Estimate your potential North Carolina EBT (Food and Nutrition Services) benefit amount.
Estimated Monthly EBT Benefits
$0.00
Understanding North Carolina EBT (Food and Nutrition Services) Benefits
The North Carolina Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) program, commonly known as EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer), provides financial assistance to low-income households to help them purchase eligible food items. The amount of benefits a household receives is determined through a complex calculation that considers various factors related to the household's size, income, and allowable expenses. This calculator provides an estimated benefit amount based on common FNS guidelines, but it is not a guarantee of eligibility or benefit level. Official eligibility and benefit amounts are determined by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS).
How Benefits are Calculated (Simplified)
The core of the EBT calculation involves determining a household's Net Adjusted Income. This is calculated by taking the Gross Monthly Income and subtracting various deductions and expenses that are deemed allowable by the program. The goal is to assess what a household can reasonably contribute towards their food costs.
Gross Monthly Income: This is the total income all household members receive before any taxes or deductions.
Allowable Expenses: North Carolina EBT allows for several deductions from income, including:
Earned Income Deduction: Typically 20% of earned income (this is an approximation in this calculator).
Standard Deduction: A fixed amount based on household size (approximated here).
Dependent Care Expenses: Costs incurred for childcare or care of a disabled dependent so that a household member can work or attend training.
Medical Expenses: For elderly or disabled household members, medical expenses exceeding $35 per month can be deducted.
Housing Costs: Both rent/mortgage and utility costs can be deducted if they exceed 50% of the household's income after other deductions.
Net Adjusted Income: After all allowable deductions, the remaining income is the Net Adjusted Income.
Expected Household Contribution: For most households, the expected contribution to food costs is 30% of their Net Adjusted Income.
Maximum Benefit Allotment: This is the maximum amount of food benefits a household of a specific size can receive, determined by the USDA and NC DHHS.
Calculated Benefit: The final EBT benefit amount is the Maximum Benefit Allotment minus the Expected Household Contribution. If this number is zero or negative, no benefits are issued.
Key Inputs for the Calculator:
Household Size: The number of people living in the home who are applying for EBT benefits together.
Total Monthly Net Income: The amount of money all household members bring home after taxes and mandatory deductions.
Monthly Rent/Mortgage: The total amount paid for housing.
Monthly Utility Costs: The sum of essential utility bills (electricity, gas, water).
Medical Expenses: For households with seniors (60+) or disabled members, recurring medical costs over $35.
Childcare Expenses: Costs for caring for children while adults work or look for work.
Dependent Care Expenses: Costs for caring for a disabled household member while adults work or participate in training.
Disclaimer: This calculator is an estimation tool only. It uses simplified calculations and general deduction rules. Actual EBT benefit amounts are determined by the NC DHHS based on specific program rules, verification of income and expenses, and maximum allotment tables which can change. For an official determination, please apply through the NC Department of Health and Human Services or your local county social services office.
function calculateEbt() {
var householdSize = parseFloat(document.getElementById("householdSize").value);
var monthlyIncome = parseFloat(document.getElementById("monthlyIncome").value);
var monthlyRent = parseFloat(document.getElementById("monthlyRent").value);
var monthlyUtilities = parseFloat(document.getElementById("monthlyUtilities").value);
var medicalExpenses = parseFloat(document.getElementById("medicalExpenses").value);
var childcareExpenses = parseFloat(document.getElementById("childcareExpenses").value);
var dependentCareExpenses = parseFloat(document.getElementById("dependentCareExpenses").value);
var resultDisplay = document.getElementById("result-value");
// — Input Validation —
if (isNaN(householdSize) || householdSize <= 0) {
resultDisplay.innerText = "Invalid household size.";
return;
}
if (isNaN(monthlyIncome) || monthlyIncome < 0) {
resultDisplay.innerText = "Invalid monthly income.";
return;
}
if (isNaN(monthlyRent) || monthlyRent < 0) {
resultDisplay.innerText = "Invalid monthly rent.";
return;
}
if (isNaN(monthlyUtilities) || monthlyUtilities < 0) {
resultDisplay.innerText = "Invalid monthly utilities.";
return;
}
if (isNaN(medicalExpenses) || medicalExpenses < 0) {
resultDisplay.innerText = "Invalid medical expenses.";
return;
}
if (isNaN(childcareExpenses) || childcareExpenses < 0) {
resultDisplay.innerText = "Invalid childcare expenses.";
return;
}
if (isNaN(dependentCareExpenses) || dependentCareExpenses 35) {
deductibleMedicalExpenses = medicalExpenses – 35;
}
// 4. Childcare and Dependent Care Expenses
var deductibleCareExpenses = childcareExpenses + dependentCareExpenses;
// Total Deductions before Housing/Utilities
var totalDeductionsBeforeHousing = earnedIncomeDeduction + standardDeduction + deductibleMedicalExpenses + deductibleCareExpenses;
// Income after initial deductions
var incomeAfterInitialDeductions = monthlyIncome – totalDeductionsBeforeHousing;
if (incomeAfterInitialDeductions (incomeAfterInitialDeductions * 0.50)) {
// If shelter costs exceed 50% of income after other deductions, the excess is deducted.
// This is a simplification. Actual calculation might factor in a maximum shelter cap.
shelterDeduction = shelterCosts – (incomeAfterInitialDeductions * 0.50);
if (shelterDeduction < 0) shelterDeduction = 0;
} else {
// If shelter costs are 50% or less, only the utility portion might be deducted up to a certain limit or considered differently.
// For simplicity here, we'll assume no shelter deduction if it's not exceeding 50%.
// A more accurate model might include the utility cost itself if it's below the 50% threshold.
// For this simplified model, we'll allow utilities to be deducted if they are part of the shelter cost exceeding 50%.
// If shelterCosts 50% of incomeAfterInitialDeductions, then the shelter deduction rule doesn't trigger the *excess* deduction.
// However, standard EBT rules often allow a deduction for actual utility costs regardless of the 50% threshold, up to a certain limit.
// Let's assume utilities are always deductible up to a reasonable amount if not covered by the shelter deduction.
// Simplified: if shelter costs are NOT > 50%, we will deduct the LESSER of monthlyUtilities OR a fixed allowance (e.g. $150 for this example).
// This is highly simplified.
if (shelterCosts <= incomeAfterInitialDeductions * 0.50) {
var utilityAllowance = 150; // Example fixed allowance for utilities
shelterDeduction = Math.min(monthlyUtilities, utilityAllowance);
}
}
// Net Adjusted Income
var netAdjustedIncome = incomeAfterInitialDeductions – shelterDeduction;
if (netAdjustedIncome < 0) {
netAdjustedIncome = 0;
}
// Expected Household Contribution (30% of Net Adjusted Income)
var expectedContribution = netAdjustedIncome * 0.30;
// Maximum Benefit Allotment (Example tables – highly simplified and illustrative)
// These values are based on general FNS maximums and can vary.
var maxBenefitAllotment = 0;
if (householdSize === 1) maxBenefitAllotment = 291;
else if (householdSize === 2) maxBenefitAllotment = 535;
else if (householdSize === 3) maxBenefitAllotment = 766;
else if (householdSize === 4) maxBenefitAllotment = 997;
else if (householdSize === 5) maxBenefitAllotment = 1192;
else if (householdSize === 6) maxBenefitAllotment = 1373;
else if (householdSize === 7) maxBenefitAllotment = 1540;
else maxBenefitAllotment = 1540 + (householdSize – 7) * 167; // Approximate for larger households
// Final Benefit Calculation
var calculatedBenefit = maxBenefitAllotment – expectedContribution;
// Ensure benefit is not negative
if (calculatedBenefit < 0) {
calculatedBenefit = 0;
}
// Format and display the result
resultDisplay.innerText = "$" + calculatedBenefit.toFixed(2);
}