Yahoo Movies Food Stamps Schedule: January 2023 — When SNAP Payments Distribute
Recipients of SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, will receive their January payment soon, which includes the 12.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) approved for fiscal year 2023. The COLA kicked in on Oct. 1, 2022 and will run through Sept. 30, 2023, which will help SNAP recipients offset rising food costs.
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January’s payment should be the same as previous months, depending on your state’s SNAP schedule. SNAP is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but the program is administered at the state level. Each state and U.S. territory has its own monthly deposit schedule for when payments are made.
SNAP provides food-purchasing assistance to low-income households. If you are eligible for SNAP benefits, they will be deposited monthly into your SNAP account. Payments are now made with Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards instead of food stamps, although some states might have a different name for the cards.
EBT cards are linked to SNAP accounts. Cards can be swiped at checkout in grocery stores, major retailers and other outlets, similar to debit cards. You will need to enter your PIN to complete the transaction. Depending on your state, you might also be able to purchase eligible foods online at participating retailers. Visit the USDA page to see which retailers accept online EBT payments.
To find out when you’ll receive your January 2023 payment, the USDA provides information on monthly payment schedules for all states and territories. In most states, payment dates are staggered throughout the month based on SNAP case numbers, last names or Social Security numbers. The payment schedule is usually the same every month.
In very rare cases, all recipients get payments on the same date, such as in Alaska, which makes SNAP benefits available on the first day of every month for all recipients. In more populous states like Florida, benefits might be paid on 20 different days. States also have different rules regarding payment days that fall on weekends or holidays.
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SNAP benefits can be used to purchase the following food items:
Fruits and vegetables
Meat, poultry and fish
Dairy products
Breads and cereals
Snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages
Seeds and plants, which produce food for the household to eat
Among the items you can’t buy with SNAP benefits are alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, vitamins, medicines, supplements, live animals, pet foods, cleaning supplies, paper products and cosmetics. In most states, you also can’t buy hot meals. The exceptions are states that have signed up for the SNAP Restaurant Meals Program, including Alaska, California, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Rhode Island and Virginia.
You can apply for SNAP through your state’s local SNAP office or on its website. You can also visit SNAP’s Application and Local Office Locators page to learn how to apply in your state. To get SNAP benefits, you must apply in the state in which you currently reside and you must meet certain requirements, including resource and income limits. Depending on your state, there may be additional requirements.
You can also apply for SNAP at the same time you apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). As previously reported by GOBankingRates, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will now notify SSI applicants and recipients of their eligibility for SNAP. When a household applies for or receives SSI, the agency will also help them apply for SNAP.
To locate nearby SNAP-authorized offices, use the SNAP Retailer Locator tool.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Food Stamps Schedule: January 2023 — When SNAP Payments Distribute
