Count general assistance as unearned income in TANF, WIC, and school meals lists

changelog.d/general-assistance-income-sources.fixed.md

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Count general assistance as unearned income in WIC, school meals, and the DC, Illinois, and Montana TANF income lists, and give Maine TANF its own unearned income list that excludes general assistance.

policyengine_us/parameters/gov/states/co/cdhs/tanf/income/unearned.yaml

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ values:
     - social_security
     - workers_compensation
     - disability_benefits
+    # general_assistance is exempt under 9 CCR 2503-6, Section 3.605.4(A)(7)
 metadata:
   unit: list
   period: month

policyengine_us/parameters/gov/states/dc/dhs/tanf/income/sources/unearned.yaml

@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ values:
     - pension_income
     - unemployment_compensation
     - gi_cash_assistance
+    # D.C. Code 4-205.05(4) counts District and federal public assistance payments
+    - general_assistance
     - social_security
 
 metadata:

policyengine_us/parameters/gov/states/il/dhs/tanf/income/sources/unearned.yaml

@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ values:
     - debt_relief
     - illicit_income
     - miscellaneous_income
+    # 89 Ill. Adm. Code 112.100(c) counts need based payments and cash assistance
+    - general_assistance
     #- pension_income # exempt
     #- veterans_benefits # exempt
     #- gi_cash_assistance # exempt

policyengine_us/parameters/gov/states/me/dhhs/tanf/income/sources/unearned.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+description: Maine counts these income sources as unearned income under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
+values:
+  2013-11-01:
+    - veterans_benefits
+    - survivor_benefits
+    - rental_income
+    # Chapter III, Section B(2)(a) excludes the first $50 of child support
+    # per month; the exclusion is applied downstream
+    - child_support_received
+    - alimony_income
+    # Chapter III, Section B(2)(k) excludes gifts of money up to $150 per
+    # household in three months; the exclusion is not modeled
+    - financial_assistance
+    - dividend_income
+    - interest_income
+    - miscellaneous_income
+    - pension_income
+    - unemployment_compensation
+    - gi_cash_assistance
+    - social_security
+    # Chapter III, Section B(2)(d) excludes General Assistance, so
+    # general_assistance is not counted
+
+metadata:
+  unit: list
+  period: year
+  label: Maine TANF unearned income sources
+  reference:
+    - title: 10-144 C.M.R. Chapter 331, Chapter III - Eligibility Requirements (Financial), Section B
+      href: https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/maine/C-M-R-10-144-ch-331-III

policyengine_us/parameters/gov/states/mt/dhs/tanf/income/sources/unearned.yaml

@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ values:
     - social_security
     - veterans_benefits
     - workers_compensation
+    # TANF 501-1 counts Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
+    - general_assistance
     # Adoption Subsidies
     # TANF from other states
     # Capital Gains

policyengine_us/parameters/gov/states/nc/ncdhhs/tanf/income/unearned.yaml

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ values:
     - unemployment_compensation
     - gi_cash_assistance
     - social_security
+    # general_assistance is not counted per the WF-114 income chart (page 11)
 metadata:
   unit: list
   period: year

policyengine_us/parameters/gov/usda/school_meals/income/sources.yaml

@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ values:
     - social_security
     - ssi
     - tanf
+    # 7 CFR 245.6(a)(5) lists welfare payments among income sources.
+    - general_assistance
     - pension_income
     - survivor_benefits
     - financial_assistance
@@ -25,6 +27,8 @@ values:
 
 metadata:
   reference:
+    - title: Code of Federal Regulations, 7 CFR 245.6(a)(5)
+      href: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/7/245.6#a_5
     - title: Code of Federal Regulations, 7 CFR 273.9(b)
       href: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/7/273.9#b
     - title: Code of Federal Regulations, 7 CFR 247.9(d)(1)

policyengine_us/parameters/gov/usda/wic/income/sources.yaml

@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ values:
     - social_security
     - ssi
     - tanf
+    # 7 CFR 246.7(d)(2)(ii)(A) counts public assistance or welfare payments.
+    - general_assistance
     - pension_income
     - survivor_benefits
     - financial_assistance

policyengine_us/tests/policy/baseline/gov/states/dc/dhs/tanf/income/dc_tanf_countable_unearned_income.yaml

@@ -47,3 +47,12 @@
     child_support_received: 2_000 # disregard $150 per month * 12
   output:
     dc_tanf_countable_unearned_income: 200
+
+
+- name: General assistance counts as unearned income, $1,200 per year
+  period: 2023
+  input:
+    state_code: DC
+    general_assistance: 1_200
+  output:
+    dc_tanf_countable_unearned_income: 1_200

policyengine_us/tests/policy/baseline/gov/states/il/dhs/tanf/income/unearned/il_tanf_gross_unearned_income.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+- name: Case 1, general assistance counts as unearned income.
+  period: 2025-01
+  absolute_error_margin: 0.1
+  input:
+    people:
+      person1:
+        age: 30
+        general_assistance: 2_400
+    households:
+      household:
+        members: [person1]
+        state_code: IL
+  output:
+    # 2,400 / 12 = 200
+    il_tanf_gross_unearned_income: 200
+
+- name: Case 2, exempt veterans benefits and pensions do not count.
+  period: 2025-01
+  absolute_error_margin: 0.1
+  input:
+    people:
+      person1:
+        age: 30
+        veterans_benefits: 2_400
+        pension_income: 1_200
+    households:
+      household:
+        members: [person1]
+        state_code: IL
+  output:
+    il_tanf_gross_unearned_income: 0

policyengine_us/tests/policy/baseline/gov/states/me/dhhs/tanf/integration.yaml

@@ -1032,3 +1032,40 @@
     me_tanf_eligible: true
     # Benefit = min($669, $769 - $0) = $669
     me_tanf: 669
+
+- name: Case 1 regression, general assistance does not reduce the benefit.
+  period: 2025-01
+  absolute_error_margin: 1
+  input:
+    people:
+      person1:
+        age: 30
+        employment_income_before_lsr: 12_000  # $1,000/month gross earned income
+        general_assistance: 2_400  # $200/month, excluded under Chapter III, Section B(2)(d)
+        is_tax_unit_head_or_spouse: true
+        immigration_status: CITIZEN
+      person2:
+        age: 8
+        is_tax_unit_dependent: true
+        immigration_status: CITIZEN
+      person3:
+        age: 5
+        is_tax_unit_dependent: true
+        immigration_status: CITIZEN
+    spm_units:
+      spm_unit:
+        members: [person1, person2, person3]
+        childcare_expenses: 4_200  # $350/month child care
+    tax_units:
+      tax_unit:
+        members: [person1, person2, person3]
+    households:
+      household:
+        members: [person1, person2, person3]
+        state_code: ME
+  output:
+    # Same as Case 1: $96 countable earned income, $0 countable unearned income
+    me_tanf_countable_unearned_income: 0
+    me_tanf_countable_income: 96
+    # Benefit = min($895, $1,030 - $96) = $895, unchanged by general assistance
+    me_tanf: 895

policyengine_us/tests/policy/baseline/gov/states/me/dhhs/tanf/me_tanf_countable_unearned_income.yaml

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # Tests gross unearned income minus child support deduction
 # Source: 22 M.R.S. Section 3762(3)(B)(7-D)
 #
-# Note: tanf_gross_unearned_income is a MONTH variable
+# Note: me_tanf_gross_unearned_income is a MONTH variable
 
 - name: Case 1, zero unearned income.
   period: 2025-01

policyengine_us/tests/policy/baseline/gov/states/me/dhhs/tanf/me_tanf_gross_unearned_income.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+# Maine TANF Gross Unearned Income Tests
+# Source: 10-144 C.M.R. Chapter 331, Chapter III, Section B
+
+- name: Case 1, social security counts as unearned income.
+  period: 2025-01
+  absolute_error_margin: 0.1
+  input:
+    people:
+      person1:
+        age: 30
+        social_security: 3_000
+    households:
+      household:
+        members: [person1]
+        state_code: ME
+  output:
+    # 3,000 / 12 = 250
+    me_tanf_gross_unearned_income: 250
+
+- name: Case 2, general assistance is excluded under Chapter III, Section B(2)(d).
+  period: 2025-01
+  absolute_error_margin: 0.1
+  input:
+    people:
+      person1:
+        age: 30
+        general_assistance: 2_400
+        gi_cash_assistance: 1_200
+    households:
+      household:
+        members: [person1]
+        state_code: ME
+  output:
+    # general_assistance excluded; gi_cash_assistance 1,200 / 12 = 100
+    me_tanf_gross_unearned_income: 100
+
+- name: Case 3, earned income does not count as unearned income.
+  period: 2025-01
+  absolute_error_margin: 0.1
+  input:
+    people:
+      person1:
+        age: 30
+        employment_income: 24_000
+    households:
+      household:
+        members: [person1]
+        state_code: ME
+  output:
+    me_tanf_gross_unearned_income: 0

policyengine_us/tests/policy/baseline/gov/states/mt/dhs/tanf/income/mt_tanf_gross_unearned_income.yaml

@@ -86,3 +86,19 @@
     # child_support_expense: 3,600/year = 300/month
     # max(300 - 300, 0) = 0
     mt_tanf_gross_unearned_income: 0
+
+- name: Case 6, general assistance counts as unearned income.
+  period: 2025-01
+  absolute_error_margin: 0.1
+  input:
+    people:
+      person1:
+        age: 30
+        general_assistance: 2_400
+    households:
+      household:
+        members: [person1]
+        state_code: MT
+  output:
+    # general_assistance: 2,400/year = 200/month
+    mt_tanf_gross_unearned_income: 200

policyengine_us/tests/policy/baseline/gov/usda/school_meals/school_meal_countable_income.yaml

@@ -39,3 +39,11 @@
     child_support_received: 3_000
   output:
     school_meal_countable_income: 13_000
+
+- name: Includes general assistance.
+  period: 2026
+  input:
+    employment_income: 10_000
+    general_assistance: 3_000
+  output:
+    school_meal_countable_income: 13_000

policyengine_us/tests/policy/baseline/gov/usda/wic/wic_countable_income.yaml

@@ -34,3 +34,16 @@
         members: [p1]
   output:
     wic_countable_income: 10_000
+
+- name: WIC countable income includes general assistance.
+  period: 2026
+  input:
+    people:
+      p1:
+        employment_income: 10_000
+        general_assistance: 3_000
+    spm_units:
+      spm_unit:
+        members: [p1]
+  output:
+    wic_countable_income: 13_000

policyengine_us/variables/gov/states/me/dhhs/tanf/income/unearned/me_tanf_countable_unearned_income.py

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ def formula(spm_unit, period, parameters):
         # is excluded from income calculations
         p = parameters(period).gov.states.me.dhhs.tanf
 
-        gross_unearned = add(spm_unit, period, ["tanf_gross_unearned_income"])
+        gross_unearned = add(spm_unit, period, ["me_tanf_gross_unearned_income"])
         child_support = add(spm_unit, period, ["child_support_received"])
         child_support_deduction = min_(child_support, p.child_support_deduction)
 

policyengine_us/variables/gov/states/me/dhhs/tanf/income/unearned/me_tanf_gross_unearned_income.py

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+from policyengine_us.model_api import *
+
+
+class me_tanf_gross_unearned_income(Variable):
+    value_type = float
+    entity = Person
+    label = "Maine Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) gross unearned income"
+    unit = USD
+    definition_period = MONTH
+    reference = "https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/maine/C-M-R-10-144-ch-331-III"
+    defined_for = StateCode.ME
+
+    adds = "gov.states.me.dhhs.tanf.income.sources.unearned"

policyengine_us/variables/household/income/person/misc/financial_assistance.py

@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ class financial_assistance(Variable):
     value_type = float
     entity = Person
     label = "financial assistance"
-    documentation = "Cash financial assistance from outside the household."
+    documentation = (
+        "Cash financial assistance from friends or relatives outside the household."
+    )
     unit = USD
     definition_period = YEAR