How SNAP amounts are worked out
Income, deductions and why the maximum is rarely what you get.
The basic formula
SNAP benefit = Maximum allotment for your household size − 30% of your net monthly income.
That means: your benefit goes down by 30 cents for every dollar of net income you have. If you have no income, you receive the maximum allotment. If you have too much income, you receive nothing.
Step 1: Calculate gross income
Add up all the money coming into your household each month: wages, self-employment income, Social Security, SSI, unemployment, child support received, and most other cash income. Some things are excluded, such as SNAP itself, most student financial aid, and irregular one-off gifts.
Step 2: Apply the gross income test
Gross income must be at or below 130% of the federal poverty level for most households (200% in some states using categorical eligibility). In FY 2027, 130% of the poverty level for a household of 3 is about $2,799/month.
Step 3: Apply deductions to get net income
Deductions reduce your countable income. The main ones:
- Standard deduction: $204/month for households of 1–3 (FY 2027)
- Earned income deduction: 20% of earned income is excluded
- Dependent care deduction: Childcare costs you pay to work or train
- Medical expense deduction: For households with a disabled or elderly member — expenses over $35/month
- Excess shelter deduction: Housing costs (rent + utilities) that exceed 50% of net income (after other deductions)
Step 4: Apply the net income test
Net income must be at or below 100% of the federal poverty level. For a household of 3 in FY 2027, that is about $2,152/month.
Step 5: Calculate your benefit
Benefit = Maximum allotment − 30% × net income. The minimum benefit for households of 1 or 2 people is $23/month (if the formula produces a smaller number, you get at least $23). Households of 3+ with very little net income may receive the full maximum.
Example
Household of 2. Gross income: $1,400/month wages. Deductions: $280 earned income deduction (20%) + $204 standard = $484. Net income: $1,400 − $484 = $916. Benefit: $566 − (30% × $916) = $566 − $275 = $291/month.