1. The Federal SNAP Benefit Formula
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program calculates monthly benefits using a net-income-based formula defined in Section 8(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. § 2017(a)) and codified in regulations at 7 CFR § 273.10. The formula, in plain English, is:
Monthly SNAP Benefit = Max Monthly Allotment − (30% × Net Monthly Income)
If the result is less than or equal to zero, the household receives no benefit. If the result is greater than zero but small, the household may still qualify for a minimum monthly benefit (currently $23 in most states for FY2026). If the result is greater than the maximum monthly allotment for the household's size, the household receives the maximum allotment (this happens only for households with zero net income).
Our calculator implements this exact formula. The three inputs the user provides — household size, state of residence, and a set of income and deduction figures — feed into this formula exactly as the federal regulation specifies. The remainder of this page walks through each step of the calculation, with citations to the underlying statute and regulation.
2. Step 1: Gross Income Test
Before calculating net income, the calculator first applies a gross income test. For most households, gross monthly income (before any deductions) must be at or below 130% of the federal poverty level (FPL) for the household's size. The 2026 FPL figures we use, published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Federal Register on January 17, 2026, are:
- 1 person: $1,255/month
- 2 persons: $1,704/month
- 3 persons: $2,152/month
- 4 persons: $2,601/month
- Each additional person: +$449/month
For a 1-person household, 130% FPL = $1,631/month; for a 4-person household, 130% FPL = $3,483/month. Households with gross income above this threshold generally do not qualify, with two important exceptions:
- Broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE): Households receiving certain state-funded benefits (typically TANF-funded cash or services) may qualify with gross income up to 200% FPL or higher, depending on the state. Our calculator applies BBCE rules state-by-state based on the most recent USDA State Options Report.
- Elderly/disabled households: Households where every member is age 60+ or receiving disability benefits are not subject to the gross income test. They go directly to the net income test.
The gross income figure used is the household's total income before any deductions — including wages, self-employment income, Social Security, unemployment, child support received, and other countable sources. A complete list of what counts as income is in 7 CFR § 273.9(b).
3. Step 2: Net Income Calculation
Net income is gross income minus allowable deductions. Our calculator applies these deductions exactly as defined in 7 CFR § 273.9(d):
- Standard deduction — A flat monthly deduction based on household size. For FY2026 (October 2025 through September 2026), the standard deduction ranges from $193 (1-person households in most states) to $258 (households of 6+ in Alaska). Our calculator pulls the correct figure for the user's state and household size from the USDA's annual adjustment notice.
- Earned income deduction — 20% of gross earned income (wages, salaries, self-employment income). This deduction does not apply to unearned income such as Social Security, SSI, unemployment, or child support received. Implemented per 7 CFR § 273.9(d)(2).
- Excess medical deduction — For households with a member age 60+ or receiving disability benefits, medical expenses over $35/month are deductible. Our calculator subtracts $35 from the entered medical expenses and applies the remainder. Per 7 CFR § 273.9(d)(3).
- Dependent care deduction — The full amount paid for dependent care (childcare, adult daycare) that is necessary for a household member to work, look for work, or attend training. No cap for most households; $200/month cap for children under 2 in some states. Per 7 CFR § 273.9(d)(4).
- Child support deduction — Legally obligated child support payments are deducted in full. Our calculator asks the user for the monthly court-ordered amount. Per 7 CFR § 273.9(d)(5).
- Excess shelter deduction — Housing costs (rent, mortgage, property taxes, insurance) plus a utility allowance, minus 50% of the household's income after the other deductions. The result is capped at $672/month for most households in FY2026 (no cap for elderly/disabled households). Per 7 CFR § 273.9(d)(6).
Net income = Gross income − (Standard + Earned income + Excess medical + Dependent care + Child support + Excess shelter deductions).
Standard Utility Allowance (SUA): Most states offer a Standard Utility Allowance that households can claim in lieu of itemizing actual utility costs. SUA amounts vary by state and by utility type (heating, cooling, electricity, gas, water). Our calculator uses each state's most recently published SUA, sourced from the USDA State Options Report.
4. Step 3: Net Income Test
After computing net income, the calculator applies the net income test. For most households, net monthly income must be at or below 100% of the federal poverty level for the household's size. The 2026 figures are:
- 1 person: $1,255/month net income limit
- 2 persons: $1,704/month
- 3 persons: $2,152/month
- 4 persons: $2,601/month
- Each additional person: +$449/month
Households with net income above these limits do not qualify, regardless of their gross income. Elderly/disabled households that passed the gross income test (or were exempt from it) are not subject to a separate net income test if their household composition qualifies them for the simplified net-income calculation method.
5. Step 4: Benefit Calculation
If the household passes both income tests, the calculator computes the monthly benefit:
SNAP Benefit = Maximum Allotment [household size, state] − (0.30 × Net Monthly Income)
The maximum monthly allotment for FY2026 (October 2025–September 2026) for the 48 contiguous states and D.C.:
- 1 person: $298
- 2 persons: $546
- 3 persons: $785
- 4 persons: $994
- 5 persons: $1,158
- 6 persons: $1,390
- 7 persons: $1,536
- 8 persons: $1,789
- Each additional person: +$220
Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have higher maximum allotments, set by separate USDA notices. Our calculator uses the correct allotment table for the user's state. The 30% factor reflects the long-standing expectation that households spend approximately 30% of their net income on food — a figure that traces back to the original 1964 Food Stamp Act and has been retained in every subsequent reauthorization.
6. Step 5: Minimum Benefit & Rounding
If the calculated benefit is between $1 and the federal minimum, the household receives the federal minimum monthly benefit. For FY2026, the federal minimum is $23/month for one- and two-person households that pass all eligibility tests. Some states set a higher minimum benefit; our calculator uses the federal floor where applicable.
If the calculated benefit is $0 or negative, the household does not qualify. If the household passes the income tests but the calculated benefit is below the floor, the floor applies. If the household's gross income is below a separate threshold (currently $175/month for most households in FY2026, per 7 CFR § 273.10(e)(2)(iii)), the household automatically receives the minimum benefit without a full net-income calculation.
Our calculator rounds the final benefit to the nearest whole dollar, consistent with how state agencies issue benefits on EBT cards.
7. State Variations We Model
While the federal SNAP formula is uniform, states have flexibility in several areas. Our calculator models these state-by-state variations:
- Broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE): Whether the state has BBCE, the gross income limit (typically 130% or 200% FPL), and whether there is an asset test. Source: USDA State Options Report, most recent edition.
- Standard Utility Allowance (SUA): The dollar amount of the state's SUA, which affects the excess shelter deduction. Source: each state's SNAP administrative bulletin.
- Standard deduction: Varies by state (Alaska has its own table; the rest of the country uses a uniform federal table with one regional adjustment).
- Maximum allotment: Different for Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and USVI; uniform for the 48 contiguous states and D.C.
- ABAWD time-limit waiver: Whether the state (or specific counties within the state) has waived the 3-month time limit for able-bodied adults without dependents. We display this information but do not factor it into the benefit calculation, since it affects eligibility rather than benefit amount.
8. What Our Calculator Does Not Model
The calculator produces an estimate based on the inputs you provide. It cannot evaluate factors that require caseworker judgment or external documentation:
- Immigration status: Eligibility for non-citizens (lawful permanent residents, asylees, refugees, DACA recipients) depends on entry date, work history, and other factors the calculator cannot evaluate. Mixed-status households are subject to income proration.
- Student status: College students aged 18–49 without dependents typically cannot receive SNAP unless they meet specific exemptions (working 20+ hours/week, receiving work-study, caring for a dependent, etc.).
- Work requirements (ABAWD): Able-bodied adults without dependents aged 18–54 (raised from 52 in October 2024) are limited to 3 months of SNAP in a 36-month period unless they meet work requirements or live in a waived area.
- Drug-related disqualifications: Convictions for drug-related felonies can affect eligibility in some states, though most states have opted out of the federal drug-felon ban.
- Sanction history: Prior SNAP violations can result in temporary or permanent disqualification.
- Household composition disputes: Whether individuals living together count as one household or separate households can depend on relationships, age, and shared meals.
- Self-employment income calculation: Self-employment income is calculated differently (gross receipts minus cost of goods sold and operating expenses) and requires documentation. Our calculator uses the net self-employment figure you enter.
9. Why Calculations Run in Your Browser
Our calculator runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript. The income limits, deduction tables, and state-specific parameters are bundled into the page when it loads. The math happens locally, on your device.
This design has two important consequences:
- Privacy: None of the figures you enter — income, expenses, household size — are transmitted to our server. We never see them, never store them, never share them. See our Privacy Policy for details.
- Offline use: Once the page is loaded, you can complete the calculation even if your internet connection drops. The math works without any further server requests.
The trade-off is that updating income limits or state parameters requires us to publish a new version of the page. We do this within 30 days of each annual USDA update.
10. Update Cycle & Source Documents
Our calculator parameters are updated on the following schedule:
- Annual USDA update (August–October): Within 30 days of the USDA's annual Federal Register notice, we update income limits, standard deductions, maximum allotments, and the shelter cap. The notice we use for FY2026 is the August 2025 Federal Register notice "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Fiscal Year 2026 Income Eligibility Standards, Deductions, and Allotments."
- State policy changes (anytime): When a state changes a SNAP option (BBCE, SUA, ABAWD waiver), we update the calculator's state parameters within 30 days of the change taking effect.
- Federal poverty level update (January–February): Within 30 days of HHS publishing the annual FPL figures (typically mid-January), we update the gross and net income tests.
The full list of source documents we use is on our Sources page. Every page on this Site displays a "Last updated" date so you can judge how current the information is. If you find a number on this Site that does not match an official source, please email foodstampeligibilitycalculator@gmail.com and we will investigate within 5 business days.
