NH Benefits Application Documents Checklist for Kinship Caregivers

You've decided to apply for benefits on behalf of a grandchild, but the list of required documents feels overwhelming — especially when half of them are locked in a home you can't access. Here's what BFA actually needs, what substitutes they accept, and why you should file the application before you've gathered everything.

File First, Then Gather

The single most important thing to know: submit BFA Form 800 with just your name, address, and signature. That establishes your protected application date. Each program has its own effective-date rule; for SNAP, benefits are based on the date the District Office receives your completed application.

After filing, BFA sends a Notice of Required Verification listing exactly what's needed. You get 10 days to submit the missing items. If you can't find a primary document, your caseworker can help you identify alternatives. Don't let a missing birth certificate delay the entire application.

Documents for the Child

Identity and age: birth certificate or U.S. passport. If neither is available, BFA accepts a hospital birth record, school transcript, or medical provider record.

Social Security number: the child's Social Security card. If the child doesn't have one or you can't find it, an official SSA receipt showing an SSN application has been filed will work.

Citizenship or immigration status: U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport, or naturalization certificate. For qualified aliens: USCIS documentation such as I-551 (green card) or I-94.

Child income: Social Security award letter, child support payment records, pension statements, or trust documents. If the child has no income, you'll state that on the application — no document needed for what doesn't exist.

Documents for You

New Hampshire residency: utility bill, lease or rental agreement, or mortgage statement. Alternatives include a landlord statement or mail addressed to you at your local address.

Relationship to the child: birth certificates showing the chain of relation (your birth certificate plus the parent's plus the child's), or a court order such as Letters of Guardianship. For Medicaid specified-relative verification, BFA rules also accept school, hospital, or medical records; a marriage certificate; an insurance policy; or written statements from two or more people with direct knowledge of the family relationship.

Your income (for SNAP if you share meals with the child; not counted for child-only FANF; for Children's Medicaid, a non-parent grandparent is not included merely because the child lives with them; excluded from Child Care Scholarship for a caretaker relative or legal guardian and the legal guardian's spouse unless also applying for their own child): recent pay stubs, Social Security award letter, pension statement, or self-employment records. Bank statements can substitute if formal income documents aren't available.

What SNAP Requires Beyond the Basics

SNAP evaluates the whole household, so you'll also need:

• Housing costs documentation (rent receipt, mortgage statement, property tax bill)
• Utility bills (heating, electric, water, phone)
• Medical expenses over $35/month if you're 60+ or disabled (prescription receipts, Medicare premium statements, insurance premium records)
• Dependent care expenses if applicable (childcare receipts)

These aren't required to file — they're used to calculate deductions that increase your SNAP benefit. Bringing them to your interview means a more accurate (and usually higher) benefit amount.

Tips for the Eligibility Interview

BFA schedules an interview within 15 to 19 days of filing. Whether it's by phone or in person:

• Organize documents by category (child identity, child income, your income, housing costs)
• Bring originals when possible — BFA can make copies
• If a document is at the child's former home and you can't access it, tell the caseworker. They have protocols for obtaining collateral verification from schools, medical providers, and other agencies
• Ask the caseworker to note on the record that you're applying as a non-needy caretaker relative for child-only benefits — this ensures your income is excluded for FANF and Medicaid

The complete New Hampshire kinship financial help guide includes document preparation checklists and application tracking worksheets for every program — designed for the specific situation of a relative who suddenly has a child to care for.

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