HR1755-119

What This Bill Does

The Timely and Accurate Benefits Act conditions federal funding for covered benefit programs on state use of an Enhanced Income Verification Platform. Within one year after enactment, each state must procure, contract for, and use such a platform for any federal, state, or local program using federal funds where eligibility or benefit amount depends in whole or in part on individual or household income. The bill defines enhanced gross income broadly to include wages, tips, contract work, self-employment, gig work, unemployment compensation, Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income, interest, dividends, rental income, royalties, child support, alimony, cash assistance, recurring gifts, trust or estate distributions, other taxable or nontaxable income, and consumer-permissioned deposit account transaction data. The platform must use automated real-time data matching and analytics to identify unreported or underreported income, inconsistent income reporting, potential ineligibility, and improper payments while letting claimants review and attest to the data and avoiding double-counting.

Who Benefits and How

Federal benefit programs benefit from stronger income verification before benefits are paid. State benefit agencies benefit from automated tools for detecting inconsistent income reporting and potential improper payments. Federal taxpayers benefit if the platform reduces payments to ineligible households or incorrect benefit amounts. Eligible beneficiaries benefit if more accurate verification protects program integrity and preserves funds for qualified applicants. Data analytics vendors benefit from state procurement and contracting demand for Enhanced Income Verification Platforms.

Who Bears the Burden and How

States must procure, contract for, and use an Enhanced Income Verification Platform within one year to remain eligible for federal funds. State eligibility workers must integrate platform results into benefit determinations and handle claimant review and attestation. Benefit applicants must authorize and review deposit account transaction data when the platform uses consumer-permissioned access. Privacy and civil-liberties advocates may face concerns about expanded use of bank transaction data in benefits administration. Platform vendors must provide real-time matching, analytics, and duplicate-data controls.

Key Provisions

• Requires states to use an Enhanced Income Verification Platform within one year as a condition of federal benefit funding.
• Defines covered programs as income-tested benefit programs administered with federal funds.
• Expands income verification to wages, gig work, self-employment, unemployment, Social Security, SSI, rental income, support payments, gifts, and other resources.
• Requires automated real-time matching and analytics to identify underreported income, inconsistent reporting, ineligibility, and improper payments.
• Allows claimant review and attestation of consumer-permissioned deposit account transaction data.
• Requires the platform to consolidate overlapping data and avoid double-counting financial records.