Product Reviewer Income
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This section includes information about the income or merchandise a participant receives from reviewing products.
Policy
When paid to review products, the income is countable. See Provider of Services for more information.
When merchandise is received in exchange for reviewing products, all of the following apply:
●When the merchandise is kept, the value of merchandise is not considered income. (See Example 1.)
●When the merchandise is sold, the money received is considered income. (See Merchandise Sales for more information.)
●When merchandise is not expected to be sold, the merchandise is not a resource unless it is considered a luxury item. (See Luxury Items for more information.)
●When the merchandise is expected to be sold, the merchandise is considered a marketable resource. (See Marketable Resources for more information.)
Verification
The participant has the primary responsibility for providing verification. (See Participant Responsibilities – Providing Verification for additional policy.)
When self-employment expenses are not verified, eligibility is determined without the 40% Self-Employment Expense deduction.
For NA, income is required to be verified for all of the following before eligibility is determined:
●When reported on a new application, during the interview of a new application, or changes reported before the eligibility determination of a new application.
●For changes reported after an eligibility determination of a new application (e.g., a renewal application, mid approval contact, etc.) and any of the following apply:
The source of the income has changed.
The income is questionable(g) or unclear(g).
The reported income amount has changed by $51 or more.
The previous verification in the case file is more than 59 calendar days(g) old.
For CA, all income is required to be verified before determining eligibility.
Examples of verification that can be used for product reviewer income include, and are not limited to, any of the following:
●Contracts for work
●Current paycheck stubs reflecting gross income
●Signed statement from the agency or payer providing the income
●Statements from companies listing the value of merchandise received
Examples
1) James reviews products for the Amazon Vine Program. James keeps the products he reviews. The reviewed products are not luxury items.
The value of merchandise is not considered income or a resource.
Legal Authorities
7 CFR 273.9(b)(1)
AAC R6-12-501
last revised 10/27/2025 effective 09/02/2025