Food stamps: Who is eligible to receive SNAP benefits
Rachel Schilke
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Many low-income people and families are eligible to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits in their respective states based on several factors.
SNAP benefits are calculated based on household income and size. The recipient’s household income generally must be at or below 130% of the poverty line. In fiscal 2023, the poverty line used to calculate SNAP benefits is $1,920 a month.
FOOD STAMPS: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE SNAP BENEFITS PROGRAM
Those eligible to receive benefits include single adults, families, seniors, and working people. Eligibility requirements and benefit levels are the same across all 50 states and territories except Alaska and Hawaii.
People may be eligible for SNAP benefits if they are:
Unemployed Working part time or for low wages Receiving welfare or other public assistance payments A noncitizen meeting other qualifications Elderly or disabled and are low-income Homeless
People who are not eligible for SNAP benefits include people on strike, all people without a documented immigration status, some students attending college more than half the time, and certain immigrants who are lawfully present in the United States.
Unemployed adults aged 18 to 49 who do not have children in the home and do not have disabilities are limited to three months of SNAP benefits every three years in many areas of the country.
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Households or individuals must meet certain guidelines to be eligible for food stamps. Households without a member aged 60 or older or a disability must have assets of $2,750 or less, and households with such a member must have assets of $4,250 or less.
SNAP counts cash income from several sources, including earned income (before deducting payroll taxes) and unearned income, such as cash assistance, Social Security, unemployment insurance, and child support. Assets, such as bank accounts, count toward SNAP benefit eligibility, but things such as a home, personal property, retirement savings, and most automobiles do not count.