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Food Assistance for Older Adults: How SNAP Works and Who Qualifies

What to know about the federal nutrition assistance program as cuts and changes roll out

Molly Snow,

Updated September 11, 2026

AARP

En español

Updated September 11, 2026

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Key takeaways

Changes brought by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are causing millions to fall off the rolls for food aid.
More older adults are subject to expanded work requirements and have fewer ways to claim deductions.
AARP is working to support other sources of food aid while demanding lawmakers delay federal cuts to the program that force state governments to make up the difference.

With new work requirements for federal food aid locked in and additional cuts to federal funding set to begin later this year, beneficiaries of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are trying to make sense of the changes underway.

SNAP supports more than 11 million adults 50-plus, and new policies threaten to leave millions struggling to put food on the table. Already, more than 5 million people nationwide have lost SNAP benefits since President Trump’s sweeping tax and spending legislation passed last year, according to estimates by the Food Research and Action Center, a nonpartisan advocacy organization combating hunger in the U.S.

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The One Big Beautiful Bill Act shifted some funding for food assistance onto states. Other SNAP changes include expanded work requirements for adults up through age 64 and caps on benefit increases. Taken together, this could exacerbate food insecurity among older people.

On average, older adults get about $7 per day in SNAP benefits, sometimes called food stamps (among other names, depending on the state). Advocates say SNAP provides modest funding that goes a long way to support basic nutritional needs and promote better health outcomes.

“A growing body of research demonstrates that SNAP participation among older adults is linked to fewer hospital and emergency room visits and lower rates of hospital and long-term care admissions — evidence that it is not only a nutrition program, but a smart investment that may reduce overall health care costs,” wrote Bill Sweeney, AARP’s senior vice president of government affairs, in an Aug. 5 letter to Senate leaders.

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Today, 1 in 10 older Americans struggle to afford nutritious food. Many are eligible for SNAP benefits, though nearly two-thirds who likely qualify don’t participate, due to lack of awareness, stigma or other barriers, according to AARP’s research.

Here is what adults 50 and older need to know about the program today.

Who qualifies for food assistance?

SNAP is a need-based federal program that helps low-income households supplement their budgets to buy food.

In fiscal year 2025, 42 million people received SNAP benefits each month — about 12 percent of the U.S. population, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

SNAP eligibility and benefit amounts depend on household size and composition, income (including Social Security and disability) and, in certain states, assets. The federal government has the following general rules for eligibility, though states can broaden the criteria by increasing income limits or eliminating asset tests, and many have.

Forty-six states have policies where households automatically become eligible for SNAP if they qualify for other assistance programs.

Effective Oct. 1, 2026 through September 2027:

Gross income must be at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty line. For a single individual in 2026, that’s $1,729 per month in most states. The threshold increases for families and for those living in Alaska or Hawaii.
Net monthly income must be at or below the poverty line. In 2026, a single person can make no more than $1,330 per month.
In states where this applies, household assets, cash and other resources must not exceed $3,000 — or $4,750 if at least one member of the household is 60-plus or disabled.
The minimum monthly benefit is $25, but some states provide a higher minimum benefit.

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Under federal rules, households with a member age 60 or older only have to meet the criteria for net income and applicable assets to qualify. Money sitting in retirement and pension plans is typically not counted when determining SNAP eligibility, but regular withdrawals could be factored into income.

Some deductions that households used to lower their net income and boost benefits also are no longer allowed under the federal changes. Lawmakers removed the internet deduction and added limitations and reporting requirements for those under 60 hoping to claim utility expenses on their applications. But beneficiaries still may be eligible for medical expense deductions that can increase their SNAP benefits.

What can you buy with SNAP dollars?

Once approved, funds are loaded monthly onto an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, similar to a debit card, that can be used to buy ingredients and packaged foods at major grocery stores, certain online retailers and farmers markets.

Foods that are hot at the point of sale, like rotisserie chicken, for example, cannot be bought with an EBT card. Alcohol, cigarettes, vitamins, supplements and nonfood items also can’t be purchased with SNAP funds.

Federal food benefits represent “a very minimal amount of dollars, and yet it is important,” says Matt Pieper, chief executive officer of Open Hand Atlanta, a nonprofit that provides more than 5,000 meals a day to older adults, those struggling with poverty and individuals with medical-diet needs. “Many older adults and many people who have disabilities do look to SNAP to supplement their dietary budget.”

SNAP benefits lifted nearly 2 million households with adults age 50 and older out of poverty in 2022, according to research by AARP’s Public Policy Institute.

How is SNAP funded?

SNAP benefits have been fully funded by the federal government since 1939. States disburse their SNAP allotments and pay 50 percent of the administrative costs to run the program.

Beginning in fiscal year 2027, however, states will be on the hook for 75 percent of administrative costs, a total of $2.8 billion, according to estimates by the Tax Foundation.

In addition, beginning in fiscal year 2028, states will be required to cover a share of SNAP benefits based on state error rates, or how much they over- or underpay on benefits.

States with error rates of 6 percent or higher will pay 5 to 15 percent of benefit costs. States could choose to use error rates from fiscal 2025 or 2026 as the basis of their payment. They will then begin paying under this new model in 2028.

To manage these new costs, some states may be forced to restrict benefits or eligibility — or withdraw from the program altogether.

AARP’s Sweeney wrote in his letter that disruptions to benefits, even temporarily, can mean “skipped meals, poorer nutrition, worsening health conditions, and greater difficulty aging safely and independently in their homes and communities.”

Are older adults required to work?

Most “able-bodied” adults up through age 64 without dependents must work or volunteer at least 80 hours per month to maintain SNAP eligibility. If they fall short, they can get SNAP for only three months in a three-year period.

Do food assistance benefits increase as food prices rise?

Benefit amounts are based on the Thrifty Food Plan, which takes into account food prices, consumption patterns and dietary guidelines to set a realistic baseline for the cost of a healthy diet in the current market.

In 2021, SNAP benefits increased 21 percent after accounting for these factors. Prior to that, adjustments had been limited to inflation to keep the program cost-neutral.

Going forward, adjustments must again be cost-neutral, essentially permitting increases only to offset inflation. This effectively erodes the value of these benefits over time, experts say.

“While SNAP benefits are adjusted for inflation annually, the cost of groceries has increased so rapidly that the annual adjustments based on inflation alone do not keep pace with actual food prices,” says Lauren Ryan, AARP government affairs director.

How to apply or reapply for food assistance

Applicants must apply through their state SNAP office, either online, in person or by mail. Each state may have a different process, but you can find your local office in this directory.

Each office’s website has information to help you contact a representative with questions, submit an application or find local retailers that are EBT-friendly. Your local food pantry can be a source of additional information.

Molly Snow is a writer for AARP covering advocacy issues and state news. She also writes AARP's Today's Tips podcast. She previously worked at other news outlets, including Federal Times, McClatchy and Gannett.

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