Food Stamps: How Much Should I Get?
From CalWORKs | Welfare Resources
Download PDF Fact Sheet - includes a worksheet to help you estimate of how much in Food Stamps you should get.
Contents |
This is to help you see if the county is giving you the correct amount of Food Stamps. It explains the Food Stamp terms and deductions, so you can check how the County figured your grant amount. If your notices do not have the math listing how the county calculated your food stamps, ask your worker for the “food stamp budget.”
Households
- Food Stamps are issued to “households.” A “household” for food stamps is anyone (related or not) who buys and makes their food together. There are some exceptions. For example, parents living with their children under 22 must be in one household; people who cannot buy or make their own food because of a disability may be in a separate household. Ask your worker if you have questions.
- Your Food Stamps Budget should say “HH” followed by a number. The number is how many people the county says you have in your household. For example, "HH 03" means you have 3 people on the food stamps grant. Too many? Too few? Tell your worker.
Income deductions
These deductions help lower the income food stamps counts against your grant. The more deductions, the more benefits! Make sure you are getting all the deductions that apply to you:
- 20% off your earned income (from pre-tax pay)
- $134 for every household
- Dependent care costs (up to $175/month per person, or up to 200/month (per child under 2)
- This deduction is for when you need this care to work, look for work or do employment training or classes. This deduction includes care for adults who cannot be left alone.
- Medical expenses (not paid for by insurance) for those over 60 or disabled, if over $35/month
- Child support paid to someone outside your home
- An “excess shelter” deduction. (This is very complicated, but looks at the costs of your housing and utilities, and gives you an income deduction if you pay more than 1/2 your income for housing. Make sure you see a budget line for a SUA (standard utility allowance) or your utility costs. (If you don’t pay for utilities, make sure you have a budget line for a telephone.)
- $143 if you are homeless.
Certain income doesn’t count (such as income of students under 18, federal student aid, etc.). Talk to your worker or a legal advocate to get the full list. You must report all income, even if it doesn’t count.
Food Stamps Terms
- Gross income: before tax pay
- Net income: how much money, from all sources, food stamps counts as available to you
- Thrifty Food Plan: the value given to the least expensive diet that meets nutrition standards
- Adjusted Food Stamp Income: 2/3’s of your “net income”
- Food Stamps presumes you will use 1/3 of your “net income” to buy food. It compares the rest of your income against the “thrifty food plan” too see how much you need to help you buy food.
- Maximum Food Stamp Allotment: This is the most amount of food stamps you can get
- You get the maximum if your Adjusted Food Stamp Income is $0
- You get the maximum minus your adjusted income if you have any income
Need More Help?
For more legal help and information, you can use LawHelpCalifornia to contact a local legal advocate.
