Can You Qualify for SNAP Benefits When Living With Others? Understanding All the Disqualifying Factors

If your living situation has recently shifted—perhaps you’re now sharing a home with family members or roommates—you might be questioning whether you can still get food stamps. The SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), formerly known as food stamps, has specific eligibility requirements that go well beyond income alone. Understanding these rules is crucial, especially since when you live with someone else, their income and assets may factor into your household calculations.

Beyond Income: The Complete Eligibility Picture

While many people focus on income thresholds, the reality is more complex. To qualify for SNAP benefits, your gross monthly income must stay at or below 30% of the federal poverty line. For 2024, this means a maximum of roughly $900 monthly for a single person earning against a poverty line of $14,580, or up to $2,250 per month for a family of four with a poverty line of $30,000. However, this is just the starting point.

Your net income—what remains after subtracting allowable household expenses and a standard monthly deduction of $198—cannot exceed the full poverty line for your household size. This distinction matters significantly, particularly when you live with someone else and must account for shared living expenses.

Asset Restrictions: What You Can Possess

Many applicants overlook asset limitations, which can determine eligibility as much as income does. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, households without elderly members or disabled individuals are limited to $2,750 in total assets. If your household includes someone age 60 or older, or a person with disabilities, that ceiling rises to $4,250.

These assets include liquid resources like bank account funds that could theoretically purchase food. Personal property, retirement accounts, and vehicle ownership typically don’t count against you. This means if you live with someone else who has substantial savings, those assets might impact the household’s overall eligibility, depending on how your state calculates household composition.

Work Requirements: Age, Capability, and Exceptions

Individuals aged 16 to 59 who are capable of working face mandatory participation requirements:

• Registration for employment
• Engagement in SNAP Employment and Training initiatives
• Acceptance of suitable job offers
• Maintenance of employment (minimum 30 hours weekly) or loss of benefits

Important exemptions exist: If you’re caring for a child under six, an incapacitated individual, possess documented physical or mental limitations, or participate in addiction treatment programs, your state may waive these obligations. Full-time students also typically receive exemptions, as do those in structured training programs.

The Three-Month Restriction for Adults Without Dependents

This rule creates a significant barrier for certain populations. Adults between 18 and 52 without dependent children and without disabilities face a particularly stringent limitation: SNAP benefits can only be received for three consecutive months every three years unless the individual works or participates in work-training programs for at least 20 hours weekly.

Beginning October 2023, this requirement expanded to include part-time participation of at least 20 hours weekly in work or training. As of October 2024, the restriction now applies to adults up to age 54. However, U.S. military veterans, individuals experiencing homelessness, and former foster youth under 25 receive exemptions. Additionally, some states waive this requirement in high-unemployment regions, so local variations apply.

Additional Disqualifying Circumstances

Certain populations face categorical exclusions regardless of financial standing:

• Individuals currently on strike
• People lacking documented immigration status
• Lawfully present immigrants who haven’t resided in the U.S. for five years (unless meeting other federal criteria)

The Drug Felony Provision and Recent Modifications

The 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act imposed a lifetime federal ban on SNAP (and TANF) benefits for anyone convicted of drug felonies after its enactment. However, significant changes are underway. The Collateral Consequences Resource Center documented that as of December 2023:

• 25 states plus Washington D.C. fully opted out of both federal bans
• Four states removed only the SNAP ban while modifying TANF restrictions
• Fourteen states partially modified both provisions
• Six states modified only the SNAP ban
• Only South Carolina maintained both bans completely

States implementing modified versions—rather than full repeals—often require drug testing, mandatory addiction treatment participation, or waiting periods before benefits can resume. Missouri recently joined Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina in considering legislation to completely eliminate these restrictions, recognizing that access to basic nutrition aids criminal justice reentry and societal reintegration.

Determining Your Eligibility Status

When you live with someone else, calculating whether you can get food stamps requires precise accounting of household composition, combined income, and shared expenses. Each state administers SNAP differently, and some have waived federal requirements or created alternative pathways to qualification.

To assess your specific situation, contact your state’s SNAP agency directly. The USDA maintains a SNAP State Directory of Resources online where you can locate your local office, access application materials, and receive personalized guidance based on your unique household circumstances.