Federal Programs with a Financial Eligibility Component

Each year, federal benefit programs make billions of dollars of improper payments, in some cases, due to inaccurate personal and financial information provided by applicants. For federal agencies administering those programs, getting reliable personal and financial information is vital for making good decisions about whether an individual or business is eligible for federal benefits. As one of the largest repositories of personal and financial information in the United States, IRS has a number of data-sharing relationships with federal agencies to help verify applicant-provided information. This letter conveys information Congress requested as a part of work we conducted on verifying financial information at federal agencies, including the IRS. As agreed, we (1) compiled a listing of federal benefit programs with a financial eligibility component and (2) described documentation requirements to qualify for these programs.