If you are struggling to purchase groceries on a monthly basis, you may be wondering how to qualify for food stamps in Massachusetts. Food stamps, which are more commonly known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), help millions of low-income individuals access healthy meals and avoid starvation.

Despite the fact that the program is administered on a state level by the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), it is overseen at the federal level by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This means that as a SNAP program applicant, you must meet the eligibility guidelines set forth by the state and the federal government. The easiest way to determine if you meet food stamp eligibility is to follow the application steps.

Overall, the primary qualification for food stamp eligibility is income level as it relates to household size. Generally, a household must not make more than a certain amount of monthly income. Moreover, applicants also need to consider residency, citizenship and work requirements when trying to determine if they qualify for benefits. Read on for more information about SNAP eligibility in Massachusetts.

Citizenship and Residency Requirements for SNAP in Massachusetts

In order to qualify for food stamps in Massachusetts, you must reside in the state. If you do not live in MA, you must apply for the SNAP program in the state where you can prove state residency.

In addition to being a Massachusetts resident, you must also meet certain legal residency requirements. For instance, you must either be a U.S. citizen or maintain an acceptable legal status in order to be a SNAP recipient. Alternatively, undocumented individuals are not eligible for assistance under any circumstance.

Non-citizens have to meet additional requirements before meeting full SNAP eligibility. For instance, non-citizens must meet one of the following criteria:

• The individual has lived in the United States for at least 5 years.
• The applicant is younger than 18 years of age.
• The individual already receives assistance because of a disability.
• The applicant is a refugee or asylee.

Keep in mind that certain members of a household may meet food stamp eligibility for assistance, while others may not. In these cases, the non-eligible family member may still apply for benefits on behalf of the rest of the household. For example, if a parent is an undocumented immigrant but has children who are American citizens, then he or she may apply for benefits just for the children.

What are the SNAP income guidelines in Massachusetts?

In addition to U.S. citizenship and state residency criteria, food stamp qualifications include income considerations. In fact, the primary factor determining SNAP eligibility is income in relation to household size.

The Massachusetts SNAP income guidelines are based on the federal poverty level (FPL) and are outlined by the USDA. These guidelines include both gross and net monthly income limits for households of varying sizes. As such, these amounts cannot exceed a certain percentage of the FPL.

By definition, gross monthly income refers to the total amount of income a household makes before certain expenses and taxes are deducted. This income can refer to earned funds that come from employment or from other sources, such as child support.

Alternatively, net monthly income refers to the amount of earnings that a household has remaining after taxes and certain allowable expenses are taken out. Allowable expenses may include rent or child support payments.

Most households will need to meet both gross and net monthly income requirements for food stamps. However, households that include a member who is elderly or has a disability will only need to meet the net monthly income requirement.

To help you determine whether or not you meet the food stamp eligibility requirements based on income, you may consider using a SNAP calculator. You will simply need to input your information regarding household size, income and expenses. Then, the calculator will use your information to estimate whether or not you may be eligible for benefits.

For more information about food stamp income guidelines, download our free guide.

Other Important Food Stamps Qualifications in Massachusetts

All able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) must meet specific work requirements in order to meet SNAP eligibility in Massachusetts. An ABAWD is any individual between 16 and 59 years of age who does not meet certain specific exemptions. Some of these exemptions include but are not limited to:

• Being pregnant
• Being the primary caregiver of a child younger than six
• Being declared physically or mentally unfit for work

ABAWDs who do not meet any exemptions must work or participate in a work training program for at least 20 hours a week or 80 hours a month. Moreover, ABAWDs must agree to the following conditions:

• Not quitting a job they already have
• Not voluntarily reducing work hours
• Not refusing a job that is offered

ABAWDs who refuse to comply with the mandatory work requirements will not be eligible for SNAP assistance for more than 3 months during a 36-month period. For more information on food stamp qualifications, download our free guide.

How do you maintain your food stamps in Massachusetts?

In order to maintain your Massachusetts food stamp eligibility, you will be required to report updates to the DTA. These updates will include proving that you meet the work requirements on a weekly basis and recording if you undergo any significant changes regarding your income and expenses.

Keep in mind that your eligibility may change as you update the DTA. As you begin to work more, you may begin to earn more income, which would, in turn, mean you qualify for a lower benefit amount. In fact, if you begin to earn above a certain amount of income, the DTA may determine that you are no longer eligible to receive benefits.

It is important to remain honest about your food stamp eligibility on your application and while submitting updates to the DTA. Lying about your eligibility is a crime and could result in a loss of benefits, fines and even jail time.

Last Updated: February 23, 2023