Fact Sheet on Resources, Income, and Benefits
(To see if you might be eligible for SNAP benefits, visit
our pre-screening tool at
http://www.snap-step1.usda.gov)
For Households in the 48 Contiguous States and the District of Columbia
10/1/08 through 9/30/09. To get SNAP benefits, households must meet certain
tests, including resource and income tests.
Resources:
Households may have $2,000 in countable resources, such as a bank
account, or $3,000 in countable resources if at least one person is age
60 or older, or is disabled. However, certain resources are NOT counted,
such as a home and lot, the resources of people who receive Supplemental
Security Income (SSI), the resources of people who receive Temporary
Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) (formerly AFDC), and most
retirement (pension) plans.
Licensed vehicles are NOT counted if they are:
- used for income-producing purposes,
- annually producing income consistent with their fair market value,
- needed for long distance travel for work (other than daily commute),
- used as the home,
- needed to transport a physically disabled household member,
- needed to carry most of the household's fuel or water, or
- if the household has little equity in the vehicle (because of money
owed on the vehicle, it would bring no more than $1,500 if sold).
For the following licensed vehicles, the fair market value over $4,650 is counted:
- one per adult household member, and
- any other vehicle a household member under 18 drives to work, school, job training, or to look for work.
For all other vehicles, the fair market value over $4,650 or the equity
value, whichever is more, is counted as a resource.
Income:
Households have to meet income tests unless all members are receiving
TANF, SSI, or in some places general assistance. Most households must
meet both the gross and net income tests, but a household with an elderly
person or a person who is receiving certain types of disability payments
only has to meet the net income test. Households, except those noted,
that have income over the amounts listed below cannot get SNAP benefits.
(Oct. 1, 2009 through Sept. 30, 2010)
Household size |
Gross monthly income
(130 percent of poverty) |
Net monthly income
(100 percent of poverty) |
1
|
$1,174 |
$ 903 |
2
|
1,579 |
1,215 |
3
|
1,984 |
1,526 |
4
|
2,389 |
1,838 |
5
|
2,794 |
2,150 |
6
|
3,200 |
2,461 |
7
|
3,605 |
2,773 |
8
|
4,010 |
3,085 |
Each additional member
|
+406 |
+312 |
Gross income means a household's total, nonexcluded income, before any
deductions have been made. Net income means gross income minus allowable
deductions.
*SNAP gross and net income limits are higher in Alaska and Hawaii.
Deductions are allowed as follows:
Gross Income Computation |
Example |
Determine household size..... |
4 people with no elderly or disabled members. |
Add gross monthly income... |
$1,500 earned income + $550 social security = $2,050 gross income. |
If gross monthly income is less than
the limit for household size, determine net income. |
$2,050 is less than the $2,297 allowed
for a 4-person household, so determine net income. |
Subtract Deductions to
Determine Net Income and Apply
the Net Income Test |
Example |
Subtract
20% earned income
deduction.......... |
$2,050 gross income
$1,500 earned income x 20% = $300.
$2,050 - $300 = $1,750
$1,750
- $147 standard deduction for a
household size of 4 = $1,603
$1,603
- $361 dependent care = $1,242
0
0
$1,242 adjusted income/2 =
$621
$700 total shelter - $621 (half of
income) = $79 excess shelter cost
$1,242
- $79 = $1,163 Net monthly
income
Since
the net monthly income is
less than $1,767 allowed for a
household of 4, the household has
met the income test. |
Subtract
standard deduction......... |
Subtract
dependent care deduction, but
not more than limit..... |
Subtract
child support deduction...... |
Subtract
medical costs over $35 for
elderly and disabled......... |
Excess
shelter deduction........
Determine half of adjusted income.......
Determine if shelter costs are more
than half of adjusted income........
Subtract excess amount, but not more
than the limit, from adjusted
income........ |
Apply
the net income test.... |
Benefits:
The amount of benefits the household gets is called an allotment. The
net monthly income of the household is multiplied by .3, and the result
is subtracted from the maximum allotment for the household size to find
the household's allotment. This is because SNAP households are expected
to spend about 30 percent of their resources on food.
(October 2009 through September 2010)
People in Household |
Maximum Monthly Allotment |
1 |
$ 200 |
2 |
$ 367 |
3 |
$ 526 |
4 |
$ 668 |
5 |
$ 793 |
6 |
$ 952 |
7 |
$ 1,052 |
8 |
$ 1,202 |
Each additional person... |
$ 150 |
Benefit Computation |
Example |
Multiply net income by 30%...
(Round up)
Subtract 30% of net income from the maximum allotment for the household
size... |
$1,163 net monthly income
x .3 = $348.90 (round up to $349)
$588 maximum allotment for 4 - $349 (30% of
net income) = $239,
SNAP Allotment for a full month |
If a household applies after the first day of the month, benefits will
be provided from the day the household applies.
SNAP benefits are available to all eligible households regardless
of race, sex, religious creed, national origin, or political beliefs.
For further information, contact your local or State
SNAP office.
It may be listed in the State or local government pages of the telephone
book, under food stamps, social services, human services or a similar
name. You can also find the nearest local office by calling your State's
SNAP hot line.
(To see if you might be eligible for SNAP benefits, visit our
pre-screening tool at http://www.foodstamps-step1.usda.gov
)
Last modified:
08/06/2009
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