What Benefits Will I Get?
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What amount of SNAP food stamps can I get?
The table below shows the maximum monthly food stamp allotment for households of different sizes. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a household should be able to buy a month's worth of healthy food with this amount of money.
The 2009 Economic Stimulus Plan increased maximum food stamp benefits by 13.6% starting April 1, 2009.
SNAP Food Stamp Program
Maximum Monthly Allotments
| People in Household |
October 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009 |
Increase
Effective April 1, 2009 |
April 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010 |
| 1 |
$176 |
$24 |
$200 |
| 2 |
$323 |
$44 |
$367 |
| 3 |
$463 |
$63 |
$526 |
| 4 |
$588 |
$80 |
$668 |
| 5 |
$698 |
$95 |
$793 |
| 6 |
$838 |
$114 |
$952 |
| 7 |
$926 |
$126 |
$1052 |
| 8 |
$1058 |
$144 |
$1202 |
| Each additional person |
+$132 |
+$18 |
$150 |
These amounts are the most SNAP food stamps you can get. The amount of SNAP food stamps you will actually get depends on your income and expenses. You are expected to spend about 30% of your household income on food. In 2009, the average monthly food stamp benefit in Massachusetts was about $250 per household.
How is my benefit amount calculated?
The amount of SNAP food stamps you will actually get depends on your household's net monthly income. Your household's net monthly income is your total countable income minus certain allowed deductions.
Allowed deductions include a standard deduction, an earned income deduction, and deductions for medical expenses for elderly or disabled household members, dependent care, shelter costs, and child support payments. For more information, see What deductions are allowed for net income?
The amount of SNAP food stamps you will get is the allotment shown in the table above for your household size, minus 30% of your household's net monthly income.
For example, a household of four with a net monthly income of $900 would get a food stamp allotment of $398:
| Maximum allotment for household size of 4 |
$ 668 |
| Subtract 30% of net monthly income (.3 x 900) |
- 270 |
| Household food stamp benefit |
$ 398 |
What is the minimum benefit?
The minimum SNAP food stamp benefit for eligible households with one or two members is $16 per month. The minimum benefit increased from $14 to $16 on April 1, 2009 as a result of the 2009 Economic Stimulus Plan.
Are there any other benefits?
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People who get SNAP food stamps are eligible for discount rates on their utility bills and telephone services. In most cases, SNAP food stamp households are automatically enrolled in utility discount rate programs. You should check your utility bills to make sure you are getting the discount rate. See Utility Discounts for more information.
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When you apply for SNAP food stamps, you can register to vote at the same time. Your DTA worker will give you a voter registration form, help you fill it out, and send it to the voter registration office in your community. You must be a U.S. citizen age 18 or older to register. You do not have to register to vote if you do not want to.
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Non-TAFDC SNAP food stamp households who are working may be eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNA). SNA is an extra benefit that is deposited each month in a household's EBT account in addition to regular SNAP food stamp benefits. See Supplemental Nutrition Assistance for details.
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