N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 18, § 387.11
(c) Any gain or benefit which is not in the form of money payable directly to the household, including nonmonetary or in-kind benefits, such as meals, clothing, public housing, or produce from a garden, and vendor payments. Money payments that are not payable directly to a household, but are paid to a third party for a household expense, are vendor payments and are excludable as follows:
(h) Reimbursements for past or future expenses, to the extent they do not exceed actual expenses, and do not represent a gain or benefit to the household. Benefits provided under the Aid to Dependent Children program, to the extent such benefit is attributed to an adjustment for work-related or child care expenses, shall not be considered excludable under this provision. Reimbursements for normal household living expenses such as rent or mortgage, personal clothing, or food eaten at home are a gain or benefit, and are not excluded. To be excluded under this subdivision, payments must be specifically provided for an identified expense, other than normal living expenses, and must be used for the purpose intended. When a reimbursement, including a flat allowance, covers multiple expenses, each expense does not have to be separately identified as long as none of the reimbursement covers normal living expenses. The amount by which a reimbursement exceeds the actual incurred expense shall be counted as income. However, reimbursements shall not be considered to exceed actual expenses, unless the provider or the household indicates the amount is in excess of actual expenses. Examples of reimbursements that are excluded which are not considered to be a gain or benefit to the household are:
Only the following items shall be excluded from household income: