DTA looks at total monthly income to decide if you are eligible for SNAP/food stamp benefits and how much you will get— but not all income counts. DTA is supposed to calculate your income based on what you anticipate receiving in the future.
The following items are examples of income that do not count:
- VISTA, Youthbuild, and AmeriCorps allowances, earnings, or payments.
- Lump sum payments— such as inheritances, tax credits, damage awards, one time severance pay, or other one-time payments.
- Reimbursements— such as money you get to pay you back for expenses including training-related expenses.
- Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) stipends paid to older workers doing part time community service work.
- Anything you do not get as cash— such as free housing or food, or money that is paid directly to a landlord or utility company made by a relative, friend or agency that has no legal obligation to do so.
- Cash contributions given to you that provide for part of your housing, food or other needs that are paid by a person or agency that has no legal obligation to do so.
- Veterans Services (M.G.L. c 115) payments made by vendor payment directly to your landlord or utility company.
- Money earned by a child under age 18 who is attending high school or elementary school at least half-time, provided the child lives with a parent or other responsible adult.
- Up to $30 per household member in a three-month period that is not regular (such as money from odd jobs).
- Up to $300 in a three-month period from private charities.
- Federal educational assistance including grants, loans, and work-study. See What if I am a college student?
- Other educational grants and scholarships that are for education costs and not earmarked or intended for current living expenses.
- Loans from private individuals and financial institutions, including loans on the equity of a home (reverse mortgages).
- The first $130 per month in training stipends.
- One-time payments, such as tax refunds, state and federal earned income tax credits (EITC), insurance settlements, and back benefits from other programs.
- Additional pay received by the household for a family member who is in the United States Armed forces and deployed in a combat zone.
- Legally obligated child support payments that you pay for a child who is living outside the home and not part of your SNAP/food stamp household (these payments are not counted for the gross income test nor calculating the benefit level).
These are just examples. Check the regulations for a complete list. 106 C.M.R. §§ 363.220(C), 363.230.
Advocacy Reminders
- You do not need to verify income that is considered non-countable or excluded unless the information you provide is inconsistent or questionable. 106 C.M.R. §§ 361.610(A), 363.210(D).
- Receipt of non-countable income may still qualify you for semi-annual reporting (versus change reporting) since the regulations require DTA to approve semi-annual reporting unless household receives self-employment or a household member is on TAFDC monthly reporting or elder/disabled with no earnings. 106 C.M.R. § 366.110(C)(1). See What is semi-annual reporting? and What is monthly reporting?
- Carefully check any overpayment allegations that may involve unreported income that turns out to be non-countable income. Wage match hits with the Department of Revenue do not consistently sift wages or other income that is in fact non-countable income for SNAP/food stamp purposes.
- Federal and state tax refunds (excluding earned income tax credits) and other lump sums of money such as lottery winnings, insurance settlements, and back benefits from other programs do not count as income. 106 C.M.R. §§ 363.130(E), 363.230(I), 363.140(G)(6).
- Unlike TAFDC and EAEDC, the SNAP/food stamp program does not count lump sum payments as income. For the very few SNAP/food stamp households subject to the asset limits, some lump sum payments count as assets in the month received and are considered countable assets in later months if you still have the money. 106 C.M.R. § 363.230(I).
- Remember: Some employers don't pay for benefits such as medical coverage or child care assistance directly. Instead, they give employees "credits" or "flex credits" that can be used to pay for these types of benefits. Although these "credits" may appear on pay stubs as income, they should be treated as non-countable income so long as you do not have the option of taking the credits as cash.
Additional Policy Guidance on Non-countable Income
Additional Policy Guidance on Non-countable Income
- Earnings received under SCSEP or the National Senior Network, Inc are not countable income. DTA Transitions (Apr. 2010)
- ARRA-funded and WIA-funded earnings are non-countable. DTA Transitions (Mar. 2010)
- Amount of voucher paid to households participating in Section 8 Homeownership Program not countable as income nor can amount be claimed as shelter costs. DTA Transitions (Mar. 2010)
- State Veterans Services payments (M.G.L. Ch. 115 benefits) paid directly to a landlord or utility company is a non-countable vendor payment. DTA Field Operations Memo 2009-13 (Feb. 27, 2009)
- A one-time severance payment is a non-recurring lump sum and does not count for SNAP/food stamp purposes, but recurring severance payments are countable income. DTA Transitions (Aug. 2009)
- Non-recurring lump sums are non-countable income for SNAP/food stamp purposes. DTA Transitions (Feb. 2008)
- Earnings or other income of ineligible college student (who is considered a non-household member) does not count in determining income of rest of household, but does count if student ends up meeting student eligibility rules. DTA Transitions (July 2009)
- Interest on assets and dividends is countable income. DTA Transitions (May 2009)
- Flexible credits provided by employers that are used for benefits such as health insurance and cannot be taken as cash are non-countable as income; DTA workers instructed to check pay stubs to identify non-countable flex-credits that are non-countable. DTA Transitions (Feb. 2006) and DTA Transitions (Jan. 2006)
- Payments from "reverse mortgage" is a loan and not countable as income for food stamps/SNAP. DTA Transitions (Apr. 2007)
- Tax deduction on Unemployment Insurance payment is not excluded under SNAP/food stamp rules. DTA Transitions (Dec. 2008)
- Foster grandparent income not countable for SNAP/food stamps. DTA Transitions (Jan. 2005)
- Payments by relative directly to landlord for rent are not countable income. DTA Transitions (May 2004)
- Social Security received by household for child residing in institution is not countable if money is used for the care and maintenance of the institutionalized child. DTA Transitions (June 2000)
Produced by Patricia Baker, Laura Gallant, Deborah Harris, Rochelle Hahn Massachusetts Law Reform Institute Last updated January 2011
