• What is a “change-reporting” household?
• Income reporting forms

What is a “change-reporting” household?

Since the implementation of quarterly reporting in 2005, the state uses quarterly budgeting for the majority of households. (See, generally, the section about prospective (quarterly) budgeting.) Only “change-reporting” households have their allotments amount determined on a “flow” basis, i.e., more frequently than quarterly.

Change-reporting households are those in which household members are:

• seasonal and/or migrant farm workers;
• reside on an Indian reservation;
• are homeless; or
• when all household members are elderly or disabled.

[MPP § 63-505.21; 7 C.F.R. § 273.12(4)(i).]

Change-reporting households are not required to submit quarterly income reports (QR 7 forms). Instead, they are required to report only certain changes. The changes required to be reported are:

• the source and amount of gross income of more than $25;
• addition or loss of a household member;
• address changes;
• shelter costs, exceeding the resource limit; and
• a change in child support payments made to a non household member.

[MPP § 63-505.51; 7 C.F.R. § 273.12(a).]

Change-reporting households must report these changes within 10 days from the date of a change. The report can be made in writing, verbally or in person. [MPP § 63-505.52]

The county prospectively budgets change-reporting household income, based on actual changes reported (or those changes anticipated during application and recertification). [MPP § 63-503.15; see MPP § 63-504.4 for when the changes take effect.]  Generally, the county is to change the allotment, whether up or down, by the month following the month of the change report. Decreases must be proceeded by a proper 10-day notice. [MPP § 63-504.423.]

Income reporting forms

The county is required to give a DFA 377.5 reporting form to all change-reporting households, unless they are receiving CalWORKs. [MPP § 63-504.41 and .432(a).]  For change reporting CalWORKs recipients, although the QR 7 quarterly reporting form is generally required for public assistance recipients, for change-reporting CalWORKs recipients the county cannot terminate food stamps or change the allotment amount merely because the household fails to submit the QR 7. [MPP § 63-504.432(a).]  Change-reporting households are considered to have reported timely if the QR 7 is submitted within the time frames for QR 7s or the change was reported within 10 days of the date the change became known to the household, whichever is later. [MPP § 63-504.432(b).]