To qualify for benefits under federal guidelines, a household’s financial situation must meet three criteria:
- Gross Monthly Income: Before considering any program deductions, the household income must typically be at or below 130% of the poverty line. In the federal fiscal year 2023, for a three-member family, this poverty line is set at $1,920 per month. This means that for such a family, the income limit is $2,495 per month, which translates to roughly $29,940 annually. Note: The poverty threshold varies, being higher for larger families and lower for smaller ones.
- Net Income: After applying deductions, the household income needs to be at or beneath the poverty threshold.
- Asset Restrictions: There are specific caps on household assets. If no household member is 60 years or older or has a disability, assets must be $2,750 or less. For households with a member meeting the age or disability criterion, the asset limit is set at $4,250 or below.
Some examples of people who may qualify for SNAP are:
- Homeless people
- Low-income households with children
- Elderly people on a fixed income
- Individuals with disabilities
- Unemployed or underemployed people
- Students who meet certain criteria
You Won’t Qualify If:
- You are an individual on strike
- You are some immigrant who are lawfully present, such as those who have been granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
- You have an undocumented immigration status
- You are a student attending college more than half time
Furthermore, adults aged 18 to 49 without disabilities face a restriction on SNAP benefits: they can only receive them for three months within three years if they are unemployed.
