Timely and Accurate Benefits Act
Sponsored By: Senator Jim Banks
Introduced
Summary
Real-time income verification for income-tested benefits. This bill would require states to procure and use an Enhanced Income Identification and Verification Platform in order to receive federal funds for any program where eligibility or benefit amounts depend on household income. The platform would match and analyze data, including applicant-permissioned bank transactions, to flag unreported or inconsistent income and to consolidate overlapping records to avoid double-counting.
Show full summary
- Families and applicants: People applying for income-tested benefits would be asked to permit direct access to deposit account transaction data and could review and attest to the accuracy of that data. The bill treats many income types as "enhanced gross income" such as wages, gig and contract pay, rental income, interest and dividends, Social Security and SSI, child support, gifts, and trust distributions.
- States and territories: Each State, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories would have 1 year after enactment to procure and start using the required platform if they want to keep receiving federal funds for covered programs.
- Benefit programs and administration: Covered federal benefit programs are any federal, state, or local programs using federal funds that base eligibility or benefit amounts on income. The platform must provide automated, real-time data matching and analytics to identify potential underreported income or other indicators of improper payments.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
New income checks for benefit programs
If enacted, the bill would broaden what counts as income when deciding benefits. "Enhanced gross income" would include wages, tips, gig or contract pay, unemployment, Social Security and SSI, interest, rent, royalties, child support, gifts, trust or estate payouts, and other money, including items found in bank deposits. States would have to adopt an "Enhanced Income Identification and Verification Platform" within one year of enactment to do automated, real-time data matching. That platform could analyze applicant-permissioned bank transaction data (claimants could review and attest) and would aim to consolidate overlapping records to avoid double-counting. Any program that sets eligibility or benefit amounts based on household income—like SNAP or Medicaid—would be covered.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Jim Banks
IN • R
Cosponsors
Cynthia Lummis
WY • R
Sponsored 5/19/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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