Glossary S-words (FAM)

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Section 8 Housing — a federal rent subsidy program now referred to as the Housing Choice Voucher Program. The tenant pays a portion of the rental cost based on a percentage of their income. The balance of the rental cost is paid by the federal government. Also known as deep subsidy.

Shelter Needs Allowance — the actual amount charged for shelter costs that is included in the standard of need for monthly shelter costs. The shelter needs allowance is capped at a maximum figure, even if actual costs exceed the maximum.

Similar Legal Device — any instrument, device or arrangement which may not be called a trust under state law, but which exhibits the general characteristics of a trust as defined here such as escrow accounts, investment accounts, pension funds, and other similar instruments managed by an individual or entity with fiduciary responsibilities.

Special Needs Trust – also known as a Trust for Disabled Individuals, a trust containing the assets of an individual under age 65 who is disabled and which is established for the benefit of such individual by the individual, a parent, grandparent, legal guardian of the individual, or a court if the State will receive all amounts remaining in the trust upon the death of such individual up to an amount equal to the total medical assistance paid on behalf of the individual.

Specified Relative — blood relatives and half-blood relatives, including preceding generations to the fourth degree of kinship, specifically:

•       father, mother, brother, sister, stepfather, stepmother, stepbrother, stepsister, grandmother (including great and great-great), grandfather (including great and great-great), uncle (including grand or great), aunt (including grand or great); and

•       nephew, niece, and first cousin, only. In accordance with federal regulations and state law, degrees of kinship do not apply to nephews, nieces, and cousins when determining if the individual meets the definition of specified relative. Therefore, a specified relative would not include, for example, such relations as first cousins once removed, second cousins or grandnephews.

•       Also included are adoptive parents and their relatives to the same degree as blood relatives, and spouses of any persons named above, even after the marriage has been terminated by death or divorce; Or

•       Court appointed guardian who provides care and parental control to a dependent child.

Spouse — either of 2 individuals who are defined as married under state law.

SSI — Federal Supplemental Security Income payments made under authority of Title XVI of the Social Security Act.

SSI Applicant — an individual who has filed an application for SSI benefits.

SSI Household — the head of household is an SSI recipient and all other household members are included in an adult financial assistance group or are SSI recipients.

Standard of Need — the amount of income necessary to meet the full need in accordance with RSA 167:7,II.

Stepparent — an individual who is currently legally married to a child’s natural or adoptive parent but has no biological or adoptive parental relationship to the child.

Striker — anyone who participates in a strike or work stoppage (including a stoppage due to the expiration of a collective-bargaining agreement) or any concerted slowdown or other interruption of operations by employees.

Subsidized Housing — housing leased under an agreement in which the household pays a rate based on a percentage of the household’s income. The balance of the rent is paid for by the federal government. Also known as deep subsidy housing, conventional public housing, or the Housing Choice Voucher Program (formerly known as Section 8 housing).

Support — child support or spousal support (alimony) payments.