TN 33 (09-24)

SI 01320.001 Deeming of Income - Background

When an eligible individual resides in the same household as their ineligible spouse or, if a child, with ineligible parent(s), the income of such spouse or parent is considered in determining the individual's eligibility and payment amount.

The income of any person who sponsors the entry of a noncitizen into the United States must also be considered in determining the noncitizen's eligibility and payment amount, whether or not the noncitizen lives in the same household as the sponsor. The income of the sponsor's living-with spouse is included with that of the sponsor in the deeming computation.

If the eligible individual resides with an essential person, the income of the essential person is included in determining the individual's eligibility and payments.

The income of the ineligible parent, sponsor, or essential person, after applying the applicable deeming procedures in the following sections, is considered to be the eligible individual's own unearned income, and is called deemed income. This deemed income is added to the individual's own earned and unearned income in order to determine the individual's eligibility for and amount of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payment (SI 02005.000 ff.). In deeming the income of an ineligible spouse, we treat an individual with an ineligible spouse similar to a member of an eligible couple.