SNAP Benefits Just Changed: What October's Adjustment Means for Your Family

What Changed with SNAP on October 1

Each October, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) updates SNAP benefit amounts, income limits, and deductions to keep pace with food costs. This year, the maximum benefit in the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C., goes up about 3% and takes effect automatically. The new amounts run from Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027. Here’s what those changes look like.

A few other changes:

• The minimum benefit rises to $25 for one- and two-person households.

• Alaska, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have their own, higher tables, and all three are going up.

• Hawaii’s maximum for a family of four drops to $1,655, from $1,689.

Keep in mind that the maximum goes to households with little or no income left after deductions. Most families get less, based on their income and expenses.

How USDA Sets Your Benefit

SNAP amounts come from the Thrifty Food Plan, USDA’s estimate of what healthy, inexpensive meals cost. USDA prices the plan each June for a family of four, then adjusts it for other household sizes. Smaller households get a bit more per person, and larger ones get a bit less.

Under a 2025 federal law, the plan’s cost now adjusts each October in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), a federal measure of how prices change. The same law also limits how much future reviews can raise the plan’s cost.

Are You Eligible for SNAP?

Income is a large part of SNAP eligibility. SNAP looks at your gross income (what your household brings in before deductions), and your net income (what’s left after deductions).

Most households must fall under both the gross and net limits. If someone in your home is 60 or older or has a disability, you only need to meet the net limit. Here are the new monthly limits for the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C.

Your household can have up to $3,000 in countable savings and other assets, or $4,750 if someone is 60 or older or has a disability. Most states use a program option that lets them set higher limits, so check with your state SNAP office, even if you don’t think you qualify.

How to Estimate Your New SNAP Benefit

SNAP expects families to put about 30% of their net income toward food. Your benefit is the maximum for your household size, minus that 30% share. Here’s how to work it out.

1. Add up your gross monthly income. Count wages, Social Security, child support, and other money coming in.

2. Take off 20% of your earned income. This deduction applies to money from work.

3. Take away the standard deduction. It’s $217 for one to three people and $229 for four.

4. Remove care and medical costs. Subtract child or dependent care you pay for so you can work or go to school. If someone is 60 or older or has a disability, you can also subtract their medical costs above $35 a month.

5. Determine your shelter deduction. Find half of what’s left. Then subtract any rent or mortgage and utility costs above that amount, up to $769. If someone in your home is 60 or older or has a disability, there’s no cap.

6. Find your benefit. Multiply your net income by 0.3, round up, and subtract the result from your maximum.

Let’s say you’re a family of four in Georgia. You earn $2,400 a month, pay $300 for child care, and spend $1,100 on rent and utilities.

• $2,400 – 20% ($480) = $1,920

• $1,920 – the $229 standard deduction = $1,691

• $1,691 – $300 for child care = $1,391

• Half of $1,391 is $695.50. Your housing costs top that by $404.50, so your net income is $986.50.

• 30% of $986.50 is $296, rounded up. $1,023 – $296 = $727 a month.

Under last year’s numbers, this family would have gotten $695, so the update adds $32 a month.

Your state makes the final call. Your SNAP office notice will show your exact amount.

Report every cost that counts, including rent, utilities, child care, and medical bills for older or disabled family members, to lower your net income and raise your benefit. Internet bills no longer count toward the shelter deduction.

Other SNAP Changes to Know

A 2025 federal law changed more than the yearly update. Other updates could affect your family.

• Wider work rules. Adults up to age 64 who can work and don’t have a child under 14 at home may now need to meet work rules. That means working, volunteering, or joining a training program at least 20 hours a week to get SNAP for more than three months in three years. The law also ended automatic exceptions for veterans, people without stable housing, and young adults who aged out of foster care.

• Possible delays. Starting Oct. 1, states pay 75% of the cost of running SNAP, up from 50%. Some states may cut staff, which could slow down applications. If your renewal date is coming up, send in forms early and open every letter from your SNAP office to avoid a gap in benefits.

• Utility help. If no one in your home is 60 or older or has a disability, energy assistance payments no longer automatically raise your utility deduction.

• Federal funding. Congress passed a short-term law that funds federal agencies through Dec. 11, 2026. Money already on your EBT card stays there even during a shutdown.

Other Available Resources

While SNAP is one program you’re entitled to if you qualify, a few free tools and programs can help your food budget go further.

Use the free Propel app to see your EBT balance, recent purchases, and when your next deposit should arrive. It also lists deals for SNAP shoppers.

If you’re pregnant, just had a baby, or have kids under 5, WIC can add formula, produce, and other healthy foods on top of SNAP. In New York, Georgia, California, Texas, North Carolina, Illinois, Virginia, and Florida, the Lulo app helps WIC families find approved foods and check their balance. Learn how to use SNAP and WIC together to get more food for your family.