Assets and Resources

• Assets and resources include earned or unearned income stored in bank accounts. The Ohio Works First program does not impose a resource limit. But Ohio requires applicants and recipients to report unearned income, such as inheritances, winnings or child support payments, as income.
  
  

Income

• Families must meet the gross income test, which measures the amount of money a household receives after taxes. The gross income test includes earned and unearned income. For example, the social services agency taking the application reviews income from employment, child support, alimony, Social Security Income and any other earnings source. For example, a family of three could receive up to $734 monthly and a family of four could receive $861 as of June 2011.
  
  

Excluded Income

• Ohio excludes certain types of income, such as verified wage garnishments, earned income tax payments and income from the Census Bureau for decennial census takers. The number of individuals in a household determines the gross income limit.
  
  

Income Deductions

• The Ohio Work First program offers income deductions, which reduce the amount of income considered for an application. Income deductions reflect the need for earned income to sustain other obligations. For example, Ohio deducts medical expenses, shelter costs, childcare payments and 20 percent of earned income for transportation or taxes. Once the agency calculates the deductions, the remaining income is calculated to determine the applicant's eligibility.