Glossary S-words (MAM)

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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 (categorically needy medical assistance) - 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.

Shelter Payment Allowance (categorically needy medical assistance) - The actual amount charged for shelter costs that is included in the payment standard for monthly shelter costs. The shelter payment 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.

Simplified Employee Pension - An employer created Individual Retirement Account or Individual Retirement Annuity that meets the following requirements:

. all employees must be age 21 and have performed service for the employer during 3 of the last 5 years, receiving a minimum salary in those 3 years;

. contributions may not discriminate in favor of employees who are highly compensated;

. employee withdrawals must be permitted; and

. employer contributions are determined under a definite written allocation formula.

Simplified Retirement Account - An Individual Retirement Annuity or either a Traditional or Roth Individual Retirement Account established by an employer for both an employer and employee to make contributions under a qualified salary arrangement. A qualified salary arrangement must:

. set a maximum percentage of compensation that an employee may contribute;

. require that the employer make a matching contribution to the employee's volunteer contribution that does not exceed a maximum percentage of compensation for the year;

. set vesting requirements; and

. require that an employee only be eligible when they have received a minimum level of salary in the past two years and expect to earn the same level of salary in the current year.

Social Security Number (SSN) - The unique and unchanging nine-digit number used by the Social Security Administration (SSA) throughout the individual's life.

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.

Spouse - Either of 2 individuals who are defined as married under state law. For food stamp purposes, the definition also includes individuals who are living together and represent themselves as husband and wife to relatives, friends, neighbors, or tradespeople.

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 (SON) - The amount of income necessary for recipients to have a reasonable level of living. The Director of the Division establishes the SON for each category of financial assistance and categorically needy medical assistance.

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.