This memorandum provides the fiscal year 2018 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) to the SNAP maximum allotments, income eligibility standards, and deductions. Under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 COLAs are effective as of Oct. 1, 2017.
The memorandum that follows is intended to update earlier guidance provided to state agencies on the treatment of gift cards in determining Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program eligibility and benefits.
The memorandum that follows is intended to update earlier guidance provided to state agencies on the treatment of retirement accounts in determining SNAP eligibility.
FSP legislative and regulatory provisions do not, either directly or indirectly, address the treatment of gift cards for program purposes. While these rules can potentially be interpreted to count gift cards as a resource, we believe this would be inadvisable since attempts to verify the existence and value of the cards during the certification process would be extremely difficult, problematic and subject to error.