Low Income Verification FAQ

  • Updated

This article is intended for businesses utilizing SheerID. If you need help with your verification, please visit our Help Center.

Who can SheerID verify with low income verification?

This product verifies people in the United States for qualification and membership in income-based assistance programs.

How is the affiliation defined?

Consumers who input their information are determined to be eligible for low income offers when they meet the federal income eligibility guidelines for SNAP, the USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. These guidelines are determined based on household size and gross monthly income. When our data sources indicate that a consumer meets the income and household member criteria for SNAP, they are instantly verified.

If instant verification comes back as inconclusive, the customer will have the option to provide proof of their status via document review by demonstrating enrollment in SNAP, or in a number of other US government assistance programs, including:

  • LIHEAP - Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
  • Medicaid
  • NSLP - National School Lunch Program
  • SSI - Supplemental Security Income
  • TANF - Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
  • TTANF - Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
  • WIC - Women, Infants, Children
These programs may have different eligibility guidelines than SNAP. We are not verifying these different guidelines, we are verifying actual membership in the selected program.

What other programs can be verified?

These programs can optionally be added to low income verification:

  • Federal Public Housing Assistance
  • Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
  • Tribal Head Start
  • Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
  • School Breakfast Program
  • Federal Pell Grant
  • CEP - Community Eligibility Provision
  • NY Senior citizen rent increase exemption
  • NY Disability rent increase exemption
  • NY Affordability benefit from a utility

Are parents of children enrolled in a low income program eligible?

Yes. To redeem a low income offer as a parent of a child receiving eligible benefits, the parent must fill out the verification form using their own information, and then submit two documents — one showing the eligibility of their child for the selected program, and the other to show their relation to the child (birth certificate or equivalent).

What verification methods are used for low income verification?

Authoritative sources and document review. Click here to learn more about SheerID's verification engine.

Can the poverty level be set on a low income program?

Yes. The default conforms to the SNAP eligibility requirements, which is 130% of the federal poverty level. It is possible to extend eligibility to individuals making more, and set the level to be 150%, 175%, or 200% of the federal poverty level. Contact Product Support for more information.

How is consumer data protected when submitting the EBT number in the verification form?

All submission form inputs are encrypted in transit for data protection. Learn more about data security by reading our Global Privacy Policy.

What is the minimum age to be verified for low income?

This program can validate consumers as young as 16 years depending on the government program's guidelines. However, SheerID recommends setting the minimum age for low income at 18+.

What legal or compliance considerations should I be aware of?

It's important to check with your legal team to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. For example, you may need to obtain a USDA waiver to run government-assistance offers. Additionally, marketing for these offers cannot target specific individuals with ads or promotions; instead, it should be broad and inclusive. Aligning with these requirements helps protect your brand while effectively reaching your audience.

Where is low income verification available?

SheerID's low income verification is only available in the United States.

What are the verification form inputs?

  1. EBT card number (if SNAP is selected)
  2. Government Assistance Program (if other is selected)
  3. First and last name
  4. Date of birth
  5. Home address with city, state, and postal code
  6. Email address

What can be used for document review?

If asked to upload proof of eligibility, consumer documents must be official and display the consumer's:

  1. First and last name
  2. Date of issue (within the last 12 months) or expiration date (cannot be expired)

Consumers should upload a document that demonstrates that they are enrolled in a low income government assistance program. SheerID is not limited to accepting only these document types, but these typically satisfy the requirements:

  • SNAP EBT
    • EBT card (front and back)
    • Benefit award letter
    • Approval letter
    • Statement of benefits
    • Benefit verification letter
  • Benefits cards
    • Medicaid card
    • WIC, other programs
  • Official letters from previously listed programs
    • Benefit award letter
    • Approval letter
    • Statement of benefits
    • Benefit verification letter
  • Government program portal status screenshot
  • Bank statement showing recent payment of selected benefit

Documentation notes

Documents must have been issued in the past year or unexpired and confirm the individual is currently enrolled in the program. We can accept multiple documents if a single document does not contain all the required information. SheerID does not validate income via document review.

Unacceptable documents

  • P-EBT cards
  • Paystubs
  • Tax returns

You can learn more about why and how to market to this audience by visiting our website.

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