

Who is not eligible? Some categories of people are not eligible for SNAP regardless of their income or assets, such as individuals who are on strike, all people without a documented immigration status, some students attending college more than half time, and certain immigrants who are lawfully present. States have the option to relax the asset limits, and most have done so. Items that are not accessible, such as the household’s home, personal property, and retirement savings, do not count. What counts as an asset? Generally, resources that could be available to the household to purchase food, such as amounts in bank accounts, count as assets. What counts as income? SNAP counts cash income from all sources, including earned income (before payroll taxes are deducted) and unearned income, such as cash assistance, Social Security, unemployment insurance, and child support. Assets must fall below certain limits: households without a member who is age 60 or older or who has a disability must have assets of $2,750 or less, and households with such a member must have assets of $4,250 or less.Net income, or household income after deductions are applied, must be at or below the poverty line.The poverty level is higher for bigger families and lower for smaller families. Thus, 130 percent of the poverty line for a three-person family is $2,495 a month, or about $29,940 a year. For a family of three, the poverty line used to calculate SNAP benefits in federal fiscal year 2023 is $1,920 a month. Gross monthly income - that is, household income before any of the program’s deductions are applied - generally must be at or below 130 percent of the poverty line.
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Under federal rules, to be eligible for benefits a household’s income and resources must meet three tests: (See box, “Several Major Factors Have Affected SNAP Benefits in Recent Years,” for how these changes have affected SNAP.) Determining Eligibility Separately, in 2021 USDA revised the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP), which raised SNAP benefit levels beginning in October 2021 (and in future years). The changes that remain in effect as of October 2022 also are described below. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have temporarily modified SNAP eligibility and benefits in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper provides a short summary of SNAP eligibility and benefit calculation rules that are in effect for federal fiscal year 2023, which began in October 2022.Ĭongress and the U.S. The size of a family’s SNAP benefit is based on its income and certain expenses. Most families and individuals who meet the program’s income guidelines are eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly the Food Stamp Program). SNAP has special rules following natural disasters. SNAP gross and net income limits are higher in Alaska and Hawaii, so if you live in those states, contact your local SNAP administrator.Notes: SNAP is often referred to by its former name, the Food Stamp Program. The current income eligibility limits listed below apply to households in the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia that apply for SNAP between Oct. If all members of your household receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Security Income or, in some places, other general assistance, your household might be deemed “categorically eligible” for SNAP because you have already been determined eligible for another means-tested program. Net income is gross income minus allowable deductions. The exceptions are households with an elderly or disabled person, in which case you only need to meet the net income limit.įor the purposes of SNAP, gross income is a household’s total, non-excluded income before any deductions have been made. Normally, your household must meet both the gross and net income limits or you are not eligible for SNAP and can’t receive benefits. In terms of income eligibility, the USDA looks at both gross income and net income. Take Our Poll: Do You Believe in Quiet Quitting?
