The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has been one of the most successful tools to curb hunger and reduce poverty in the United States in recent years. It kept more than 6.6 million Americans (including more than 3 million children) above the federal poverty line during the pandemic.
SNAP benefits are distributed in all 50 states, as well as the Washington D.C. district. and U.S. territories. These payments are loaded onto electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, which recipients can use at authorized stores and for online purchases.
SNAP eligibility in 2025: Who can qualify for food stamps
The SNAP program is designed to help low-income households. Eligibility guidelines and benefit levels are primarily set at the federal level, creating a uniform framework across the country, although states have some flexibility to adapt certain aspects, such as the value of the vehicle a household can own and still be eligible for.
To qualify for SNAP benefits, there are certain minimum requirements that must be met for the officer taking your case to consider you eligible.
First, gross monthly income must be equal to or less than 130% of the poverty line, which is $2,798 per month (approximately $33,576 annually) for a three-person household in fiscal year 2025. However, households that include one member 60 years or older or who have a disability are not required to comply with this limit.
Then, the net monthly income, after applying deductions for expenses such as housing and child care, must be less than or equal to the poverty line, located at $2,152 per month (approximately $25,824 annually) for a household of three people in the tax year 2025. Household assets must be less than certain limits: For tax year 2025, the limit is $3,000 for households without a member age 60 or older, and $4,500 for those with an elderly or disabled member.
What types of households qualify for SNAP?
Generally, a SNAP household is made up of people who live together and share in the purchasing and preparation of food. However, some people are not eligible to receive these benefits regardless of their income or assets, such as individuals on strike, those without documented immigration status, certain college students, and some people with felony drug convictions in certain states. .
Additionally, non-disabled unemployed adults ages 18 to 54 who do not live with minor children are limited to three months of benefits every three years, unless they work at least 20 hours a week or participate in training or labor programs that meet established standards.
States have the authority to request temporary exceptions to this time limit in areas where unemployment is relatively high and few jobs are available. Likewise, states can withdraw benefits from adults who cannot meet these work requirements.
SNAP payment maximums in 2025
The maximum amounts of SNAP benefit allocations you can obtain depend on several factors, the most important being the size of the household:
- 1 person: $292
- 2 people: $536
- 3 people: $768
- 4 people: $975
- 5 people: $1,158
- 6 people: $1,390
- 7 people: $1,536
- 8 people: $1,756
- Every additional person: add $220 for each
Distribution of SNAP benefits by State in January
Although funding for the SNAP program comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), each state is free to administer its benefits in a way that best suits its population.
To start, only 14 states begin distributing their allocations from January 1, 2025, and they are the following: Alaska, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Virgin Islands, Vermont, Massachusetts, Florida, Texas, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Missouri, and Virginia. The other states not mentioned start on dates later in the month.