If you received SUN Bucks 2026 benefits for your children, there is something you need to know right away: that money has an expiration date, and if you do not spend it in time, it is gone forever. Under federal program rules, SUN Bucks benefits expire 122 days after the date they were loaded onto the card — not from when you activated it, not from when you received it in the mail, but from the moment the funds became available in your account. Once expired, the benefits cannot be recovered or reissued under any circumstances.
For most families who received their benefits in June, that means the money will expire around mid-October 2026. Those who received them in July have until mid-November. That might sound like plenty of time, but many families forget, fail to activate the card quickly enough, or simply do not know that the clock starts running from the moment funds are loaded — not from the first time the card is used.
Why so many families lose these benefits without realizing it
There are three very common mistakes that cause families to lose their SUN Bucks unintentionally. The first is assuming that the 122 days start when you activate the card. They do not — the countdown begins the moment funds are loaded into the account, regardless of whether you have activated the card or not. If your card arrived late in the mail and benefits had already been loaded for weeks, your window to spend them is shorter than you think.
The second mistake is saving the card for later, thinking it is better to use regular SNAP benefits first. What many families do not know is that if your SUN Bucks are on the same EBT card as your regular SNAP, the system automatically spends SUN Bucks first — precisely because they have an expiration date. If you have a separate SUN Bucks card, you control when to use it — but do not wait too long.
The third mistake is simply forgetting the program exists. Many families receive the card in the mail, put it in a drawer, and do not think about it again until the benefits have already expired.
How to find out exactly when your SUN Bucks expire
There are several ways to check your exact expiration date. The easiest is to log into your ebtEDGE account — either through the app available for iOS and Android or at ebtedge.com. Once inside, look at your SUN Bucks card transaction history and find the date the funds were loaded. Add 122 days to that date and you have your deadline.
You can also call the customer service number printed on the back of your SUN Bucks card, where an automated system available 24 hours a day can give you your current balance and, in many states, your benefit expiration date. In some states, the approval letter that arrived with the card also includes the benefit availability date.
If you received your benefits in California, check at caebtedge.com or call 877-328-9677. If you are in Minnesota, use the ebtEDGE app or call 888-997-2227. If you are in Washington State, note that new cards have been issued this year — your old card may show as deactivated in the app, but that does not mean you have lost your benefits.
Where you can spend your SUN Bucks
SUN Bucks work exactly like your SNAP EBT card for eligible food purchases. You can use them at supermarkets, authorized food retailers, farmers markets, and online shopping platforms such as Amazon Fresh or Walmart.com in states that allow EBT online purchases. What you cannot buy with SUN Bucks is hot prepared food, alcohol, tobacco, or non-food items.
Some participating farmers markets also offer the Double Up Food Bucks program, which doubles the value of your SUN Bucks when you use them to buy fresh local fruits and vegetables. It is a great way to stretch the $120 per child you received even further.
You can still apply if you have not received your benefits yet
If you think your child may be eligible but you have not received any card or notification, you still have time to apply. Most states keep applications open until late August or early September 2026. To apply, contact your child’s school to submit a free or reduced-price meal application, or go directly to your state’s SUN Bucks portal through the USDA Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA) website at fna.usda.gov.