Expiring Income Eligibility Forms and Determining Claiming Percentages

It has come to our attention that there is uncertainty in determining when an income eligibility form has expired and when it needs to be excluded from claiming percentage calculations for CACFP. We have been asked to clarify if a sponsor or independent center must exclude free and reduced price children from claiming percentage calculations if those children have income eligibility forms that will expire at any time during the same month that those claiming numbers are being established.

The requirements of 226.23(f) state that free and reduced-price eligibility information must be updated annually and may not be more than 12 months old. This was intended to mean that income eligibility forms should be considered current and valid until the last day of the month in which the form was dated one year earlier. This means that if a form was dated on Sept. 12, 2009, it is considered valid until the last day of September in 2010. This decision applies to both centers and homes, and should be used to assess the expiration of an income eligibility form in all situations, regardless of the reimbursement calculation method used.

During any month in which a claiming percentage is being established, because an income eligibility form is valid until the last day of the month that it was originally dated, any income eligibility forms expiring that month should be included in determining that claiming percentage. The claiming percentage may then still remain valid for up to 12 months. Claiming percentages are intended to capture the number of eligible children at a facility during one period of time. Including all currently valid income eligibility forms, regardless of when they expire within that month, would be consistent with this intent.

Cynthia Long
Director
Child Nutrition Division