3.5.1 Boarders

3.5.1.1 Boarders Introduction
3.5.1.2 Reasonable Compensation

7 CFR 273.1(b)(3)

3.5.1.1 Boarders Introduction

A boarder is anyone who resides with a household and:

Pays reasonable compensation to the household for lodging and meals, and
Is in the food unit from which they purchase their meals, and
The food unit's primary person asks that the boarder be included.

A boarder food unit includes all the persons in a household who are included in the same payment for meals. This applies whether each person actually makes part of the payment, or one or more persons make the payment on their behalf. Include spouses and minorSomeone less than 18 years old who is under the parental control of an adult food unit member children of a boarder in the same boarder food unit, even if they claim they are making separate payments. Boarders are not eligible to participate as their own food unit.

Children and parents living together are not boarders if the childA person's biological, step, or adopted son or daughter, regardless of age. If a child is adopted, the adoption severs the biological tie to the parent. or parentA person's biological, step, or adoptive mother or father regardless of age. Parenthood doesn't have to be verified is paying board to the other.

A spouseA person recognized by Wisconsin law as another person's legal husband or wife. Wisconsin does not recognize common law marriage. who lives with a spouse and pays board to their spouse is not a boarder.

A siblingA brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, stepbrother, stepsister, and siblings related through adoption who lives with a sibling and pays board to that sibling is not a boarder.

3.5.1.2 Reasonable Compensation

Reasonable compensation means the person pays enough money for meals to qualify as a boarder.

Compute reasonable compensation based on the number of meals a day the person pays for. A boarder food unit who pays for more than two meals a day pays reasonable compensation when they pay an amount that equals or exceeds the allotment maximum (see Section 8.1.2 Allotment for Monthly Net Income and FoodShare Group Size). The allotment maximum is based on the size of the boarder group.

A boarder food unit who pays for two meals or less a day pays reasonable compensation when they pay an amount that equals or exceeds two thirds of the allotment maximum for the size of the boarder group.

Persons paying less than reasonable compensation are not boarders. Count income and assets of people who are paying less than reasonable compensation. Do not count a boarder's income and assets unless they are a food unit member.

This page last updated in Release Number: 21-05
Release Date: 12/13/2021
Effective Date: 12/13/2021