SNAP Income Limits 2026: Gross, Net, and the Higher BBCE Limits by Household Size

SNAP uses two income tests, not one

This is the piece most people miss. SNAP looks at two numbers: your gross income (everything you bring in before deductions) and your net income (what's left after SNAP subtracts its deductions). Most households have to fall under both limits — gross at 130% of the Federal Poverty Level, net at 100%.

There's an important exception: a household with a member who is age 60 or older, or who has a disability, skips the gross test entirely and only has to meet the net limit. And the gap between gross and net can be large — the 20% earned-income deduction, the standard deduction, and deductions for rent, utilities, dependent care, and medical costs all pull your countable income down. So the number that decides your case is usually well below your paycheck.

FY2026 gross and net monthly income limits

These are the monthly limits for the 48 contiguous states and DC, by household size (Alaska and Hawaii are higher — see below):

For each person beyond eight, add $596 to the gross limit and $459 to the net limit. These figures run October 2025 through September 2026 (federal fiscal year 2026).

Most states actually use a higher limit (BBCE)

Here's the part that changes the math for millions of households. Through an option called Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE), most states raise the gross-income limit above the federal 130% — many all the way to 200% of poverty. In a 200% state, a family of three can have gross income up to about $4,442 a month and still be in the running, versus $2,888 under the federal floor.

More than 40 states use BBCE, and many of them also waive the asset test as part of it. The catch is that the net-income test still applies, so BBCE widens the front door (gross) without removing the final check (net). The practical takeaway: the federal 130% is a floor, not the ceiling, almost everywhere — so don't rule yourself out based on the 130% column. Check your own state with the poverty-level calculator, which applies your state's actual percentage.

The asset (resource) limit

Income isn't the only test — there's also a limit on countable resources (cash and money in the bank). For FY2026 it's $3,000 for most households, or $4,500 if a member is 60 or older or has a disability. Your home, most retirement accounts, and usually a vehicle you need don't count toward it.

But remember the BBCE point above: most states that use BBCE waive the asset test entirely, so in those states your savings don't disqualify you at all. A handful of states keep an asset test, sometimes at a higher figure than the federal $3,000/$4,500. See does money in the bank affect SNAP for how this plays out, or run the asset-test tool to check your state.

Why being "over the limit" often isn't

Two forces rescue a lot of applicants who assume they earn too much. First, deductions: by the time SNAP subtracts 20% of your earnings, a standard deduction, and your shelter, dependent-care, and (if applicable) medical costs, your net income can land under the limit even when your gross looks high. Second, BBCE raises the gross bar in most states. Together, they mean the paper test you failed in your head is often not the test the office actually runs.

So the rule is simple: don't self-reject. Estimate your net with the net-income calculator, see what gets counted in the first place in what counts as income, and make sure you're claiming every deduction in SNAP deductions explained. A surprising share of "I make too much" households qualify once the real numbers go in.

Alaska and Hawaii are higher

Because the cost of living is higher, Alaska and Hawaii use larger Federal Poverty Level figures, which means higher SNAP income limits and larger maximum benefits than the 48-state table above. If you live there, the structure is the same — gross and net tests, BBCE, the asset rule — but every dollar figure is bigger. The maximum monthly benefits are scaled up to match as well, so the entire structure shifts upward together — don't compare yourself to the 48-state numbers and assume you're over. Use your state's figures rather than the contiguous-states table.

What income counts toward these limits

The limits are measured against your countable income, which is not every dollar that passes through your hands. Wages, self-employment profit, Social Security, SSI, unemployment, pensions, and child support you receive generally count. A number of things don't: most federal student aid, the Earned Income Tax Credit and other tax refunds, many one-time payments, and the income of household members who aren't applying. Because the line between counted and excluded income decides everything here, read what counts as income for SNAP before you conclude you're over — a chunk of what feels like income to you may not count at all.

How this plays out — three quick examples

The single earner who assumed they made too much. One person grossing $1,900 a month is over the $1,696 gross floor. But after the 20% earned-income deduction, the standard deduction, and rent, their net can drop below $1,305 — so in a 130% state they may still qualify, and in a 200% BBCE state the gross limit for one ($2,609) was never the problem to begin with.

The family of four in a BBCE state. Four people grossing $4,200 are over the federal $3,483 gross limit. But in a state using the 200% BBCE option, the gross limit is about $5,359 — so they clear the gross test, and deductions then decide the benefit on the net side. The same family in a strict 130% state might not pass gross at all. Same income, different result, purely by state.

The senior on a fixed income. A 70-year-old skips the gross test entirely — only the net limit applies. High out-of-pocket medical costs come off their income first, so a retiree who looks "over" on paper frequently qualifies once medical and shelter deductions are counted.

Under the limit? Here's what you might receive

Passing the income tests is the gate, not the amount. Your actual benefit depends on your net income — it falls by about 30 cents for every extra dollar of net income, up to the maximum for your household size. For FY2026 the maximums run from $298 a month for one person to $1,789 for eight, plus $218 for each additional person, and a household with very little net income receives the full maximum. To estimate yours, use the max-benefit calculator; for the formula behind it, see how much SNAP will I get.

So which test actually decides my case?

Put the pieces together and the logic is straightforward. If you have a member who is 60+ or disabled, only the net test applies — the gross limit is irrelevant for you. Everyone else generally has to clear two bars: the gross limit (130% in strict states, up to 200% under BBCE in most states) and the net limit (100%). You pass the gross gate first; deductions then bring your income down to the net figure that sets your benefit. Failing one of them is what disqualifies a household — which is exactly why the deductions and your state's BBCE setting matter so much, and why "my paycheck is above the 130% number" is rarely the end of the story.

A shortcut: categorical eligibility

One path skips much of the income math. If everyone in your household already receives certain other assistance — most commonly TANF cash assistance or SSI — your household may be categorically eligible for SNAP, meaning you're treated as having met the income and resource tests because you already qualified for another means-tested program. You still apply, and your benefit is still calculated from your income, but the eligibility gate is largely handled for you. The Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility option works the same way at the state level, which is why so many states can use the higher 200% gross limit and waive the asset test. If you receive TANF or SSI, say so up front — it can simplify your SNAP application considerably.

How to check where you stand

The fastest read: run the poverty-level calculator for your household size and state, then walk the full picture in do I qualify for SNAP. These are estimates to tell you whether it's worth applying — your state office runs the binding calculation. And if you're close to a limit, apply anyway: the deductions a caseworker applies often pull people under who didn't expect to make it. The worst outcome of applying when you're unsure is a denial that costs you nothing; the worst outcome of not applying is months of benefits you were entitled to and never claimed.

General guidance, not a determination — rules vary by state. Confirm with your state SNAP office.