Maximum allotments FY2026
The maximum allotment is the most a household of a given size can receive in a month — paid only to households with little or no net income after deductions. For fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026), the maximum for a household of four in the 48 contiguous states and Washington, DC, is $994 per month. The table below gives the full FY2026 scale.
- FY2026 maximum (48 states + DC): 1 person $298; 2: $546; 3: $785; 4: $994; 5: $1,183; 6: $1,421; 7: $1,571; 8: $1,789; each additional person +$218.
- The maximum is a ceiling, not a promise: your actual benefit is the maximum minus 30% of your net monthly income (see how your benefit is calculated).
- One- and two-person households that qualify always receive at least the $24 minimum monthly allotment, even if the formula produces less.
- Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands have separate, higher maximums — this table is for the 48 states and DC only.
The FY2026 table in full
| Household size | Maximum monthly allotment (FY2026) |
|---|---|
| 1 | $298 |
| 2 | $546 |
| 3 | $785 |
| 4 | $994 |
| 5 | $1,183 |
| 6 | $1,421 |
| 7 | $1,571 |
| 8 | $1,789 |
| Each additional person | +$218 |
Worked example, labelled as calculated: a household of four with $1,000 of net monthly income receives $994 − 30% of $1,000 = $994 − $300 = $694 per month. A household of four with zero net income receives the full $994. A one-person household whose formula result would be $10 still receives the $24 minimum.
What is reported for FY2027
From October 1, 2026, a new cost-of-living adjustment applies. Secondary sources consistently report the FY2027 maximums as $306 for one person and $1,023 for a household of four, with the minimum allotment rising from $24 to $25 and the standard deduction for households of 1–3 rising from $209 to $217. Treat these as reported figures to confirm with the USDA or your state agency — this site's main tables remain the fully corroborated FY2026 figures above, and one FY2027 figure (the excess shelter cap) is reported inconsistently across sources, so it is deliberately not stated here.
Why the maximum is based on the Thrifty Food Plan
The maximum allotment is not set by Congress each year. It equals the cost of the Thrifty Food Plan — the USDA's estimate of the cost of a minimal, nutritious diet — for a household of that size, adjusted for food prices. The Thrifty Food Plan itself is re-evaluated every five years, and the allotments are adjusted for inflation every October 1. That is why the numbers move a little each year, and why last year's article quoting $975 for a family of four (the FY2025 figure) is out of date for FY2026.
Sources to check: USDA Food and Nutrition Service, SNAP Cost-of-Living Adjustment information, fiscal year 2026 (FY2026 memo); CRS, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): A Primer on Eligibility and Benefits (FY2026 tables).