The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) feeds close to 50 million Americans annually. The Federal Government has spent over $85 billion on SNAP benefits in one calendar year. So there is a lot of money out there going to pay for food assistance. The amount of money you can get from SNAP depends on your income and the size of your family. In this post, you will learn about the different factors that determine how much money you can get in SNAP aid.
What Determines Benefit Amounts
Gross Income
This is the total household income before any of the program’s expenses are added. For a family of three, the poverty line used to determine SNAP benefits is based on the calendar year’s estimate of total household income.
Net Income
Net income is the amount of income left over after expenses are applied. Net income must be at or below the poverty line.
SNAP counts cash income from any source, including any you made from work. They also count other forms of income, such as cash assistance, Social Security, unemployment benefits, and child support. Families with no income receive the maximum amount of SNAP benefits. Let’s go over another important part in finding out how much SNAP pays — deductions.
Deductions
Deductions are an important part of figuring out how much you get from SNAP.
- Standard — The cost of essential items (clothing, utility bills, transportation)
- Earnings —Up to 20% of your job earnings
- Child Support — If you or a family member are required by law to pay child support
- Medical Expenses — any money you spend out of pocket on medical treatment for someone elderly or disabled qualifies.
All households can receive the standard deduction. Over 70% of SNAP households claim the shelter deduction, while 30% claim the earnings deduction.
Average Benefit Amounts
On average, families receiving SNAP benefits received around $246 per month in 2022. The average individual receiving SNAP benefits received $125 per month. Families of three that had no income received $535 per month.
Clearer Picture
Now that you have a better understanding of how SNAP benefits are calculated, visit this guide. It will give you more information about how you can potentially benefit from this program.
