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SNAP Eligibility and Benefits: Income Limits and How to Apply

By KPCB StaffCombined Expertise In The Low Income Housing Space For 10 Years · How we write our guides

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To get SNAP, most households need monthly income before deductions at or under 130% of the poverty line and income after deductions at or under 100%. For a family of four in the 48 contiguous states and D.C., that means $3,575 gross and $2,750 net per month from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027. The most a family of four can get is $1,023 a month.

You apply through your state SNAP agency, and only that agency decides whether you qualify and how much you get. Apply only through your state agency or its official website.

SNAP is the same program people still call food stamps. The name changed to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on October 1, 2008, and benefits come on an EBT card that works like a debit card. USDA's Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA), formerly the Food and Nutrition Service, runs the program nationally.

SNAP income limits for October 2026 to September 2027

SNAP uses two income tests. Gross income is your household's total countable income before deductions. Net income is what is left after allowed deductions.

Most households must pass both tests. If someone in your household is 60 or older or has a qualifying disability, you only need to pass the net income test.

These limits apply in the 48 contiguous states, the District of Columbia, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Household sizeGross monthly income (130% of poverty)Net monthly income (100% of poverty)
1$1,729$1,330
2$2,345$1,804
3$2,960$2,277
4$3,575$2,750
5$4,191$3,224
6$4,806$3,697
7$5,421$4,170
8$6,037$4,644
Each additional person+$616+$474

Alaska and Hawaii

Alaska and Hawaii have higher limits for the same period.

Household sizeAlaska grossAlaska netHawaii grossHawaii net
1$2,162$1,663$1,989$1,530
2$2,931$2,255$2,697$2,075
3$3,700$2,846$3,404$2,619
4$4,469$3,438$4,112$3,163
5$5,238$4,030$4,819$3,707
6$6,008$4,621$5,527$4,251
7$6,777$5,213$6,234$4,795
8$7,546$5,805$6,941$5,340
Each additional person+$770+$592+$708+$545

Your state's limit may be higher

Most states use a rule called broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE). Under BBCE, a household that qualifies for a non-cash benefit paid for with TANF or state funds can count as eligible for SNAP. Many of these states set the gross income limit at 165%, 185% or 200% of the poverty guidelines instead of 130%, and many have no asset limit at all.

BBCE does not guarantee benefits. Your net income still has to be low enough to produce a SNAP payment, and you still have to meet the non-financial rules. If all members of your household get TANF, SSI or, in some places, general assistance, you may also count as categorically eligible.

Deductions that lower your countable income

Your state agency subtracts these from your gross income to find your net income:

  • 20% of earned income (wages)
  • A standard deduction of $217 a month for households of 1 to 3 people, $229 for 4, $268 for 5 and $308 for 6 or more (different amounts apply in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Virgin Islands)
  • Dependent care costs when needed for work, training or school
  • Medical costs over $35 a month for members who are 60 or older or disabled, if insurance or someone else does not pay them
  • Legally owed child support payments, in some states
  • A homeless shelter deduction of $205.66
  • Excess shelter costs

The excess shelter deduction covers housing costs that are more than half of your income after the other deductions. Rent or mortgage, property taxes, heating and cooking fuel, electricity, water and the basic fee for one phone all count. Some states use a set utility amount instead of your actual bills. The deduction is capped at $769 a month unless someone in the household is elderly or disabled, in which case there is no cap.

Keep your rent receipts, utility bills, child care receipts and medical bills. They can raise your benefit. If you get help with heating or cooling bills, see our guide to LIHEAP energy assistance.

How much SNAP you can get

SNAP expects a household to spend about 30% of its own net income on food. Your monthly benefit, called an allotment, is the maximum for your household size minus 30% of your net income.

People in householdMaximum monthly allotment (48 states and D.C.)HawaiiAlaska (urban)
1$306$496$392
2$562$910$718
3$808$1,307$1,032
4$1,023$1,655$1,306
5$1,217$1,969$1,555
6$1,463$2,367$1,868
7$1,616$2,615$2,064
8$1,841$2,979$2,352
Each additional person+$225+$364+$287

Rural Alaska has higher amounts. The full tables, including Guam and the Virgin Islands, are on FNA's SNAP cost-of-living adjustment page.

Here is how the math works. A household of three in the 48 states with $1,000 in net monthly income would be expected to spend $300 on food (30% of $1,000). Its benefit would be $808 minus $300, or $508 a month. Eligible households of one or two people get at least $25 a month in the 48 states and D.C.

Resource (asset) limits

Under the federal rules, a household can have up to $3,000 in countable resources, such as cash or money in the bank. The limit is $4,750 if at least one member is 60 or older or disabled.

Some things never count: your home and lot, most retirement and pension plans, and the resources of people who get SSI or TANF. Vehicles count in some cases, and states decide how. In a state that uses BBCE, the asset limit may be higher or may not exist.

Other eligibility rules

Who counts as your household

People who live together and buy and prepare meals together are one SNAP household. Spouses and most children under 22 who live together are in the same household even if they cook separately.

Work requirements

If you are 16 to 59 and able to work, you will probably need to meet the general work rules. These include registering for work, taking a suitable job if offered, not quitting a job or cutting your hours below 30 a week without a good reason, and joining SNAP Employment and Training if your state assigns you.

There is also a time limit for some adults without dependents. People in this group can get SNAP for only 3 months in 3 years unless they work, join a work program, or combine the two for at least 80 hours a month, or they qualify for an exception. If you lose benefits under the time limit, you can get them back by meeting the work requirement for 30 days.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, signed July 4, 2025, changed who must follow this time limit. FNA says the law changed the exceptions to the time limit and restricted waivers. States can now ask to waive the time limit only for areas with unemployment over 10%, and Alaska and Hawaii can also ask for areas with unemployment 1.5 times the national average. FNA's Work Requirements page says it is still being updated, so older lists of who is exempt may be out of date. Your state SNAP agency can tell you whether the time limit applies to you. Ask your state SNAP office whether the time limit applies to you.

College students

Most students ages 18 through 49 who are enrolled in college at least half time can't get SNAP unless they meet a specific exemption. Your state agency can tell you which exemptions apply.

Non-citizens

The same 2025 law changed which non-citizens can get SNAP, and FNA is updating its guidance. Undocumented immigrants have never been eligible. If some people in your home can't get SNAP, the others can still apply for themselves, so check with your state agency before deciding not to apply.

How to apply for SNAP

  1. Find your state's application. Use FNA's SNAP State Directory of Resources or USAGov's food stamps page. Each state has its own form. Depending on your state, you may be able to apply online, in person, by mail or by fax.
  2. Turn it in as soon as you can. You can start with your name, address, phone number and as much other information as you can, and sign it. If you are approved, your benefits are counted from the date you applied.
  3. Do the interview. It is usually by phone or in person. If you can't get to the office or call, you can name an authorized representative in writing to apply and do the interview for you.
  4. Send proof. The office will ask you to verify what you reported, such as income (pay stubs, benefit letters) and the costs that count as deductions (rent, utility bills, child care and medical bills).
  5. Watch your mail for the decision notice.

FNA does not take applications and can't see your case. For questions about your application, contact your state agency or local SNAP office.

What happens after you apply

In most cases, your state will send a notice saying whether you qualify within 30 days of applying.

Emergency (expedited) SNAP

You may get benefits within 7 days if your household:

  • Has less than $150 in monthly gross income and $100 or less in liquid resources, or
  • Has combined monthly gross income and liquid resources that are less than your monthly rent or mortgage plus utilities

Tell the office right away if you have little or no money for food. Your state agency can tell you about its other expedited rules.

Your EBT card

If you are approved, your benefits are loaded onto an EBT card each month. EBT has been the only way states issue SNAP since June 2004. You can check your balance on your store receipt, through your state's mobile app if it has one, or by contacting your SNAP office.

Recertification

Your approval notice tells you how long you will get SNAP. This is your certification period. Before it ends, you will get a notice that you must recertify. Respond by the deadline so your benefits don't stop.

What SNAP can and can't buy

You can buy food for your household, including fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, dairy, bread, cereal, snacks, non-alcoholic drinks, and seeds and plants that grow food.

You can't buy alcohol, tobacco, vitamins or supplements (anything with a Supplement Facts label), foods that are hot when sold, pet food, or non-food items such as cleaning supplies, paper products and hygiene items. After a presidential disaster declaration for individual assistance, USDA may approve a state's request to let SNAP households buy hot prepared foods for a period of time.

Some stores take SNAP online. FNA's online purchasing map shows participating retailers by state.

Common problems

Your benefits went down. Benefits change when your income, household size or deductible costs change, and the maximum amounts are updated every October 1. Check your notice to see what changed.

You were denied or think your amount is wrong. You can ask for a fair hearing by phone, in writing or in person at your local SNAP office. You must ask within 90 days of the decision. Free legal aid programs listed on LawHelp.org can help you prepare.

You lost food in a disaster. A state can ask USDA to replace regular SNAP benefits when food bought with them was destroyed. It can also ask to run Disaster SNAP (D-SNAP) for people affected by a disaster. Check FNA's disaster assistance page for active responses.

Frequently asked questions

Are SNAP and food stamps the same thing?

Yes. The 2008 Farm Bill renamed the Food Stamp Program the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as of October 1, 2008. States may use their own name for it.

Does Social Security or SSI count as income for SNAP?

Yes. SSI, Social Security, and veterans' and disability benefits all count as income. If you are 60 or older or receive disability payments, you only need to pass the net income test, and you can deduct medical costs over $35 a month. If everyone in your household gets SSI, you may be categorically eligible.

Can I get SNAP if I have savings?

Often, yes. The federal limit is $3,000, or $4,750 if someone in your home is 60 or older or disabled, but most states use BBCE, and many of those have no asset limit. Your home and most retirement accounts never count.

Can I get SNAP and WIC at the same time?

Yes, if you qualify for both. WIC serves women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or within six months of giving birth, plus children under 5. See the difference between SNAP and WIC and how to enroll in WIC.

How long can I stay on SNAP?

As long as you stay eligible and recertify on time. Some adults without dependents face the 3-months-in-3-years time limit unless they meet the work requirement or qualify for an exception.

Where can I check what else I might qualify for?

Try our benefit finder. You can also read about TANF cash assistance, and for more on using your card, see how SNAP works.

Sources

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