106 CMR, § 364.310
To determine a household's eligibility and benefit level, the Department shall count the income already received by the household during the certification period and any anticipated income the household and the Department are reasonably certain will be received during the remainder of the certification period. If the amount of income or timing of the income receipt is uncertain, that portion of the household's income shall not be counted.
For example, a household anticipating income from a new source, such as a new job or a recent application for public assistance benefits may be uncertain as to the timing and amount of the initial payment. The Department will not anticipate these monies as countable income unless there is reasonable certainty of the amount of the payment and the month the income will be received. If the exact amount of the income is not known, only that portion anticipated with reasonable certainty will be considered income. Where receipt of income is reasonably certain but the monthly amount may fluctuate, the household may choose to have their income averaged.
106 CMR, § 364.310