Amid so many cuts and negative changes to the SNAP program, there is one piece of news that many recipients overlook: maximum SNAP benefits increased in October 2025 and remain in place throughout fiscal year 2026, which runs from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Despite the political turmoil and eligibility cuts, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) applied its annual cost-of-living adjustment and raised maximum amounts for all household sizes.
For a family of four in the 48 contiguous states and Washington D.C., the maximum monthly benefit is now $994 — which works out to roughly $248 per person per month, or about $8 per person per day to cover all food. For a single-person household, the maximum is $298 per month.
Maximum SNAP benefit table for 2026
These are the maximum monthly SNAP amounts for fiscal year 2026 in the 48 contiguous states and Washington D.C.:
1 person: $298 per month. 2 people: $546 per month. 3 people: $785 per month. 4 people: $994 per month. 5 people: $1,183 per month. 6 people: $1,421 per month. 7 people: $1,571 per month. 8 people: $1,789 per month. For each additional person beyond 8, add $218 per month.
In Alaska, benefits are significantly higher due to the elevated cost of living — a family of four can receive between $1,285 and $1,995 per month depending on whether they live in an urban or rural area. In Guam, the maximum for a family of four is $1,465, and in the U.S. Virgin Islands, it is $1,278. Hawaii is the exception: its maximum benefit for a four-person household actually decreased to $1,689 this year.
Why most households do not receive the maximum
It is important to understand that the vast majority of recipients do not receive the maximum amount. The figures in the table above apply to households with zero net income. As soon as a household has any income — from work, a pension, or other sources — the benefit is reduced according to a formula: the USDA subtracts 30% of your net income from the maximum benefit for your household size.
For example, a family of three with net monthly income of $413 would receive: $785 (maximum for 3 people) minus $124 (30% of $413) = $661 per month. The guaranteed minimum benefit for any eligible household with at least two people is $24 per month.
Income limits to qualify in 2026
To receive SNAP in 2026, your household must meet two income thresholds. The first is the gross income limit: your total income before deductions cannot exceed 130% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, that works out to roughly $3,380 gross per month in 2026. The second is the net income limit: your income after allowable deductions (housing costs, childcare, etc.) cannot exceed 100% of the federal poverty level.
In addition, most households must have assets below $2,750 — or $4,250 if any member is 60 or older or has a disability. Your home and your primary vehicle do not count as assets.
When benefits change and what’s coming in October
SNAP amounts are adjusted once a year on October 1 through the annual cost-of-living adjustment based on the USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan. The next adjustment will arrive on October 1, 2026. The new H.R. 1 law has eliminated the federal government’s ability to make mid-year adjustments in response to food price increases — meaning that if grocery prices rise between October and September, benefits will not increase until the following October.
If you think you may be receiving less than you are entitled to, or if your family situation has recently changed — more household members, job loss, reduced income — contact your local SNAP agency to request a case review. A change in your circumstances can increase your monthly benefit, and you have the right to request a review at any time.