What Income and Assets Should Count for [whatever] Benefits?

[GailL1]

There is no debate that a senior that has little income and NO other liquid assets would qualify for most all, if not all, helping-hand benefits like SNAP, Section 8, Medicaid.  Low income is defined as the Federal Proverty Level.  

But what else should count or not?  

• A retirement account?  
• Savings which earns interest?  
• Individual stock holdings or a brokerage account with index funds or some other grouping of stock holdings?  The dividends/capital gains received from such holdings?
• An inheritance that is so substantial that the earnings from it pushes them over the FPL limits.
• self-employed income from whatever the source - how will Uncle Sam know if no tax documents are filed?

Do all seniors file an annual tax return documenting their income for eligibility for various helping-hand benefits?  

Some seniors and others get hit hard when they come into some extra money that produces added income either as a result of a COLA increase or some other place.  They may come into this money happily but then when they lose some of the helping-hand benefits because of this increase in income from its earnings, they have 2nd thoughts.

Do you think the Federal Poverty Levels is an accurate measure of poverty?

Here they are for 2025 

HHS.gov Poverty Guidelines 2025 

For Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits they count in-kind funds as an offset to their benefit.  Like if somebody helps them with their portion of rent or utilities.  

I help an elderly aunt out monthly with her living cost - should this be disclosed against the other benefits she gets?  

It does get complicated in some instances.  

[papawofboo]

Do you claim it as an expense on your taxes? If you do, I can see where it would affect her filing. 

The government already has a list, no need to help them add to it.

How bout this, keep it a secret that you help her that way it won't complicate things. 

[GailL1]

@papawofboo 

NOT ME - I am asking this as a general question to the group.  

I don’t understand your comment about keeping it a secret or “no need to help the government add to it”?

One has to be honest or trouble might follow you creating a big problem down the line.

No I do not deduct my help to her on my taxes - there is not place for such on one’s taxes.  I help her out because I love her and she needs this and I have it to give.  My aunt only gets Social Security Retirement but if she got Supplemental Security Income (SSI) my monthly contribution to her under this SSI program would lower her benefit - but SSI is all Federal.  My contribution to her would be considered in-kind payment and it would need to be reported as an in-kind payment.;

Take HUD’s Sect 202 subsidy for elderly and disabled multi-housing.  The Feds court the income that comes from an investment - like earned interest, dividends or capital gains or IRA distributions.  But they do not count the amount of the investment at all - just the income derived from it.  But that is only a subsidy program - about 30% off the market based rent.

Then states have the right to modify any of these income / asset levels to the advantage of the senior needing a helping hand.  Like the Medicare Savings Programs - These are the Federal limits 

Medicare.gov - Medicare Savings Programs 

If you notice there are both income and resource limits - they define resources as :  What counts in resource limits?

• Money in a checking, savings, or retirement account
• Stocks
• Bonds

But in New York, they have done away with counting resources and rely only on income for their Medicare Savings Programs.  Some of these programs come with MEDICAID.  

NO State counts these things for the Medicare Savings Programs

• Your home
• One car
• Burial plot
• Up to $1,500 for burial expenses if you have put that money aside
• Furniture
• Other household and personal items

[papawofboo]

 On your taxes it called donations, you know like people give millions to college football. Government already has a list of what they call benefits, helping your elderly aunt doesn't need to be added to the list. The secret is why post that your aunt is getting finical help and not reporting it on her taxes.

You overthink things, hench your long, very long post.

[GailL1]

@papawofboo   A donation on your taxes has to be to an approved not for profit group - not to an individual.  

I am the type of person that tries to follow all the rules and if I find one that makes little sense, I work to change it.  

It is difficult to understand that if federal law says that MEDICAID does not cover those who are not citizens or Legal Permanent Residents, then a state can come along and begin to cover those who do not meet this criteria.

Same is true of HUD’s Sect. 202 rent subsidy for the elderly and disabled - they count only what comes in as income not that these same individuals may have several hundred thousand dollars in liquid assets or various equities that create this income flow.  

Sorry about my long post, I guess I just think people would like to know information - but maybe you are right - they only want to know it when it is affecting THEM or is of value when they are playing the contact sport of politics.  I like to know the why, the when  and the how much, all the rules and why they are there in the 1st place, not just some speculation on how things work.

You might enjoy going over to reddit.com or boglehead.org and seeing the extent of conversations going on various subjects - everything under the sun.