Section 960. Community spouse income allowance

A. Unless the exceptions in subsections B and C of this section apply, a community spouse monthly income allowance shall be deducted from the monthly income of the institutionalized spouse. The community spouse monthly income allowance shall be the amount by which the greater of:

1. The community spouse monthly maintenance needs standard plus the excess shelter allowance, if any; or

2. An amount determined necessary by a department hearing officer because of exceptional circumstances resulting in extreme financial duress;

exceeds the amount of monthly income otherwise available to the community spouse (determined without regard to such an allowance).

B. A community spouse monthly income allowance shall not be deducted from the income of the institutionalized spouse when the institutionalized spouse does not actually make an income allowance available to the community spouse.

C. If a court has entered an order against an institutionalized spouse for monthly income for the support of the community spouse, the community spouse monthly income allowance for the spouse shall be not less than the amount of the monthly income so ordered.

D. Application of "Income First" Rule to Revision of Community Spouse Resource Allowance. All income of the institutionalized spouse that could be made available to a community spouse, in accordance with the calculation of the community spouse monthly income allowance, must be made available before an amount of resources adequate to provide the difference between the minimum monthly maintenance needs allowance and all income available to the community spouse is allocated to the community spouse.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR460-04-8.6 § 3.5, eff. October 1, 1991; amended, Volume 12, Issue 09, eff. March 1, 1996; Volume 17, Issue 13, eff. April 11, 2001; Volume 22, Issue 23, eff. August 23, 2006.

Statutory Authority

§§ 32.1-324 and 32.1-325 of the Code of Virginia.