Dependent Deduction

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PJs must deduct $480 from a household's "annual (gross) income" for each household dependent when calculating "adjusted income."

A dependent is defined as any household member who is not the head, co-head, or spouse, but is:

	Under the age of 18 years; or
	Disabled (of any age); or
	A full-time student (of any age).

The household member must qualify for the dependent deduction at the time the income certification is made.

For example, assume a household member is 17 years of age at the time of certification, but will turn 18 six months later. Because the member is a dependent at the time of certification, the family receives the $480 deduction.
The PJ is not required to recertify the family six months later when the member turns 18.

However, when the household's income is recertified the following year, the family would lose the $480 deduction (unless the 18-year-old family member is then a full-time student or disabled).

NOTE: A household may request a reexamination of income if its status changes and it now qualifies for more deductions (such as when a family has a baby or adopts a child.)