Starting September 1, 2023, these new exemptions include veterans, people who are unhoused and youth up to age 24 who have aged out of foster care.Ī. The FRA also expanded the exemptions to the time limit. After the phase-in period, an estimated 19,000 older adults would be expected to comply with work reporting rules. The final age extension will phase in in October 2024. In September 2023 the age extended to 50, and in October 2023 the age extended to 52. The age increase will phase in over time. New Federal Law Increases the Age of Adults Subject to the Work Rules and Expands Exemptions from the RequirementsĬhanges in the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA), the debt ceiling agreement which Congress passed in the spring of 2023, will increase the age, from 49 to 54, of adults who need to document their work hours or exemption status or be cut from SNAP. Additionally, southwest Georgia has high levels of Black residents and historically high poverty rates. DHS data show that counties with the highest share of these adults reside in the southwest region of the state, which is the region most at risk of seeing people lose SNAP benefits. (At the time of publishing, GBPI did not have state data on how many additional people were subject to this requirement after the changes made in September and October 2023. According to the Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS), there were about 87,000 SNAP adults who were subject to these work reporting requirements in June. If a person is cut off from SNAP because of the time limit, they do not qualify for the program for three years. Adults subject to the reporting requirement have three months to receive SNAP if they are not fully complying with this requirement or do not meet an exemption. Requirements include working, enrolling in an approved training program or volunteering at a nonprofit for at least 20 hours a week. Adults aged 18 to 52 without a disability and not living with children are subject to this requirement. One of the policies that is particularly harmful for participants in the SNAP program is the time limit that is enforced when individuals do not meet the work reporting requirement. Time Limits and Work Reporting Requirements A typical SNAP household receives about $6 per person per day each month. For other households, benefits are determined by subtracting 30% of the family’s net monthly income from the maximum benefit. Families with no net income can receive the maximum SNAP payments. The SNAP program assumes households spend 30% of their net income on food. The second test assesses if the household’s net income (gross income minus deductions like housing costs) is at or below 100% of the federal poverty line (or $2,500 a month for a family of four).

In Georgia, seniors or people with a disability who receive Temporary Assistance for Need Families (TANF) Community Outreach Services (TCOS) are automatically eligible for SNAP if their gross income is within 200% of the poverty line. Applicants who are seniors (60 or older) or who have a disability must meet a gross income limit equal to or less than 165% of the poverty line (about $2,713 a month for a family of two). The first test is the gross income, or total income, which must be at or below 130% of the poverty line (or $3,250 a month for a family of four).

First, applicants who are not elderly (60 or older) or disabled must meet two income tests. There are several factors that affect SNAP eligibility. State SNAP agencies also consider major expenses like housing costs and whether certain adults are working. However, income is one factor in determining eligibility and benefit levels. SNAP targets people with the lowest levels of income. What are the SNAP Eligibility Limits and Benefit Levels? This paper provides an overview of key SNAP issues related to eligibility and benefits, funding, the program’s role in reducing food insecurity and more. SNAP, also known as food stamps, helps about 700,000 Georgia households with a fixed income, low income, modest or unpredictable earnings afford the cost of food, especially when the economy is weak or when food costs are high. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a proven and effective tool to reduce food insecurity, help improve health outcomes, bolster local economies and support low-paid workers. On October 1, 2023, FNS implemented the SNAP COLA for the income eligibility standards and the maximum benefit allotments. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) will issue cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at the start of each federal fiscal year. Updated November 2, 2023: In accordance with the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, the U.S.

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