforce Innovation
(AWI) issued a Memorandum on
April 14, 2010 that clarified what
is includable and excluded income
under WIA. Some of the most common
sources of INCLUDABLE income are:
$ Wages and salaries before deductions
$ Net receipts from self employment,
including from farming
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INCLUDABLE INCOME
$ Pension or retirement income
$ Alimony
$ Net rental income
$ Interest, dividends, royalties, periodic
receipts from estate or trust
$ Educational assistance and training
stipends (unless specifically excluded)
$ Other sources of revenue considered
reportable income by the IRS
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EXCLUDED INCOME
The April 14, 2010 Memorandum also describes
sources of income that are not counted to
determine family income. The most common types
of EXCLUDED income include:
 Military pay and allowances while on active duty
 Disability & death benefits for veterans and
eligible persons
 Educational benefits for veterans and eligible
persons
 Social Security Benefits
 Unemployment compensation and
Trade Readjustment Allowances
 Public cash assistance & noncash assistance
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EXCLUDED INCOME
 Needs-based scholarships and financial
aid
 Child support
 Capital gains, asset draw-down
 Tax refunds, gifts, loans
 One-time unearned income
 WIA training stipends
 Payments from a Supplemental Needs
Trust (special needs trust)
 Non-cash benefits from employer
 Any payment that is specifically
excludable under federal law
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VERIFICATION OF
FAMILY INCOME
Acceptable Documentation of Family Income:
 Pay Stubs
 Employer Statement/Contact
 Tax Return or Quarterly Estimated Tax (for
Self-Employment)
 Business Financial Records (for SelfEmployment)
 Alimony Agreement
 Pension/Annuity Statement
 Telephone Verification
 Applicant’s Statement, in limited cases
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DETERMINING LOW-INCOME
Scenario 1 – Family Composition
Matteo, a 22 year-old applicant lives with
his girlfriend, Roxanna, and her two
children, one of which is his.
How many individuals are counted as
members of his family (including the
applicant)?
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DETERMINING LOW-INCOME
Scenario 1 – Family Composition
Answer: It depends on whether his child is
considered to be his dependent for tax
purposes.
* If dependent, the family size is 2.
* If not dependent, the family size is 1.
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DETERMINING LOW-INCOME
Scenario 1 – Family Income
We have determined that Matteo’s child is
listed on his tax return as his dependent.
The income in the household for the last six
months consists of:
 Matteo’s wages: $8,000
 Disability benefits from VA to Roxanna:
$3,600
 Child support payments to Roxanna for
care of the other child: $4,800
What is the applicant’s family income for the
previous six months?
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DETERMINING LOW-INCOME
Scenario 1 – Family Income
Applicant’s Family Income
Six-month income:
Matteo’s wages $8,000
Annualized income: $16,000
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DETERMINING LOW-INCOME
Scenario 1 – Low Income?
Last Step: Determining whether the
applicant’s annualized income is below the
higher of:
 the Poverty Level, or
 70% of the LLSIL
In 2009, for a family of 2, the following
income levels applied:
Poverty
$14,570
70% LLSIL (Metro)
$13,630
70% LLSIL (Non-Metro) $13,353
This applicant did not meet the lowincome criterion.
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DETERMINING LOW-INCOME
Scenario 2 – Family Composition
We now have a married couple, Ulric and
Wendy, with an 18-year old child. Wendy
is applying for WIA services.
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DETERMINING LOW-INCOME
Scenario 2 – Family Composition
QUIZ 1.
How many individuals are counted as
members of the applicant’s family
(including the applicant)? Pick all possible
answers.
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
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DETERMINING LOW-INCOME
Scenario 2 – Family Composition
QUIZ 1
Correct answer:
b. 2
c. 3
Both are possible answers depending on
whether the child is a dependent on the
parents’ tax return.
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DETERMINING LOW-INCOME
Scenario 2 – Family Income
The income in the household for the last six
months consists of:
 Ulric’s wages of $8,000
 Disability benefits from VA to Wendy
(applicant) of $3,600
 Social Security Disability Benefits to
Wendy of $4,800
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DETERMINING LOW-INCOME
Scenario 2 – Family Income
QUIZ 2
What is the family income for the previous
six months?
a.
$8,000
b.
$9,600
c.
$12,200
d.
$15,800
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DETERMINING LOW-INCOME
Scenario 2 – Family Income
QUIZ 2
Correct answer:
a.
$8,000
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DETERMINING LOW-INCOME
Scenario 2 – Family Income
Includable Family Income
Six-month income:
Husband’s wages
$8,000
Annualized income: $16,000
Excluded Income
Veteran’s disability benefits
$3,600
Social Security Disability $4,200
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DETERMINING LOW-INCOME
Scenario 2 – Low Income?
QUIZ 3
If Wendy’s child is a dependent, does
Wendy’s family income meet the lowincome requirement?
a. Yes
b. No
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DETERMINING LOW-INCOME
Scenario 2 – Low Income?
QUIZ 3
Correct answer:
a. Yes
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Individuals with a Disability
WIA provides an additional mechanism for
determining an applicant to be “low-income”.
This mechanism applies to an individual with a
disability who does not meet any of the
“automatic” low-income criteria and whose
family income exceeds the low-income levels. The
applicant may still be determined to be low
income if:
The individual’s disability is verified, and
The individual’s own includable income
meets the low-income levels
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Individuals with a Disability
Acceptable sources of documentation of
disability:
 Letter from a Drug or Alcohol
Rehabilitation Agency
 Medical Records/Physician’s Statement
 Psychiatrist’s Statement
 Psychologist Diagnosis
 Workers Compensation Records
 Social Security Administration Disability
Records
 Veterans Administration Records
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Individuals with a Disability
Acceptable Documentation (continued):
 Social Services Records/Referral
 Rehabilitation Evaluation
 School Records
 Sheltered Workshop Certification
 Vocational Rehabilitation Letter
 Applicant Statement, in limited
cases
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DETERMINING LOW-INCOME
Scenario 3 – Family Composition
Our new applicant, Jai, is an 18 year old
who has been diagnosed with cerebral
palsy. Jai lives with and is supported by
his parents. He has no siblings.
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DETERMINING LOW-INCOME
Scenario 3 – Family Income
The income in the household for the last six
months consists of:
 Father’s wages of $18,000
 Mother’s self-employment net income of
$18,000
 Applicant has no income
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DETERMINING LOW-INCOME
Scenario 3, Individual with Disability
QUIZ 4
The applicant meets the low-income criterion.
a.
True
b.
False
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DETERMINING LOW-INCOME
Scenario 3, Individual with Disability
QUIZ 4
Correct answer:
a. True
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Questions or Additional Information
If you have any questions or for additional
information, please contact DEO’s WIA
policy and technical assistance staff at:
WP_WIAProgramInfo@deo.myflorida.com.