THE Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, is set to undergo three major changes in 2025.
As the USDA rolls out these changes, impacting over 40 million Americans, SNAP recipients in some states will see increased benefits due to cost-of-living adjustments.
2
2
SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is a federally funded program that offers monthly food payments to low-income individuals and families.
The biggest federal nutrition assistance program, it provides benefits through an Electronic Benefits Transfer, or EBT, card.
The US Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service oversees SNAP and hands out an average payment of $199 per person in the 48 contiguous states.
The USDA adjusts SNAP maximum benefits, deductions, and income requirements at the start of each federal fiscal year, with the fiscal year for 2025 beginning on October 1, 2024.
The changes are based on the annual cost of living adjustment, or COLA, which varies with inflation.
What are SNAP benefits?
Over 41 million people in America receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits each month.
SNAP provides food benefits to low-income households to help people get groceries.
Recipients get money on a debit card that can be used at grocery stores and farmers markets.
The amount of money distributed depends on several factors including how much money you make, how much money you receive from other benefits, and how many people are in your household.
The electronic benefits can help people buy food including food and vegetables, meat, fish, dairy products, breads, cereals, and snacks.
You can’t use SNAP to buy alcohol, cigarettes, hot foods, or cooking utensils.
Source: USDA
SNAP recipients will see three major changes to the program in 2025.
ELIGIBILITY AND AGE
One of the eligibility standards for receiving SNAP benefits is based on age.
The USDA has slowly increased the age of what it refers to as “able-bodied adults without dependents,” or ABAWD, and also adds new groups of individuals exempt from the ABAWD work requirements.
Last year’s ABAWDs aged 18 to 50 faced work requirements such as working or participating in a work program for a minimum of 80 hours each month, or participating in a mix of work and work program hours for at least 80 hours per month.
The USDA expanded these work requirements to age 52 in 2023 and then to age 54 in October 2024.
The agency also expanded its exceptions to the ABAWD work requirements, including for veterans, homeless individuals, and pregnant women.
Those unable to work due to a physical or mental limitation, as well as individuals aged 25 and under who were in foster care on their 18th birthday, are also exempt from the ABAWD work requirements.
MAXIMUM SNAP ALLOTMENTS
Certain income limits are in place to determine eligibility for SNAP benefits.
Beneficiaries in the program must have a household gross monthly income at or below 130% of the poverty line in order to qualify.
While SNAP benefits are generally based on net income, payment amounts can vary by location and family size.
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service increased the maximum SNAP payments and shelter caps for the majority of US states and territories this year.
With the 2025 COLA taken into account, the maximum SNAP payment for Alaskans was raised to $586 per person, while individuals in Hawaii, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands can receive up to $376.
March SNAP Schedule
The USDA plans to send out March’s round of SNAP payments on the following dates:
- Alabama: March 4-23
- Alaska: March 1
- Arizona: March 1-13
- Arkansas: March 4-13
- California: March 1-10
- Colorado: March 1-10
- Connecticut: March 1-3
- Delaware: March 2-23
- Florida: March 1-28
- Georgia: March 5-23
- Hawaii: March 3-5
- Idaho: March 1-10
- Illinois: March 1-10
- Indiana: March 5-23
- Iowa: March 1-10
- Kansas: March 1-10
- Kentucky: March 1-19
- Louisiana: March 1-23
- Maine: March 10-14
- Maryland: March 4-23
- Massachusetts: March 1-14
- Michigan: March 3-21
- Minnesota: March 4-13
- Mississippi: March 4-21
- Missouri: March 1-22
- Montana: March 2-6
- Nebraska: March 1-5
- Nevada: March 1-10
- New Hampshire: March 5
- New Jersey: March 1-5
- New Mexico: March 1-20
- New York: March 1-9
- North Carolina: March 3-21
- North Dakota: March 1
- Ohio: March 2-20
- Oklahoma: March 1-10
- Oregon: March 1-9
- Pennsylvania: Over the first 10 business days in March
- Rhode Island: March 1
- South Carolina: March 1-10
- South Dakota: March 10
- Tennessee: March 1-20
- Texas: March 1-28
- Utah: March 15
- Vermont: March 1
- Virginia: March 1-7
- Washington: March 1-20
- West Virginia: March 1-9
- Wisconsin: March 1-15
- Wyoming: March 1-4
- Guam: March 1-10
- Puerto Rico: March 4 – 22
- The District of Columbia: March 1-10
- The U.S. Virgin Islands: March 1
These adjustments account for the higher cost of living in these regions compared to the 48 contiguous states and Washington DC, where the maximum benefit for a one-person household is $292.
The minimum monthly SNAP payments remains at $23 in the 48 contiguous states and Washington DC.
The minimum monthly payment in Alaska ranges from $30 to $47, while it sits at $41 in Hawaii.
SNAP recipients could soon face purchase bans on popular items as the new USDA chief eyes a junk food boycott.
Meanwhile, Walmart, Kroger, and Costco shoppers could be hit under a plan to cut SNAP benefits by billions of dollars starting this year.
