Technically you are required to report all income received by all household members. However, there are certain types of income a case manager cannot access in a database or on the computer.
Income a Case Manager Can See
- Child support paid through Child Support Enforcement
- Social Security benefit
- SSI benefits
- Unemployment benefits
- 1099 Employment
- Gig Work
- Most employers who take taxes directly out of your wage
- Some employers list your wages on databases such as Truv or SteadyIQ.
- All employers who are not 1099 employers report to the Georgia Department of Labor. Your case manager can see your gross quarterly wages through the Georgia DOL database.
- Important: effective November 2024, if you are a gig worker for platforms like Uber, Instacart, DoorDash, etc. then there is a program called SteadyIQ that pulls all of your wage information.
If you or anyone in your household has any of this income, complete the information.
Use the total gross income before any deductions such as taxes, child support, garnishments, insurance, etc.
Income a Case Manager Cannot See
- Any money paid directly to you in cash or a personal check including wages, child support, alimony, etc.
- Retirement or pension plans that are not Social Security or SSI
- Gambling winnings that are not the Georgia Lottery
- Checking/savings accounts
- Savings or Government bonds
- Funeral plans
- Life insurance policies
- Stocks and Bonds
- NOTE: DFCS may someday be able to access databases that will allow them to access any of this information that is not cash money
Remember that you are legally required to report all income to your case manager. If you choose not to report, you can be ordered to pay back benefits and could face legal issue. Be aware that anything that is not direct cash may possibly be accessed.
