Some expenses can possibly qualify for deductions and increase your Food Stamp benefits. If you have any of these expenses, list them. Client statement can be accepted unless the information appears questionable. (Example: if expenses exceed a household’s income, then the case manager may request verification.)
Do you pay for the care of a dependent child or disabled adult household member?
If you or a household member pays a care provider for a child or disabled adult household member, provide statements from the provider verifying how much you pay weekly.
NOTE: To be considered disabled, the adult has to be receiving Social Security or SSI.
Do you pay transportation expenses for a dependent child or disabled household member?
If you drive a child or disabled adult to and from a care provider, you may provide a statement of mileage driven weekly to your case manager as a Food Stamp deduction. Further transportation deductions for disabled people in the household will be discussed further below.
Does anyone pay child support to someone living outside of the home?
If you or a household members pays child support, provide verification of you much you pay. If child support is paid to Georgia Child Support Enforcement, the case manager can access your payments on the Child Support Enforcement database and you will not need to provide verification.
Does anyone 60 years or older or disabled have medical expenses?
Medical expenses can be used as a deduction to potentially increase Food Stamp benefits. Some medical deductions can only be used once. For example: if you gave your case manager a bill from your vision doctor at review, that same medical bill cannot be used again even if you still owe the bill. However, recurring medical expenses such as insurance premiums and rental fees can be used as long as your are still responsible for paying the fees.
Your application may be processed faster if you include copies of all your medical bills.
Find out how to use medical expenses to possibly increase your Food Stamps!
Does anyone 60 years of age or older or disabled have medical expenses for transportation?
Great news! If someone in your Food Stamp household is aged 60 or older or disabled, then you can use medical transportation expenses to potentially receive more Food Stamps!
Complete the information on the application. If you need more room, right your mileage down on a separate sheet of paper. Be sure to include the head of household’s name, social security number, and AU or client ID if you have it.
Do you or any household member have shelter and utility expenses?
Certain shelter and utility expenses may count as deductions and increase your Food Stamp amount. Click here to find out more.
If you have income, it will benefit you to complete this chart. Do not enter anything under “other” in this section. The utilities listed are the only utilities allowed.
Make sure your expenses do not exceed all income you have already listed on your application. If your expenses are more than what you bring into the house, your case manager is going to start asking questions and requesting verification.
If you list no income then you must also state no on all expenses.
Do you share monthly household expenses with anyone in the home?
If you share living expenses someone who lives with your but is not in your Food Stamp case, you are legally supposed to report his information.
However, the case manager doesn’t really have any way of knowing this unless you tell them or the person is on your lease.
Does someone else pay any of these household bills for you?
Again, you are legally required to report this information, but case managers rely heavily on clients to self report.
