*This is an estimate based on federal fiscal year 2024 guidelines. Actual benefits depend on your state agency's specific rules and deductions.
How SNAP Benefits are Calculated
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) uses a specific mathematical formula to determine how much food assistance a household qualifies for. The process involves evaluating your Gross Income, Net Income, and specific household expenses.
1. Gross Income Limit
In most states, your total monthly income (before taxes and deductions) must be at or below 130% of the Federal Poverty Level. For a household of one, this is roughly $1,580 per month; for a family of four, it is approximately $3,250.
2. The Net Income Calculation
To find your "Net Income," the following deductions are typically applied to your gross income:
20% Deduction: 20% of your earned income is excluded.
Standard Deduction: A flat amount based on household size (usually $198 for 1-3 people).
Shelter Deduction: Costs for housing and utilities that exceed 50% of the income left after other deductions.
Dependent Care: Costs for childcare or care for disabled adults required for work or training.
3. Determining the Benefit Amount
Once your Net Income is determined, the program assumes that 30% of that income will be spent on food. The monthly benefit is calculated by taking the Maximum Allotment for your household size and subtracting 30% of your Net Income.
Household Size
Max Monthly Benefit (2024)
Gross Income Limit (130%)
1
$291
$1,580
2
$535
$2,137
3
$766
$2,694
4
$973
$3,250
5
$1,155
$3,807
Example Calculation
Consider a single person earning $1,200/month with $600 rent. After the 20% earned income deduction ($240) and the standard deduction ($198), their adjusted income is $762. If their shelter costs exceed half of that, they get a shelter deduction. If their final Net Income is $400, their SNAP benefit would be the Max Allotment ($291) minus 30% of $400 ($120), resulting in an estimated $171 monthly benefit.
function calculateSNAP() {
// Data for 2024 (Federal)
var maxAllotments = {1: 291, 2: 535, 3: 766, 4: 973, 5: 1155, 6: 1386, 7: 1532, 8: 1751};
var grossLimits = {1: 1580, 2: 2137, 3: 2694, 4: 3250, 5: 3807, 6: 4364, 7: 4921, 8: 5478};
var standardDeductions = {1: 198, 2: 198, 3: 198, 4: 208, 5: 244, 6: 279, 7: 279, 8: 279};
var shelterCap = 672;
// Inputs
var size = parseInt(document.getElementById('householdSize').value);
var earned = parseFloat(document.getElementById('earnedIncome').value) || 0;
var unearned = parseFloat(document.getElementById('unearnedIncome').value) || 0;
var shelter = parseFloat(document.getElementById('rentMortgage').value) || 0;
var utilities = parseFloat(document.getElementById('utilityCosts').value) || 0;
var depCare = parseFloat(document.getElementById('dependentCare').value) || 0;
var resultDiv = document.getElementById('snap-result');
var statusDiv = document.getElementById('eligibility-status');
var amountDiv = document.getElementById('benefit-amount');
// 1. Gross Income Test
var totalGross = earned + unearned;
var limit = grossLimits[size] || (5478 + ((size – 8) * 557));
if (totalGross > limit) {
resultDiv.style.display = 'block';
statusDiv.innerHTML = 'Potentially Ineligible';
amountDiv.innerHTML = 'Your gross monthly income of $' + totalGross.toFixed(2) + ' exceeds the limit of $' + limit.toFixed(2) + ' for a household of ' + size + '.';
return;
}
// 2. Net Income Calculation
// 20% earned income deduction
var earnedDeduction = earned * 0.20;
var stdDed = standardDeductions[size] || 279;
// Adjusted Income
var adjustedIncome = totalGross – earnedDeduction – stdDed – depCare;
if (adjustedIncome < 0) adjustedIncome = 0;
// Shelter Deduction
var totalShelter = shelter + utilities;
var excessShelter = totalShelter – (adjustedIncome / 2);
if (excessShelter shelterCap) excessShelter = shelterCap; // Note: Elderly/Disabled often have no cap, but this is a general calc
var netIncome = adjustedIncome – excessShelter;
if (netIncome < 0) netIncome = 0;
// 3. Benefit Calculation
var maxBenefit = maxAllotments[size] || (1751 + ((size – 8) * 219));
var thirtyPercentNet = netIncome * 0.30;
var finalBenefit = maxBenefit – thirtyPercentNet;
// Handle minimums for 1-2 person households
if (finalBenefit < 23 && (size === 1 || size === 2)) {
finalBenefit = 23;
}
if (finalBenefit <= 0) {
resultDiv.style.display = 'block';
statusDiv.innerHTML = 'Income Too High for Benefits';
amountDiv.innerHTML = 'Based on your net income calculation, your estimated benefit is $0.';
} else {
resultDiv.style.display = 'block';
statusDiv.innerHTML = 'Estimated Eligibility: Likely Qualify';
amountDiv.innerHTML = 'Your estimated monthly SNAP benefit is: $' + Math.round(finalBenefit) + '';
}
}