The facts about SNAP: November 3, 2025

There has been a lot of attention given to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program during the government shutdown. But there is also a lot of misinformation about the program as well, particularly about who is eligible, and how much SNAP beneficiaries receive.

Table of Contents

The facts about SNAP

The information below comes from the USDA website, the federal program that is responsible for SNAP.

Who is eligible?

The following deductions are allowed for SNAP:

A 20-percent deduction from earned income.
A standard deduction of $209 for household sizes of 1 to 3 people (higher for some larger households and different for households in Alaska, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam).
A dependent care deduction when needed for work, training, or education.
Medical expenses for elderly or disabled members that are more than $35 for the month if they are not paid by insurance or someone else. This is described on the elderly and disabled page.
In some states, legally owed child support payments.
A standard shelter deduction for homeless households of $198.99.
Excess shelter costs as described below.

SNAP Excess Shelter Costs Deduction

The excess shelter deduction is for shelter costs that are more than half of the household’s income after other deductions.

Allowable shelter costs include:

Fuel to heat and cook with.
Electricity.
Water.
The basic fee for one telephone.
Rent or mortgage payments and interest.
Taxes on the home.

Some states allow a set amount for utility costs instead of actual costs.

The amount of the shelter deduction is capped at (or limited to) $744 unless one person in the household is elderly or disabled. The limit is different in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For a household with an elderly or disabled member, all shelter costs over half of the household’s income may be deducted.

Gross Income Calculation	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 $3,483 allowed for a 4-person household, so determine net income.

Note: This example is based on a 4-person household living in the 48 contiguous states or the District of Columbia.

Net Income Calculation	Example
Subtract 20% earned income deduction…	$2,050 gross income $1,500 earned income x 20% = $300. $2,050 – $300 = $1,750
Subtract standard deduction…	$1,750 – $223 standard deduction for a 4-person household = $1,527
Subtract dependent care deduction…	$1,527 – $362 dependent care = $1,165
Subtract child support deduction…	$0
Subtract medical costs over $35 for elderly and disabled…	$0
Excess shelter deduction…	See below
Determine half of adjusted income…	$1,165 adjusted income ÷ 2 = $582.50
Determine if shelter costs are more than half of adjusted income…	$700 total shelter expenses – $582.50 (half of income) = $117.50 excess shelter cost
Subtract excess amount, but not more than the limit, from adjusted income…	$1,165 – $117.50 = $1,047.50 net monthly income
Apply the net income test…	Since $1,047.50 is less than the $2,680 allowed for a 4-person household, this household has met the income test.

Note: This example is based on a 4-person household living in the 48 contiguous states or the District of Columbia.

What are the income limits to be eligible for SNAP?

In most cases, your household must meet both the gross and net income limits described below or you are not eligible for SNAP and cannot receive benefits.

Gross income means a household’s total, non-excluded income, before any deductions have been made.

Net income means gross income minus allowable deductions.

A household with an elderly or disabled person only has to meet the net income limit, as described on the elderly and disabled page.

If all members of your household receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or in some places other general assistance, your household may be deemed “categorically eligible” for SNAP because you have already been determined eligible for another means-tested program.

Most state agencies have adopted broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE), which allows state agencies to align income and resource limits with their TANF-funded programs. Under BBCE, households are categorically eligible for SNAP if they are eligible to receive a TANF or maintenance of effort (MOE) state-funded non-cash benefit. Even if you meet the BBCE income and resource limit in your state, you will still need to meet non-financial eligibility rules and have an income low enough to receive SNAP benefits.

The information provided in the table below applies to households in the 48 contiguous states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands that apply for SNAP between Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2026.

Household Size	Gross monthly income (130 percent of poverty)	Net monthly income (100 percent of poverty)
1	$1,696	$1,305
2	$2,292	$1,763
3	$2,888	$2,221
4	$3,483	$2,680
5	$4,079	$3,138
6	$4,675	$3,596
7	$5,271	$4,055
8	$5,867	$4,513
Each additional member	+$596	+$459

* SNAP gross and net income limits are higher in Alaska and Hawaii.

What are the work requirements?

In general, people must meet work requirements to be eligible for SNAP. These work requirements include:

Registering for work;
Not voluntarily quitting a job or reducing hours;
Taking a job if offered; and
Participating in employment and training programs, if assigned by the state.

Failure to comply with these requirements can result in disqualification from the program.

In addition, able bodied adults without dependents are required to work or participate in a work program for at least 20 hours per week in order to receive SNAP benefits for more than 3 months in a 36-month period.

Some special groups may not be subject to these requirements including:

Children;
Seniors;
Veterans;
Individuals experiencing homelessness;
Individuals age 24 or younger and in foster care on their 18th birthday;
Pregnant women; and
People who are exempt for physical or mental health reasons.

Can non-citizens receive SNAP?

SNAP eligibility has never been extended to undocumented non-citizens. Specific requirements for who may be eligible have changed substantially over the years and become more complicated in certain areas. The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 limits eligibility for SNAP benefits to U.S. citizens and certain lawfully present non-citizens.

Generally, to qualify for SNAP, non-citizens must meet one of the following criteria:

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

Additionally, these individuals must also satisfy other SNAP eligibility requirements such as income and resource limits in order to qualify for benefits.

If certain members of a household are ineligible for SNAP, state agencies must still determine eligibility for SNAP for any remaining household members who are seeking assistance.

For additional information see: SNAP Policy on Non-Citizen Eligibility and SNAP Guidance on Non-Citizen Eligibility.

How much are SNAP benefits?

The total amount of SNAP benefits your household gets each month is called an allotment.

Because SNAP households are expected to spend about 30 percent of their own resources on food, your allotment is calculated by multiplying your household’s net monthly income by 0.3, and subtracting the result from the maximum monthly allotment for your household size.

People in Household	Maximum Monthly Allotment
1	$298
2	$546
3	$785
4	$994
5	$1,183
6	$1,421
7	$1,571
8	$1,789
Each additional person	+$218

Note: The allotments described here are for households in the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia. The allotments are different in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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