SNAP, explained in plain English
SNAP — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, still widely called food stamps — is the United States' largest food assistance program. It gives low-income households a monthly benefit on an EBT card (a card that works like a debit card) to buy groceries. For fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026), the maximum monthly allotment for a household of four in the 48 contiguous states and Washington, DC, is $994 — but most households receive less than the maximum, because the benefit is calculated from your income after deductions.
SNAP is a federal program run by the states, so the rules you meet are federal rules applied by your state agency, and some details — especially income limits under broad-based categorical eligibility — vary by state. This site explains, step by step, who can qualify, the published income and allotment tables, how your benefit is worked out, and how to apply — with the figures dated, so you can check every number against the official tables.
- FY2026 maximum allotments (48 states + DC): $298 for one person, $546 for two, $785 for three, $994 for four — plus $218 per additional person.
- Income limits (FY2026): gross monthly income at or below 130% of poverty ($1,696 for one person, $3,483 for four); net income at or below 100% ($1,305 for one, $2,680 for four). Households with an elderly or disabled member skip the gross test.
- Your benefit = the maximum allotment for your household size minus 30% of your net monthly income.
- Apply through your state agency. States generally decide within 30 days; households with very low income or resources can get expedited service within 7 days.
- Benefits arrive monthly on an EBT card and can buy most groceries — but not alcohol, tobacco, hot prepared foods, or nonfood items.
Start here: the five questions everyone asks
How much can I get? Up to the maximum for your household size, minus 30% of your net income. See maximum allotments and how your benefit is calculated.
Do I earn too much? Check both tests: gross income (130% of poverty) and net income after deductions (100%). See income limits.
Can I get SNAP if I work? Yes — many working households qualify. Earnings count, but 20% of earnings is deducted before the benefit is figured. See deductions.
How do I apply? Through your state agency — online, by mail, or in person — with an interview and verification. See how to apply.
What can I buy? Most staple groceries and seeds or plants to grow food. Not alcohol, tobacco, vitamins, or hot foods. See what you can buy.
A note on the figures in these guides
SNAP figures change every October 1 with the annual cost-of-living adjustment, based on the Thrifty Food Plan. Every rates page on this site states the fiscal year its figures apply to and tells you to check the current figure with the USDA Food and Nutrition Service or your state agency before acting. The main tables here are FY2026 (October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026). A short, clearly labelled note on the reported FY2027 figures appears where it helps — those figures are reported by secondary sources and should be confirmed, because one FY2027 figure (the shelter cap) is reported inconsistently.
These guides are general information only. They are not personal legal, tax, or benefits advice, and they do not replace the federal rules (7 CFR Part 273), your state agency's handbook, or the USDA's official pages. Where a rule depends on your state or your situation, the guide says so and points you to your state agency.
All ten guides
- SNAP explained — what SNAP is, how the EBT card works, and who the program is for
- Maximum allotments FY2026 — the full monthly table by household size, plus the FY2027 note
- Income limits — the gross (130%) and net (100%) tests, and who skips the gross test
- Deductions and net income — the 20% earnings deduction, standard, shelter, medical and dependent-care deductions
- Who qualifies — household rules, citizenship, students, work requirements, and the ABAWD time limit
- How to apply — state agency, interview, verification, expedited service, and the EBT card
- How your benefit is calculated — the 30% formula with worked examples
- Recertification and reporting changes — certification periods, interim reports, and your right to a fair hearing
- What you can buy — eligible foods, ineligible items, and trafficking penalties
- SNAP and other benefits — SSI, TANF, Medicaid, school meals, WIC, and broad-based categorical eligibility
Sources to check: USDA Food and Nutrition Service, SNAP (fns.usda.gov/snap); FNS, SNAP Cost-of-Living Adjustment information, fiscal year 2026; 7 CFR Part 273; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, A Quick Guide to SNAP Eligibility and Benefits.