Welfare & Other Public Assistance Benefits

Do not include in your income benefit payments from a public welfare fund, such as payments due to blindness. Payments from a state fund for the victims of crime should not be included in the victims’ incomes if they are in the nature of welfare payments. Do not deduct medical expenses that are reimbursed by such a fund. You must include in your income any welfare payments obtained fraudulently.

Alaska residents. Payments the state of Alaska makes to its citizens who meet certain age and residency tests that are not based on need are not welfare benefits. Include them in income on line 21 of Form 1040.

Persons with disabilities. If you have a disability, you must include in income compensation you receive for services you perform unless the compensation is otherwise excluded. However, you do not include in income the value of goods, services, and cash that you receive, not in return for your services, but for your training and rehabilitation because you have a disability. Excludable amounts include payments for transportation and attendant care, such as interpreter services for the deaf, reader services for the blind, and services to help mentally retarded persons do their work.

Disaster relief grants. Grants made under the Disaster Relief Act of 1974 to help victims of natural disasters are not included in income. Do not deduct casualty losses or medical expenses that are specifically reimbursed by these disaster relief grants. Unemployment assistance payments under the Act are taxable unemployment compensation. See Unemployment compensation, earlier.

Mortgage assistance payments. Payments made under section 235 of the National Housing Act for mortgage assistance are not included in the homeowner’s income. Interest paid for the homeowner under the mortgage assistance program cannot be deducted.

Nutrition Program for the Elderly. Food benefits you receive under the Nutrition Program for the Elderly are not taxable. If you prepare and serve free meals for the program, include in your income as wages the cash pay you receive, even if you are also eligible for food benefits.

Payments to reduce cost of winter energy. Payments made by a state to qualified people to reduce their cost of winter energy use are not taxable.

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