A consumer must provide which type of income information when applying for assistance?

When applying for assistance, a consumer must provide prior year tax return income and current year estimates because this information gives a comprehensive view of their financial situation. The prior year tax return provides an official record of income, demonstrating what the individual earned in the most recent completed tax year. This data is crucial for assessing eligibility for assistance as it reflects the individual's historical income level.

Additionally, estimates of current year income are necessary as they account for any changes in employment or income sources that may have occurred since the last tax return. This combination of historical and anticipated income provides program administrators with a reliable basis for evaluating the application, ensuring that assistance is allocated fairly based on realistic and documented financial circumstances.

Including all sources of income further supports a thorough understanding of an individual's financial profile, but it is the combination of prior year data and current estimates that creates a full and accurate picture necessary for assistance programs, which is why this is the preferred answer.