As we approach the holiday season in Wisconsin, it’s important for food stamps recipients to be aware of potential changes in deposit dates. Understanding how holidays can impact the distribution of benefits ensures that individuals and families relying on SNAP can plan accordingly.
In Wisconsin, the entity that operates Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits is the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS). The DHS is responsible for administering and overseeing various public assistance programs, including SNAP, to help eligible individuals and families access nutritional support.
December 2023 Food Stamps Payments in Wisconsin
As of today, the SNAP payments for individuals with Social Security Numbers ending in 0 to 5 have already been processed. The payment dates for these recipients were as follows, according to the 8th digit of your SSN:
- SSN ending in 0: Saturday, December 2
- SSN ending in 1: Sunday, December 3
- SSN ending in 2: Tuesday, December 5
- SSN ending in 3: Wednesday, December 6
- SSN ending in 4: Friday, December 8
- SSN ending in 5: Saturday, December 9
- SSN ending in 6: Monday, December 11
- SSN ending in 7: Tuesday, December 12
- SSN ending in 8: Thursday, December 14
- SSN ending in 9: Friday, December 15
SNAP Benefits Increment: What the 2024 Maximum Increase Means for Your Family
The maximum allotments increased for the 48 states and D.C., as well as for Alaska, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Conversely, the allotment for SNAP recipients in Hawaii decreased from $1,794 to $1,759 for a family of four. Consequently, families of four in the 48 contiguous states can anticipate a monthly benefit increase of $34 due to the COLA adjustments.
For the fiscal year 2023 to 2024 period, the USDA website provides the following maximum allotments for SNAP in the 48 contiguous states and D.C.:
- Household size 1: $291
- Household size 2: $535
- Household size 3: $766
- Household size 4: $973
- Household size 5: $1,155
- Household size 6: $1,386
- Household size 7: $1,532
- Household size 8: $1,751
- Each additional person: $219
Income eligibility criteria on a monthly basis have been revised for the 48 contiguous states and D.C., as well as Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The maximum allowable gross monthly income cap, set at 130% of the federal poverty level, is detailed below for the 48 contiguous U.S. states along with D.C.:
- Household size 1: $1,580
- Household size 2: $2,137
- Household size 3: $2,694
- Household size 4: $3,250
- Household size 5: $3.807
- Household size 6: $4,364
- Household size 7: $4,921
- Household size 8: $5,478
- Each additional person: $557
A monthly payment of $973 for a family of four equates to approximately $8 per person per day. While the SNAP program was not designed to cover all food expenses, the Urban Institute discovered that a reasonably priced meal cost $3.14 in the final quarter of 2022—15% higher than the maximum SNAP benefit.
The report highlighted that SNAP benefits fell short of covering meal costs in 99% of counties in the previous year. This underscores the challenge faced by recipients in meeting their nutritional needs within the confines of the SNAP assistance.