SNAP Benefit Update: Amounts, Income Limits, and Work Rules

SNAP benefits in 2026 changed on October 1, 2025, when the USDA’s fiscal year 2026 adjustments took effect. A single person can now receive up to $298 per month and a household of four up to $994. Income limits rose slightly, the standard and shelter deductions were updated, and the work requirement for able-bodied adults without dependents now runs through age 54.

New Maximum Monthly Amounts

The USDA recalculates maximum allotments every October based on the cost of the Thrifty Food Plan, a model grocery budget for a nutritious diet.¹ For October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, the maximum monthly benefits in the 48 contiguous states and D.C. are:²

1 person: $298
2 people: $546
3 people: $785
4 people: $994
5 people: $1,183
6 people: $1,421
7 people: $1,571
8 people: $1,789
Each additional person: $218

These are ceilings, not what most households actually receive. Your monthly benefit is calculated by subtracting 30 percent of your net income from the maximum for your household size, so a family with any earned income will land below these figures.

Income Limits for FY2026

Eligibility runs through two income tests. Gross monthly income (before deductions) generally cannot exceed 130 percent of the federal poverty level, and net monthly income (after allowable deductions) must fall below 100 percent. For FY2026 in the 48 contiguous states:³

1 person: $1,696 gross / $1,305 net
2 people: $2,292 gross / $1,763 net
3 people: $2,888 gross / $2,221 net
4 people: $3,483 gross / $2,680 net
Each additional person: add $596 gross / $459 net

Households that include someone age 60 or older or someone with a disability are subject only to the net income test, not the gross one.

Resource Limits (and Why They May Not Apply to You)

Federal rules set a base resource limit of $2,000 for most households, or $3,000 if the household includes someone 60 or older or with a disability. Both amounts are adjusted annually for inflation.⁴ Countable resources include bank accounts and cash, and sometimes vehicle equity.

In practice, 46 states and territories use broad-based categorical eligibility, which raises or eliminates the asset test entirely by tying SNAP eligibility to a TANF-funded benefit.⁵ If you live in one of those states, savings usually will not disqualify you as long as your income fits.

Deductions That Change Your Actual Benefit

Deductions reduce your countable income, which then feeds into the benefit calculation. Three matter most for FY2026:²

Standard deduction: $209 for households of one to three, $223 for four, $299 for six or more.
Maximum excess shelter deduction: $744 for households paying high rent, mortgage, or utility costs.
Standard adjustments continue for earned income, dependent care, and medical costs for elderly or disabled members.

High shelter costs are the deduction that most often moves a household from the “denied” column to the “approved” column, so it is worth reporting your full rent, mortgage, property taxes, insurance, and utility bills when you apply.

Work Requirement Now Runs Through Age 54

Adults ages 18 through 54 who do not have dependents and are not disabled can receive SNAP for only three months out of every three-year period unless they work, volunteer, or participate in a training program for at least 80 hours per month.⁶

Before the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, this time limit stopped at age 50. The law phased the ceiling up: to 51 by September 2023, to 53 in October 2023, and to 55 starting October 2024. That means for FY2026, the requirement covers ages 18 through 54, and people 55 and older are exempt. The expanded age range is set to expire on October 1, 2030, when the cap will revert to 50.⁶

If your three months run out without meeting the hours, you lose benefits and cannot get them back until you either start meeting the requirement or qualify for an exemption. States can recognize good cause for temporary noncompliance, such as a medical emergency or lack of transportation, but the window to raise that claim is short.

Exemptions You May Not Know You Have

The same 2023 law made three groups permanently exempt from the time limit regardless of age or employment:

Veterans of any branch of the armed forces
People experiencing homelessness
Young adults ages 18 to 24 who were in foster care when they turned 18

State agencies verify these statuses through documentation or self-attestation, depending on local procedure. If you fit one of these categories and the agency has not flagged the exemption in your file, raise it directly.

Replacing Stolen SNAP Benefits

Card skimming has drained SNAP accounts for years. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 required states to create a process for replacing benefits stolen through skimming, cloning, or similar theft. If your funds are taken this way, you report it to your state SNAP agency and receive a replacement.⁷

The replacement is capped. You receive the lesser of the amount actually stolen or two months of your household’s benefit allotment. If a thief drained six months of accumulated benefits, you would recover only two months’ worth. That cap is a reason to spend benefits regularly rather than let a large balance sit on the card.⁷

The USDA has published a new EBT chip card standard to move states away from magnetic stripe cards, which are easier to clone.⁸ Some states have begun issuing chip cards, but there is no federal deadline for the switch. Many states now offer mobile apps that let you lock the card when not in use and check your balance in real time, which is the fastest way to catch unauthorized charges.

Higher Amounts in Alaska, Hawaii, and the Territories

The dollar figures above cover the 48 contiguous states and D.C. Households in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands receive higher allotments that reflect local food costs. Alaska’s allotments also vary by area, with a single person in the most remote rural zone eligible for up to $598 per month.² If you live in one of these areas, check your state or territorial agency’s FY2026 tables rather than relying on the contiguous-states figures.

1
Food and Nutrition Service. Thrifty Food Plan, 2021
2
Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Information
3
Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP Fiscal Year 2026 Income Eligibility Standards
4
eCFR. 7 CFR 273.8 – Resource Eligibility Standards
5
Food and Nutrition Service. Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE)
6
Federal Register. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Program Purpose and Work Requirement Provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023
7
Food and Nutrition Service. Addressing Stolen SNAP Benefits
8
Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP EBT Modernization