Public Assistance and Resources
© 1998 by Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc.
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    Resources are different from income. Resources include cash, bank accounts, stocks, bonds, IRAs, and property. Your regular paychecks, Social Security, or Child Support payments are not resources.

    Yes. Generally, a household cannot have over $2,000 in resources ($3,000 if there is a household member over 60 years of age). Resources include items like:

1. cash on hand
2. bank accounts and certificates of deposit
3. stocks and bonds
4. IRA's
5. cash value of life insurance policies

    Yes. You may have a car valued up to $4,650. If your car is worth more than $4.650, the excess amount will be counted as a resource. For example, if your car is valued at $5,150, $500 would count towards your resource limit.

    If your vehicle is specially equipped for the disabled, the value of the special equipment will not count toward your resource limit.

    Below are some items which are not considered resources. They can't count against you when you apply for assistance.

1. your home but you may be asked to sign a lien
2. tools that are, or could be, used for work
3. basic items like clothes, furniture, and household items
4. one burial plot or space for each household member
5. one funeral agreement having a maximum value of $1,500 per household member
6. certain trust funds for minors
7. undergraduate educational grants and loans and certain educational grants and loans to graduate students
8. Agent Orange settlements
9. Funds in an IDA (Individual Development Account). These accounts are like trust accounts which will allow Family Assistance recipients to set aside funds for (1) going to school (2) buying a first home, or (3) starting a business
10. State and federal earned income tax credit refunds
11. For 6 months, real property that the household is making a good-faith effort to sell

    If you are eligible for Family Assistance (generally paid to families with children), you may transfer resources before applying and still qualify.

    If you are applying for Safety Net Assistance (SNA) benefits and you transfer a resource for less than what it is worth (including simply giving it away), the Department of Social Services will assume you made the transfer to qualify for public assistance. In this case, your application could be denied for one year.

    You must show that the transfer was not made to qualify for public assistance. If you are denied public assistance because you transferred a resource, please call our office.

    From us. Please feel free to call our office at 847-0650.

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