What Is SNAP? Understanding the SNAP Assistance Program and Benefits

SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a federal benefit program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that provides a monthly cash benefit to help qualified households pay for food.

While SNAP is a federal program, it’s administered by states. Those seeking the benefit apply through their state. It’s sometimes still called by its former name, Food Stamps, but these days those who receive it use an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card to access their benefit.

What Are SNAP Benefits and How Do They Work?

SNAP benefits are monthly payments provided to households that qualify to help pay for food. The program began in 1939 as Food Stamps, and has gone through many changes, but today still aims to keep Americans healthy by supplementing their food budget. The USDA’s Food and Nutrition Administration (formerly the Food and Nutrition Service) oversees the program, with each state having its own program title and office to administer it.

A monthly SNAP benefit is not meant to pay for all of a household’s groceries, but to supplement the grocery budget. A formula that looks at income, household size and certain expenses determines the amount of the benefit.

Under the program, a household is expected to spend 30% of its income on food. Under the benefit formula, 30% of net monthly income is deducted from the maximum benefit for the household size.

For example, an individual with no income would get the maximum monthly benefit for a one-person household of $298. Say she had a net monthly income of $700 – 30% of that is $210. That amount would be deducted from the $298 maximum, and she’d receive a monthly SNAP benefit of $88.

There are also monthly household expense deductions that a household may qualify for that can increase the amount of monthly benefit.

Application for SNAP benefits is made through the health and human services department of the state in which you live. States have different names for their programs, but the benefits are generally the same nationwide.

Once approved, the monthly benefit amount is loaded on an EBT card that operates like a debit card at approved stores.

Those receiving SNAP must recertify – prove they still qualify – every six or 12 months, depending on their household circumstances.

What Can You Buy with SNAP Benefits?

Food that can be bought with SNAP benefits must be used for home preparation. In other words, the benefit can’t be used at restaurants, for food that’s sold hot or for food that’s prepared for consumption in a store.

SNAP-eligible foods are:

• Fruit and vegetables
• Meat, poultry, and fish
• Dairy products
• Bread and cereals
• Some snack foods
• Some non-alcoholic beverages
• Seeds and plants that produce food for the household to eat.

SNAP benefits CAN NOT be used for:

• Beer, wine, and liquor.
• Cigarettes and tobacco.
• Food and drinks that contain controlled substances such as cannabis/marijuana and CBD.
• Vitamins, medicine, and supplements. (If an item has a Supplement Facts label, it is considered a supplement).
• Live animals, except shellfish, fish removed from water, and animals slaughtered before pickup from the store.
• Food that’s sold hot.
• Nonfood items such as pet food, cleaning and household supplies, hygiene items, cosmetics.

Who Is Eligible for SNAP Assistance?

SNAP eligibility rules may differ slightly by state, but in all states, income plays the biggest part. The larger the household, the higher the income threshold. Some expenses can be deducted, increasing the income threshold.

A SNAP household is defined as everyone who lives together in the home and buys and prepares meals together. Even if some family members buy and prepare their food separately, spouses and most children under age 22 are included in the same SNAP household.

In most states, households are automatically eligible for SNAP if they are eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or maintenance of effort state-funded non-cash benefit.

If the household has members who are elderly (defined by SNAP as over 60), or have a disability, there are exceptions. There are also work rule exceptions for single parents with dependent children, or parents of a special needs child.

Being employed doesn’t disqualify someone from being eligible for SNAP. If you are having trouble paying for food for yourself or your family, don’t assume you don’t qualify. Check with your state’s SNAP program to see if you are eligible.

SNAP for Senior Citizens

SNAP has rules for senior citizens that can increase the amount of their benefit. SNAP defines a “senior citizen” or “elderly” person as anyone 60 or older, except when it comes to certain work requirements, then it’s 65 or older.

The biggest SNAP senior citizen benefit is that those 60 and older can deduct monthly out-of-pocket medical expenses of more than $35 from their eligible income.

Senior citizen eligibility for SNAP allows a person 60 or older who’s a member of a household to qualify as a separate SNAP household from the others they live with if they can’t buy their own food or prepare it because of a permanent disability, but their income is 165% or less of the federal poverty level.

Someone who’s over 60 and lives in an institution that provides most of their meals may qualify for SNAP if the institution is federally subsidized housing.

SNAP beneficiaries who are 60 or older are exempt from general work requirements, but the second category of work requirements, those for able-bodied adult without dependents (ABAWD), the age limit was extended in 2025 through 64 (previously, it was 54), which means that those over 60 don’t have to meet general work requirements, but may have to meet ABAWD work requirements until they are 65.

SNAP for People with Disabilities

There are also special rules for people with disabilities, including higher income caps, specialized deductions, and exception from work requirements.

Under the SNAP program, being disabled is defined as meeting one of the following criteria:

• You receive federal disability or blindness payments under the Social Security Act, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security disability or blindness payments.
• You receive state disability or blindness payments based on SSI rules.
• You receive disability retirement benefits from a governmental agency because of a permanent disability.
• You receive an annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act and are eligible for Medicare or are considered disabled under SSI.
• You are a veteran who is totally disabled, permanently homebound, or in need of regular aid and attendance.
• You are the surviving spouse or child of a veteran who is receiving VA benefits and is considered permanently disabled.

A person with a disability who pays $35 or more out of pocket in a month for medical expenses can deduct it from eligible income.

Someone with a disability who lives in a nonprofit group living arrangement (small group homes with no more than 16 residents) may be eligible for SNAP benefits, even if the group home prepares their meals for them.

SNAP for Single Parents

SNAP recipients between the ages of 16 and 59 who take care of a child younger than six, or a child or family member with a disability, are exempt from SNAP general work requirements.

Parents with a child 14 or over are now subject to able-bodied adult without dependent work requirements (ABAWD). That’s a change from before 2025, when the age cutoff was 18.

Single parents who are enrolled full-time in college while taking care of a child under 12 are also exempt from work requirements if they qualify by income for SNAP.

Some states have additional benefits for single parents, including allowing legally required child support to another household as a deduction.

SNAP for Students

Most students ages 18-49 who are enrolled in college at least half time are not eligible for SNAP, but there are some exceptions.

Students may be eligible for SNAP if they:

• Are younger than 18 or older than 49
• Are “physically or mentally unfit” to retain employment (defined by SNAP as having an illness, injury, or physical/mental condition that impairs your ability to obtain or retain employment).
• Work at least 20 hours a week in paid employment
• Participate in a state or federally financed work study program or an on-the-job training program
• Care for a child under the age of 6
• Care for a child ages 6 to 11 and lack child care that would allow them to attend school and work 20 hours a week or participate in work study.
• Are single parents enrolled full-time in college and taking care of a child under 12.
• Receive TANF.
• Are assigned to or place in a college or other institution of higher education through a SNAP Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) program or certain other government-sponsored E&T program for low-income households.

SNAP for Non-Citizens

SNAP benefits for legally present non-citizens have changed since 2025, but some lawfully present U.S. residents who have a “green card” may qualify for SNAP if they:

• Have lived in the United States for at least 5 years.
• Receive disability-related assistance or benefits.
• Have children under 18.

They must also satisfy other SNAP eligibility requirements, such as income and resource limits. Non-citizens who would like to apply for benefits should check with their state agency to see if the new rules apply to them and if they qualify for SNAP.

SNAP Resource Exceptions and Deductions

The federal government recognizes that people need certain resources to live, so SNAP allows some assets that aren’t counted against income and

allows certain deductions that can increase eligible income.

To be eligible for SNAP, a household can’t have more than $3,000 in countable resources – things like cash or money in a bank account. If at least one member of the household is 60 or older, or has a disability, $4,500 is allowed.

Resources that aren’t counted against income – you can have them and still be eligible – include a home, government benefits like Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), retirement, and pension accounts. In general, a household is allowed one vehicle per adult member, but there are restrictions and they vary by state.

Deductions allowed for SNAP that can increase the chance of eligibility or amount of the benefit are:

• 20% deduction from earned income
• Standard deduction based on household size and location
• Dependent care deduction when needed for work, training, or education
• Monthly medical expenses paid out of pocket of more than $35 for elderly or disabled members
• In some states, legally owed child support payments
• A standard shelter deduction for homeless households
• Excess “shelter costs” that are more than half the household’s income after other deductions, including fuel to heat and cook with, electricity, water, basic telephone fee, rent or mortgage, property tax on the home.

SNAP Work Requirements

SNAP has work requirements for those age 16–59 who are able to work and want to receive benefits, and additional Able-Bodied Adult Work Requirements for those 18 to 64. Some of the ABAWD requirements have changed since 2025, including the age cutoff and who is exempt.

SNAP General Work Requirements

To get SNAP benefits for more than a month, those between 16 and 59 years of age must meet general work requirements unless they qualify for an exemption. If someone in that age window doesn’t meet the work requirements, and hasn’t been exempted, they are disqualified from SNAP for at least a month. If they re-apply, then violate the work requirement again while collecting benefits, they may be permanently disqualified.

To meet SNAP general work requirements, recipients between 16 and 59 must register for work, participate in SNAP Employment and Training (E&T) or workfare, take a suitable job if offered, and not voluntarily quit a job or reduce work hours to less than 30 a week.

Exemptions to SNAP general work requirements are:

• Meeting work requirements for another government program (TANF or unemployment compensation)
• Taking care of a child under 6 or an incapacitated person
• Unable to work because of a physical or mental condition
• Participating regularly in an alcohol or drug treatment program
• Enrolled in school or a training program at least half-time

SNAP Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents (ABAWD) Work Requirements

SNAP recipients ages 18–64 who are able to work and don’t have any dependents must meet both the general work requirement and the ABAWD requirement to get SNAP for more than three months in a three-year period (commonly known as the ABAWD time limit).

If someone in that category doesn’t meet the ABAWD work requirement, but isn’t exempted, they lose benefits after three months. If they want to get SNAP again after losing benefits because they didn’t meet ABAWD requirements, they must meet them for 30 days before they are eligible or wait three years to get another three months of SNAP.

To meet SNAP ABAWD work requirements, a participant must:

• Work at least 80 hours a month (for pay, goods or services, unpaid or as a volunteer).
• Participate at least 80 hours a month in a government-sponsored work program or combination of work and work program that equals 80 hours a month.
• Participate in workfare, with the number of hours assigned depending on the amount of SNAP benefit.

Participants who are excused from general work requirements are also excused from ABAWD work requirements, except for those between age 60 through 64.

Others excused from the ABAWD work requirements are those who:

• Can’t work because of a physical or mental limitations
• Are pregnant
• Have someone under 14 in their SNAP household

Veterans, those experiencing homeless and recently aged-out foster children were exempt before the 2025 changes but now aren’t. The timeline of when they are no longer eligible, as well as those aged 60 through 64, differs by state, but in most cases is before the end of 2026. Check with your state to determine eligibility.

How to Apply for SNAP

Application for SNAP benefits is through the agency in your state that administers the program. The USDA website has contact information for all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each state has its own application form, but most accept application in-person, online or by telephone.

It can take up to 30 days for a state agency to process your application and for your to receive SNAP benefits once you’ve applied. It’s possible to get benefits faster in emergency situations.

Contact your state agency for specifics, but in general, the steps for applying for SNAP benefits are:

1. Find your state SNAP agency and visit their website, or call them, to find out how to submit an application.
2. Fill out application.
3. You’ll be told what documentation is needed for proof of income, employment, and possibly other things like expenses, disability, or household members. Provide required documentation upon request.
4. An interview by SNAP administrators is required by most states. This is usually by phone, but sometimes an in-person interview is required.

Why SNAP Benefits Matter

The USDA defines food insecurity as not having enough to eat or knowing where the next meal will come from. Food insecurity can increase health and mental health issues, and lead to a downward cycle, making it harder to work, go to school or attend to family needs.

SNAP benefits won’t pay the grocery bill for a household, but they’re an important piece of the puzzle. The extra money provided toward food can help keep an individual or household healthy.

SNAP is also good for local economies – benefits used at grocery stores, farmers markets and other retailers that sell SNAP-eligible food puts money back into the community.

SNAP benefits are often used by recipients along with local food pantries and charitable organizations, one piece of the puzzle to help individuals and families stay healthy and thrive.