TAFDC appeal approved - unknown asset

Appellant’s TAFDC benefits were cut off after the DOR Bank Match unit detected an account associated with her name containing a balance that exceeded $2,500.  The account was set up by appellant’s mother under the Uniform Transfer to Minors Act some ten years earlier when appellant was a teenager.  The mother was identified as the custodian.  Technically, the client was the owner of the account, but she first learned of it from her worker at DTA.  Several days later, her mother (acting alone) closed the UTMA account.  She later opened another account in her name only.  Appellant did not do anything to affirmatively assign or transfer her rights to the money.  Based on these facts, the Hearing Officer (Daniel Biagiotti) found that the UTMA account was not a countable asset for Appellant’s TAFDC eligibility.

Appellant was represented by SCCLS.