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State of Wisconsin |
Release 26-02 |
7 CFR 273.2(f)(1)(i)
Gross income means a household's total, non-excluded earned and unearned income, before any deductions have been made. Verification of gross monthly countable income, regardless of the amount, is required through documentary evidence or collateral contact. If unable to obtain the requested verification, use best available information (see Section 1.2.2 Sources for Verification).
Documentary evidence is written confirmation of a member's circumstances; examples include wage statements, check stubs, and employment verification forms. Documentary evidence should be the primary source of verification, but acceptable verification cannot be limited to only this type of source.
Income verification may be obtained through collateral contacts (see Section 1.2.2.2 Collateral Contacts) which are oral confirmation of a member's circumstances by a person outside of the FoodShare case.
Use best available information to estimate the income when both of the following are true:
Clearly document the attempts to obtain verification and the reasoning for the estimate that is used. Best available information may include but is not limited to:
Past and anticipated income is used to estimate the earnings that are and will be received during the certification period.
Past income refers to money that the household has already received, and the pay date(s) prior to the date of application. Income received during the past 30 days shall be used as an indicator of the income that is and will be available to the household.
Anticipated income is used for the additional pay date(s) past the application date. Do not use past income as an indicator or anticipated income when changes in income have occurred or can be expected during the certification period.
All anticipated income must be reasonably certain to be received during the certification period. To be reasonably certain, the reported information must contain the amount of income and when it is received.
Statements from employers may be used to verify anticipated income. Using the Employment Verification of Earnings (EVF-E) (F-10146) form to verify anticipated income is recommended. However, this form is not mandatory for FoodShare. An EVF-E is considered valid only if the form is returned as complete and contains the employer's signature.
If income widely fluctuates over time and a 30-day period cannot provide an accurate indication of anticipated income, a longer period of past time may be used. To average this type of income, use the amounts expected to be received over the period of time of the anticipated fluctuations. Make every attempt to accurately verify anticipated income and clearly document the reasoning for the anticipated income estimate.
| Example 1 | Joan just started her job and hasn't gotten a paycheck yet. Joan provides a completed Employment Verification of Earnings (EVF-E) form that contains the employer's signature to make an estimate of reasonably anticipated earned income. Joan's earned income is verified and she is not required to submit check stubs or any other additional verification. |
| Example 2 | Tyler has a verbal agreement to start a new job in two weeks. He knows he will be doing landscaping, but does not know the hours, rate of pay, and has not signed any paperwork. This income is not verified and cannot be reasonably anticipated. It is not used in the budgeting for the certification period. |
| Example 3 |
Grace reports she was told at her recent interview that she got the job. She knows her start date, anticipated wage amount, and expected hours. She submits a statement from her employer. The new income beginning can be reasonably anticipated to be available during the certification period and is used in the case. The member's statement is documented in the case record, including the start sate, expected hours, and wages to substantiate the anticipated income estimate. Further verification is not needed for this earned income source. |
| Example 4 | Mike submits all check stubs received in the most recent 30 days to verify his actual earned income. This income can be used as an indicator of the anticipated income for the certification period. The check stubs are used to verify his earned income and additional verification is not needed. |
Workers should instruct the applicant or member to keep all wage statements and check stubs for future verification purposes.
Verifying Employment or Income Changes
When a member reports new employment during their certification period, follow the unclear information policy. (See Section 1.2.4.1 Gross Countable Income Verification, Section 1.2.4.2 Earned Income Verification, and Section 1.2.4.3 Self-Employment Income Verification).
If a member reports that they ended employment at application, renewal, or during their certification period, only require verification when questionable.
Verification is not needed if employment or income ended in a month before the month of the eligibility determination.
| Example 5 | Natalie applies for FoodShare in February and reports that they are unemployed. During the FoodShare interview, Natalie reports that their last employment ended in October and their last check was in November. Do not require verification that employment ended unless the statement is questionable. |
| Example 6 | Josh applied for FoodShare in December and reported that he is working. In March, Josh reports he ended his employment, and his last check will be received at the end of the month. The member's statement is used to verify the decrease in earned income and the employment is end dated. Eligibility is redetermined for the next possible benefit month of April using no anticipated earned income. |
| Example 7 | Camden submits her application on February 12. She reports her employment ended on January 30, but she will not receive her last paycheck until February 15. Her last paycheck is needed to determine past income for the application month of February. Verification is required for the date of employment ending and the amount of income received in February. |
Verification is required for self-employment income. This type of income is earned directly from one's own business, not through salary or wages. Use Self-Employment Income Reporting Forms (SEIRFs) (F-00107 and F-00219, for farm businesses), IRS tax forms, or bookkeeping records to verify self-employment income.
7 CFR 273.2(f)(2) and 7 CFR 273.2(f)(3)
FoodShare applicants and members tested under broad-based categorical eligibility or categorical eligibility rules do not have an asset test. Their assets are not counted since they are authorized to receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)-funded services. FoodShare applicants and members tested under these rules must not be asked to provide information about or to verify their assets.
EXCEPTION: A substantial lottery or gambling winning (see section 6.1.1.1 substantial lottery or gambling winning) is considered an asset. Any member who reports a questionable substantial lottery or gambling winning must provide verification.
Applicants and members must report the amount of available liquid assets at the point of initial application or late renewal to determine eligibility for priority service and expedited issuance. The reported assets are not required to be verified (see SECTION 2.1.4 EXPEDITED SERVICE AT APPLICATION).
Under regular SNAP rules FoodShare applicants and members are tested for assets. Elderly, Blind, or Disabled (EBD) food units with gross monthly income that exceeds 200% of the Federal Poverty Limit (FPL) are subject to the asset limit. Non-EBD food units may be tested under regular SNAP rules if certain criteria are met (see section 4.2.2 Regular SNAP Rules). These food units are subject to the non-EBD asset limit. Food units tested under regular SNAP rules must verify their assets if they are found questionable (see section 4.4.1 Assets).
7 CFR 273.2(f)(3)
Medical costs and legally obligated child support expenses are required to be verified at application and renewal. Follow unclear information policy for unclear expense information reported during the certification period.
7 CFR 273.9(d)(4)
Dependent care expenses required for members to keep or obtain employment, receive training or education preparatory for employment, or comply with employment and training requirements should be deducted from income. Convert expenses to monthly amounts.
Dependent care expenses do not require verification, unless the applicant or member’s statement is deemed questionable.
Examples of applicant or member statements that may be considered questionable include:
| Example 6 |
Vinny is a 10-year-old child who attends Prestigious Prep Childcare four days a week during the summer while his parents are working. His parents indicate that this care costs $1,000 per week. The cost of care seems unreasonably high compared to the cost of other care in the area. The IM worker should request verification of this dependent care expense. |
Reminder: Only deduct dependent care expenses that the household is responsible to pay. When a member receives benefits through Wisconsin Shares, the child care subsidy program, the subsidy amount paid by the State is not an allowable dependent care expense.
Shelter and utility expenses do not require verification for FoodShare benefit calculation unless the applicant or member’s statement is deemed questionable. Examples of applicant or member statements that may be considered questionable include:
7 CFR 273.2(f)(1)(iv)
Verification at Application
Medical expenses totaling over $35 out-of-pocket that are claimed by an EBD person must be verified at application for the expense to be used in the FoodShare benefit calculation.
7 CFR 273.2(f)(8)(ii) and 273.12(c)
Verification during the Certification Period
Verification is needed for medical expenses reported by the household during the certification period only if the total amount of previously verified medical expenses has changed by more than $25.
If the reported medical expense change is questionable or unverified, follow policies for unclear information.
| Example 7 | Edith, a disabled FoodShare member, provided proof of her $200 monthly prescription costs from her pharmacy at application. In the third month of her 36-month FoodShare certification period, she reports that she was hospitalized last month and now has a $1,300 obligation for a hospital bill. Edith and her IM worker agree that this bill will be averaged over the remaining months in Edith’s FoodShare certification. Edith’s IM worker explains that to receive the deduction for this new medical expense, verification is required. If verification is not provided, only the $200 deduction is allowed. |
| Example 8 | Violet, a disabled FoodShare member, is eligible for home and community-based waivers as a Group B participant. At application, Violet reports and provides proof of a recurring monthly medical expense for FoodShare. In the fifth month of her certification period, Violet’s IM worker receives notice from the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) of a medical/remedial cost for her Group B Waiver cost share calculation. For FoodShare purposes, this information is not considered verified upon receipt and is unclear. If the care manager had provided verification of the medical/remedial expense, the information could be used as a FoodShare expense at the time the change was reported. When clear and verified, the new expense amount is allowed as a medical expense and is used in the benefit calculation. |
7 CFR 273.2(f)(8)(i)(A)
Verification at Renewal
Previously unreported medical expenses, changes in total recurring medical expenses by more than $25, and questionable information must be verified at renewal.
| Example 10 |
Sally reports and provides proof of a $150 recurring monthly prescription medical expense at her FoodShare application. At her renewal, she states that this monthly expense continues but that it has increased by $10. Her case is updated with the expense and does not require verification. |
Examples of applicant or member statements that may be considered questionable include:
If questionable, verification must be requested, which may include date of service, billing date, amount owed, and date amount is due.
Medical expenses are budgeted prospectively, so do not require eligible EBD food unit members to verify recurring medical expenses monthly. Rely on estimates of recurring medical expenses during the certification period. Include changes that can be anticipated based on available information. Consider the food unit member's medical condition, public or private medical insurance coverage, and the current verified medical expenses incurred by the food unit member.
When converting medical expenses to monthly amounts, use the same calculation methods used for budgeting prospective income.
7 CFR 273.2(f)(1)(xii)
Verification is required for legal obligation and actual payments made by a member claiming to pay child support to a non-household member. Verification can be obtained from court documents and State Child Support Enforcement agencies.
This page last updated in Release Number: 26-02
Release Date: 08/12/2026
Effective Date: 08/12/2026
Notice: The content within this manual is the sole responsibility of the State of Wisconsin's Department of Health Services (DHS). This site will link to sites outside of DHS where appropriate. DHS is in no way responsible for the content of sites outside of DHS.
Publication Number: P-16001