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By Aliss Higham
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has adjusted the amount of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, allotments per household.
At the beginning of each federal fiscal year (October 1), adjustments are made to the maximum allotments, deductions, and income eligibility standards for SNAP. These modifications are driven by fluctuations in the cost of living, representing the financial requirement for maintaining a basic standard of living.
SNAP is designed for low- and no-income households to allow them to meet adequate nutrition through food and drink, mostly helping senior citizens, the disabled and others to feed themselves and their families. Households with more people in them will receive more money, depending on how much the household earns.
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Eligibility is determined based on the monthly household income, including earned income from employment and other assistance programs such as Social Security payments, child support, unemployment insurance and cash assistance.
It also takes into account the assets of a household, for example how much money they have saved in a regular account, but any assets that are not accessible, such as the household's home, personal property, and retirement savings, do not count.
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Broadly speaking, most people with low or no income are entitled to SNAP assistance. Some exceptions to this include those who are on strike, all people without a documented immigration status and certain people with drug-related felony convictions in some states.
The Thrifty Food Plan assesses the expense of a food basket designed for a family of four, serving as the USDA's estimation of the cost needed to provide nutritious, budget-friendly meals for a household. Maximum allotments, derived from this cost, are recalculated in June each year.
This year, rates for households have risen. According to the USDA website, the current rates per month for SNAP according to household size in the contiguous U.S. are:
- Household size 1: $291
- Household size 2: $535
- Household size 3: $766
- Household size 4: $973
- Household size 5: $1,155
- Household size 6: $1,386
- Household size 7: $1,532
- Household size 8: $1,751
- Each additional person: $219
Eligibility standards are also updated each fiscal year. For the current year, the maximum cap on monthly income for SNAP eligibility is:
- Household size 1: $1,580
- Household size 2: $2,137
- Household size 3: $2,694
- Household size 4: $3,250
- Household size 5: $3.807
- Household size 6: $4,364
- Household size 7: $4,921
- Household size 8: $5,478
- Each additional person: $557
For Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the criteria is slightly different. In Alaska, rates are based on whether you live in a rural or urban area, with rates considerably higher if you live far away from a city or populated area. You can view the criteria for these places here.
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