SNAP Net Income: FY2026 Limits, Deductions, and Calculation

SNAP net income is your household’s gross monthly income minus a specific set of allowed deductions, and it must fall at or below 100 percent of the federal poverty level for your household to qualify for benefits. For a family of four in the 48 contiguous states and D.C. during fiscal year 2026, that ceiling is $2,680 per month. Net income also drives the size of your monthly benefit, so calculating it correctly matters twice: once for eligibility, and again for the dollar amount you actually receive.

FY2026 Net Income Limits by Household Size

The limits below apply from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026 in the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia. Alaska and Hawaii use higher figures.¹

1 person: $1,305
2 people: $1,763
3 people: $2,221
4 people: $2,680
5 people: $3,138
6 people: $3,596
7 people: $4,055
8 people: $4,513

Each additional person beyond eight raises the net limit by about $458.

Most households also have to clear a gross income test set at 130 percent of poverty. Households that include someone age 60 or older, or someone receiving federal disability payments, only have to pass the net income test; the gross test is waived.²

What Counts as Income

SNAP starts with two categories of income. Earned income covers wages, salaries, and self-employment profits after business costs. Unearned income covers Social Security, pensions, unemployment compensation, child support you receive, and similar recurring payments. If money arrives regularly and is reasonably predictable, it generally counts.

Several types of money are excluded entirely from the calculation:²

Loans, whether from a bank or a family member.
Tax refunds, rebates, and earned income tax credit payments.
Grants, scholarships, fellowships, and student loans with deferred repayment.
Federal energy assistance payments such as LIHEAP.
In-kind benefits, meaning goods or bills paid directly on your behalf rather than cash.
Earnings of a household member under 18 who is still in elementary or secondary school.
Irregular income up to $30 per quarter that’s too infrequent to predict.

These exclusions matter. A large tax refund landing in your account, for example, does not push you over the income limit for the month it arrives.

The Deductions That Reduce Gross to Net

Once countable gross income is set, SNAP applies deductions in a specific order. Missing a deduction you’re entitled to can shrink your benefit or cost you eligibility, so keep receipts and records.

Standard Deduction

Every household gets a flat standard deduction based on size. For FY2026 in the 48 states and D.C.:³

1–3 people: $209
4 people: $223
5 people: $261
6 or more: $299

It’s applied automatically. No documentation needed.

Earned Income Deduction

Twenty percent of gross earned income is subtracted, recognizing that workers lose part of every paycheck to payroll taxes and job-related costs.⁴

Dependent Care Deduction

Childcare or adult dependent care costs that let a household member work, attend training, or go to school are fully deductible with no federal cap.²

Child Support Deduction

Legally obligated child support you pay to someone outside your household is deductible. You’ll need the court order and proof of actual payments.²

Medical Expense Deduction

Only households with an elderly or disabled member can use this one. Out-of-pocket medical costs above $35 per month qualify, including doctor and dentist visits, prescriptions, insurance premiums, medical transportation, and doctor-prescribed over-the-counter medications.⁴ Keep receipts for anything you plan to claim.

Excess Shelter Deduction

After all the deductions above are subtracted, look at your housing and utility costs. If they exceed half of what’s left, the amount above that halfway point is your excess shelter cost. For most households, the deduction is capped at $744 per month in FY2026.³ Households with an elderly or disabled member face no cap, so the full excess comes off.⁴

Shelter costs include rent or mortgage, property taxes, and homeowners or renters insurance. For utilities, most states use a Standard Utility Allowance, a flat monthly figure that stands in for your actual bills.⁵ In most states the SUA is mandatory, whether your real bills run higher or lower.

Calculating Your Net Income Step by Step

The order isn’t optional. Take a three-person household with one earner bringing in $2,400 per month, $200 in childcare, and $1,100 in combined rent and utilities.

Start with gross earned income: $2,400.
Subtract the 20 percent earned income deduction: $2,400 − $480 = $1,920.
Subtract the standard deduction for a 3-person household: $1,920 − $209 = $1,711.
Subtract dependent care: $1,711 − $200 = $1,511.
Subtract medical expenses over $35 (elderly or disabled members only): not applicable here.
Calculate the shelter deduction. Half of $1,511 is $755.50. Shelter costs of $1,100 minus $755.50 = $344.50, which is below the $744 cap, so the full $344.50 is deducted.
Net income: $1,511 − $344.50 = $1,166.50, rounded to $1,167.

The net income limit for a household of three is $2,221, so this household qualifies. If the final figure had landed above $2,221, the household would be denied no matter how low the gross income looked.

How Net Income Sets Your Monthly Benefit

SNAP assumes a household will spend 30 percent of its net income on food. Your benefit is the maximum allotment for your household size minus that expected contribution.⁴ FY2026 maximum allotments for the 48 states and D.C.:³

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

Add $218 for each person beyond eight.

Applying the formula to the example: net income of $1,167 × 0.30 = $350.10, rounded to $351. Subtract that from the $785 maximum for a household of three, and the benefit is $434 per month. A household with zero net income would receive the full maximum for its size.

Eligible one- and two-person households receive a minimum monthly benefit of $24 even when the formula would otherwise produce less.⁶ Larger households have no minimum floor, so if 30 percent of net income equals or exceeds the maximum allotment, the benefit calculates to zero.

Documentation to Bring to Your Interview

The SNAP office verifies both income and expenses before approving benefits. Delays usually trace back to missing paperwork at the initial interview.

For income, bring recent pay stubs, an employer wage letter, or self-employment records showing gross receipts and business costs. For unearned income, bring Social Security award letters, pension statements, unemployment notices, or records of child support received.

For deductions, gather rent receipts or your mortgage statement, property tax bills, homeowners or renters insurance statements, and childcare invoices. If someone in the household is elderly or disabled and you’re claiming medical expenses, collect pharmacy receipts, insurance premium statements, invoices from doctors and dentists, and records of medical transportation costs. Even where the state uses a Standard Utility Allowance, you may need to show that you pay at least one utility to qualify for it.

Reporting Changes After Approval

Net income gets recalculated whenever your circumstances change, and certain changes must be reported within 10 days.⁷ Common triggers include a change in income of more than $100 per month, starting or losing a job, and a change in household size.

States use different reporting systems. Some require monthly reports. Others use simplified or semi-annual reporting, where the only mid-period trigger is your gross income crossing 130 percent of poverty for your household size. Either way, if your gross income clears that ceiling, you have to report it. Failing to do so creates an overpayment that you’ll be expected to pay back.

1
Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP FY2026 Income Eligibility Standards
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eCFR. 7 CFR 273.9 – Income and Deductions
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Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP FY2026 Maximum Allotments and Deductions
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Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP Eligibility
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Food and Nutrition Service. Standard Utility Allowances
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Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP FY2026 Minimum Allotments
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eCFR. 7 CFR 273.12 – Reporting Requirements