SNAP
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The Basics
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a program that helps you pay for food. In Minnesota, this program used to be called Food Support and Food Stamps.
The program does not use Food Stamps anymore. Instead, you get a plastic card called an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. The EBT card looks and works like a debit card. Minnesota puts money on the EBT card each month. You use the card to pay for food, just the way you would use a debit card.
Learn how Minnesota benefits can help you get ahead when you work by watching the short video below.
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Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA)
MSA is a state program that helps many people who get SSI.
Housing
Section 8, Housing Support, and other programs help pay for housing.
Medical Assistance (MA): Overview
MA is public health coverage. There are different ways to qualify.
SNAP
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Eligibility
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is for people who can’t afford to pay for food. When you apply for SNAP, you’ll need to provide details about how much income everyone in your house has. If you have more income than the program allows, you won't qualify for SNAP.
Some households don’t have to worry about SNAP's income limits. For example, if everyone in your household is on one of these programs, you'll qualify for SNAP no matter what your gross income is:
- General Assistance (GA)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA)
The same is true if at least one person in your household is on one of these programs:
- Diversionary Work Program (DWP)
- Basic Sliding Fee Child Care Assistance
- Transitional Year Child Care Assistance
Note: Even if you automatically qualify, you may still need to apply separately for SNAP benefits. If you have any questions, Chat with a Hub expert.
Income Limits for Households that Do Not Automatically Qualify
If you do not qualify automatically based on one of the benefits listed above, to qualify for SNAP, your household income will have to be below an income limit. The exact income limit depends on whether there is a member of the household who has a disability and how many people live in the household.
Income Limits for Households that Include People with Disabilities
Households that include at least one person with a disability can have more income than households without disabilities and still get SNAP. If your household includes a member who is elderly or has a disability, you have to meet meet a net income limit. That means that to see if you qualify, you take your gross income and subtract various deductions.
The most common deductions for households that include a disabled person or elderly person are:
- A standard $204 deduction
- 20% of gross earned income
- Dependent care costs
- Court-ordered child support for someone outside the household
- Unreimbursed medical expenses above $35 per month, and
- Deductions for rent, mortgage expenses, property taxes, home insurance, and utility costs. The eligibility worker calculates the amount of this deduction.
To figure out if you'll qualify, you can subtract these deductions from your household's gross income and compare the resulting number to the chart below. Make sure to compare it to the net income limit for a household your size. If you qualify, your net income amount will also impact how much you get in benefits.
There are some additional deductions, so if you aren't sure about how to figure out your net income, Chat with a Hub expert.
People in your Household |
Monthly Net Income Limit |
1 |
$1,255 |
2 |
$1,704 |
3 |
$2,152 |
4 |
$2,600 |
5 |
$3,049 |
6 |
$3,497 |
7 |
$3,945 |
8 |
$4,394 |
For each additional person over 8... |
Add $448 |
Note: Some people with disabilities have people who help them with buying and preparing food. You do not have to include them in your household when you apply for SNAP.
Income Limits for Households without Disabilities
If nobody in your household has a disability or is elderly, SNAP looks at your household's gross income to determine whether or not you qualify. Your gross income is your earned income plus your unearned income before taxes or other deductions are made.
Compare your family's gross income to the table below to see if you qualify. Make sure to compare it to the gross income limit for a household your size.
People in your Household |
Monthly Gross Income Limit |
---|---|
1 |
$2,510 |
2 |
$3,407 |
3 |
$4,304 |
4 |
$5,200 |
5 |
$6,097 |
6 |
$6,994 |
7 |
$7,890 |
8 |
$8,787 |
For each additional person over 8... |
Add $897 |
The Benefit Amount
SNAP has a chart of how much money is spent by households with low income on food each month. This amount is the maximum possible benefit you can get and depends on how many people are in your household:
People in your household |
Amount to spend on food each month |
---|---|
1 |
$292 |
2 |
$536 |
3 |
$768 |
4 |
$975 |
5 |
$1,158 |
6 |
$1,390 |
7 |
$1,536 |
8 |
$1,756 |
For each additional person over 8... |
Add $220 |
If you have no monthly net income (gross income minus allowed deductions), the amounts shown above are what you’ll receive each month from SNAP.
The Benefit Amount If You Have Income
If your household has income after all deductions have been applied, the SNAP program estimates that you can afford to spend 30% of your income on food and your SNAP benefit will be reduced by that amount.
Maximum benefit amount from the table | |
Minus your net income x 0.3 | |
|
|
Your SNAP benefit amount |
The minimum SNAP benefit for households of one or two people is $23 per month.
If you have any questions, Chat with a Hub expert.
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Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA)
MSA is a state program that helps many people who get SSI.
Housing
Section 8, Housing Support, and other programs help pay for housing.
Medical Assistance (MA): Overview
MA is public health coverage. There are different ways to qualify.
SNAP
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Application
You can apply for SNAP online using MNbenefits or by filing a paper application at your local county or tribal human services office. They will contact you to set up an interview. The interview can be at the county agency or you can ask for an interview over the phone.
For more information, call one of Minnesota's SNAP hotlines:
- Twin Cities: 1-651-431-4050
- Outside Twin Cities: 1-800-657-3698
- Minnesota Relay (TTY): 1-800-627-3529
Reporting
In order to avoid problems with your benefits, it’s important to tell your county worker when your income, assets, or living situation changes. You will get instructions from your county worker on how to report changes. If you aren't sure about reporting changes, contact your county or tribal human services office.
Appeals
If your application is denied, and you don’t agree with a decision that the county made, you can file an appeal. You can find information on appeals on Department of Human Services (DHS) materials at your local county or tribal human services office or on the notice that is mailed to you.
Minnesota Department of Human Services
Appeals Office
PO Box 64941 St. Paul, MN 55164-0941
Twin Cities: 1-651-431-3600 (Voice)
Outside Twin Cities: 1-800-657-3510
TTY: 1-800-627-3529
Fax: 1-651-431-7523
Learn more
Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA)
MSA is a state program that helps many people who get SSI.
Housing
Section 8, Housing Support, and other programs help pay for housing.
Medical Assistance (MA): Overview
MA is public health coverage. There are different ways to qualify.
Try It
Other Aspects of SNAP
SNAP and Working
SNAP has rules about working. The person who financially supports the house is called the "principal wage earner". The principal wage earners can’t leave their job without a good reason and still get SNAP.
Minnesota also has a SNAP Employment & Training Program (SNAP E&T) to help people on SNAP prepare for and find a job. Depending on your needs, the program may be able to provide you with job placement assistance, job training, English language training, and other services. To learn more, contact your county or tribal human services office or Chat with a Hub expert.
Note: If you are between the ages of 18 and 50, on SNAP, and don't receive support from any other cash assistance programs (SSI, SSDI, or Minnesota Supplemental Aid, for example), you may be required to take part in the SNAP E&T program. To learn more about SNAP E&T, click here.
Emergency SNAP
People who need help quickly might be able to get help within a day of applying.
- Less than $150 a month in gross income and less than $100 in available cash; or
- Income and assets that are less than your housing costs.
Other Minnesota Food Programs
The Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) helps families with low incomes by giving them money while helping them find employment. Families on MFIP get help paying for food through the MFIP program. When you get off of MFIP, you might be eligible for SNAP. See DB101's MFIP article for more details.
There are citizenship rules for SNAP. These rules are set by the federal government. Some people meet all of the SNAP requirements except for these citizenship rules. When this happens, and you are over 50 years old, the state might help pay for food through the Minnesota Food Assistance Program (MFAP).
Learn more
Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA)
MSA is a state program that helps many people who get SSI.
Housing
Section 8, Housing Support, and other programs help pay for housing.
Medical Assistance (MA): Overview
MA is public health coverage. There are different ways to qualify.
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Example
Marcela's Story
Marcela lives with her husband, brother, and two children. She works part time for a local community center. Her brother was in a car accident a number of years back, and has only been able to work on and off because of his disability.
They never had trouble making ends meet until Marcela’s husband was laid off. They could still afford to pay for rent, but after that, money was tight. Marcela decided that they needed help paying for food.
Her first step was to call the SNAP hotline at 1-651-431-3600. She was happy to find out that if there was an emergency, she could get SNAP benefits within 24 hours. Luckily, things weren’t that bad.
Applying for SNAP
She applied online using MNbenefits. The application asked questions about her family’s income and living situation.
She learned that SNAP has rules to help households that have people with disabilities.When she went in for an interview, she brought along pay stubs and other proof of her family’s income. During the interview, she learned that SNAP has rules to help households that have people with disabilities, so that less of the family's earned income would be counted by the program and the family would be able to deduct most of the money that they spent on his medical expenses. These rules made it easier for the family to qualify and also meant they'd get more in SNAP each month.
Using SNAP
About three weeks after applying, Marcela got a letter saying that her family had been approved for SNAP at $700 a month. This was the maximum benefit for households of five minus the net income that Marcela had from her job. She also got her Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card and instructions on how to use it.
The first time she went to the store, she was worried that people would know that she was on SNAP. She had heard stories from her clients about the dirty looks people gave them when they handed over food stamps. But the EBT card looked just like any other debit card. The other people in line had no idea that she was on SNAP.
Learn more
Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA)
MSA is a state program that helps many people who get SSI.
Housing
Section 8, Housing Support, and other programs help pay for housing.
Medical Assistance (MA): Overview
MA is public health coverage. There are different ways to qualify.
Try It
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SNAP?
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps you pay for food. It is a county-run program that is supervised by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) and is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
What is the difference between SNAP and Food Stamps?
There is no difference. SNAP used to be called Food Stamps (and was also called Food Support for a while). Now, it doesn’t give out actual stamps anymore and instead uses an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, which is like a debit card.
Since there are no more Food Stamps, how does SNAP give me money to help pay for food?
You will get an Electronic Benefits Card from SNAP. It looks and works like a debit card. No one at the store will know that you are on SNAP when you check out.
Who can get SNAP benefits?
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is for people who can’t afford to pay for food. Most households have to meet income limits in order to qualify for the program.
Are there households that don’t have to meet the income limit for SNAP?
Your household doesn’t have to meet the income limit for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) if:
- Everyone in your household is on Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA), or General Assistance (GA); or
- At least one person in your household is on Diversionary Work Program (DWP), Basic Sliding Fee Child Care Assistance (BSF), or Transitional Year Child Care Assistance
What is the asset limit for SNAP?
There is no asset limit for SNAP. You can own as many assets as you'd like and still qualify for SNAP (assuming you meet all other program requirements).
What is the income limit for SNAP?
How the income limit works depends on whether there is a disabled or elderly family member in the household:
- If there is, the family must meet a net income limit.
- If there is not, the family must meet a gross income limit.
For more detail about these limits, read SNAP: Eligibility.
How much money will my household get each month from SNAP?
The amount you get depends on your income, the number of people in your household, and your deductions. Your monthly benefit could range anywhere from $23 for a single-person to $1,756 for an 8-person household.
I have a Personal Care Attendant to help me prepare meals. Do I have to include that person in my household when I apply for SNAP?
Personal Care Attendants do not have to be included in the household when you apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
How do I apply for SNAP?
You can apply for SNAP online at MNbenefits or by filing a paper application. Contact your county or tribal human services office for more information or call one of the SNAP hotlines:
- Twin Cities: 651-431-4050
- Outside Twin Cities: 1-800-657-3698
- Minnesota Relay (TTY): 1-800-627-3529
Where can I shop with my SNAP benefits?
Each month, you will get your benefits automatically in an account that is linked to an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, which is similar to a debit card. You can use your benefits at any grocery store that accepts Minnesota’s EBT card. These stores will have posters or signs that read: “We Accept EBT.” The EBT card may also be used at Meals on Wheels and congregate dining sites.
Learn more
Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA)
MSA is a state program that helps many people who get SSI.
Housing
Section 8, Housing Support, and other programs help pay for housing.
Medical Assistance (MA): Overview
MA is public health coverage. There are different ways to qualify.
Try It
Frequent Pitfalls
Not attending your phone or in-office interview for SNAP
When you apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), you will have an interview. If you can’t go into the county office for the interview, you can schedule it over the phone. Make sure to keep your appointment or to reschedule it if you miss it. Your application will be denied if you don’t have an interview.
Not getting SNAP because you feel embarrassed
SNAP benefits used to be given out through Food Stamps. People would be embarrassed to use their Food Stamps because everyone in line would know that they were on SNAP. There are no more Food Stamps. You get SNAP benefits on an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. EBT cards look and work like a debit card. No one in line at the grocery store will know that you’re on SNAP.
Not reporting changes to your income or living situation
When you start getting SNAP, you will get instructions on how to report changes in your household. In order to avoid problems with your SNAP benefits, it’s important to fill out these forms accurately and on time.
Not filling out the application at MNbenefits correctly
The online application form at MNbenefits is complicated. It’s important to read through the instructions carefully so that you are sure that you’ve filled out the form as best you can. You can save a partial application and come back to it later.
If you prefer, you can fill out a paper application.
Misinformation
It can be difficult to find accurate and complete information about public benefits programs. Some social workers and advocates may have limited knowledge of available options. They may also be unaware of how changes in income or employment can affect eligibility for such programs.
To be sure the information you receive is accurate and complete, Chat with a Hub expert or contact your county or tribal human services office.
Learn more
Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA)
MSA is a state program that helps many people who get SSI.
Housing
Section 8, Housing Support, and other programs help pay for housing.
Medical Assistance (MA): Overview
MA is public health coverage. There are different ways to qualify.
SNAP
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Next Steps
Learn More
To learn more:
- Visit the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) website for general information on cash benefit programs, including SNAP
- Read the Minnesota Combined Manual for detailed information on cash benefit program rules, including SNAP
Apply for SNAP
Apply for SNAP online at MNbenefits or by filing a paper application.
For more information, call one of Minnesota's SNAP hotlines:
- Twin Cities: 1-651-431-4050
- Outside Twin Cities: 1-800-657-3698
- Minnesota Relay (TTY): 1-800-627-3529
Learn About Work and Benefits - Chat with a Hub expert!
When you have questions or need help, use Chat with a Hub expert. This feature connects you to a DB101 Expert using live chat, phone, or secure email. Anything you talk about is private.
- Understand your current benefits
- Get help using DB101.org
- Connect to resources
- Plan next steps
Free Legal Help
The Minnesota Disability Law Center (MDLC) provides free assistance to people with civil legal issues related to their disability. Call the MDLC Intake Line at 1-612-334-5970 (Twin Cities metro area), 1-800-292-4150 (Greater Minnesota), or 1-612-332-4668 (TTY).
Find Local Services
You can use MinnesotaHelp.info to find social services near you, from benefits applications to job counseling. |
Try these searches:
Learn more
Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA)
MSA is a state program that helps many people who get SSI.
Housing
Section 8, Housing Support, and other programs help pay for housing.
Medical Assistance (MA): Overview
MA is public health coverage. There are different ways to qualify.