Eligibility Requirements to Obtain Food Stamps in Ohio

Ohio's food stamp program is a benefits package jointly administered by the state and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Because of this, the food stamp program -- known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- in Ohio has the same financial qualifications as many states across the nation. Administered by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Ohio's SNAP program requires beneficiaries to meet qualifications on their income level, which is the state's primary yardstick for measuring eligibility for the program.

Family Size

• Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to be supporting children or a family to be eligible to receive SNAP benefits in Ohio. Households of any size, including single-person households, may receive SNAP benefits if the home's combined income doesn't exceed federally mandated limits.

Gross Income

• Households must not earn more than 130 percent of the federally defined poverty level to qualify for Ohio's SNAP program. As of November 2010, those limits are set at $1,174 monthly for a single-member household, $2,389 for a four-member household, $3,200 for a six-person household and $4,010 for an eight-member household. The Department of Jobs and Family Services totals the income of all people who are above the age of 17 when it calculates gross income levels.

Net Income

• Households that meet SNAP's gross income requirements must also meet its net income requirements to receive benefits, which the USDA sets at 100 percent of the poverty level. Net income is calculated through a series of deductions from a household's gross income: A standard deduction of $142 to $205 is allowed based on household size, and a blanket 20 percent deduction from gross income is allowed to all households. Other deductions, including medical expenses, daycare costs, child support, utilities and housing costs may also be subtracted from gross income calculations when the State determines a household's gross income. Adjusted net income may not exceed $903 for a single-person household, $1,838 for a four-member household, $2,461 for a six-member household or $3,085 for an eight-member household to qualify for SNAP benefits.

Income Exceptions

• In some cases, households with members who are older than 60 or disabled may receive SNAP benefits without meeting standardized income restrictions set by the USDA. These cases are determined individually by members of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Resources

• Households must also pass a final resource test to be eligible to receive food aid from Ohio's SNAP programs. Households may not hold more than $2,000 in assets, including savings, investments and vehicles to receive SNAP aid. For households with members older than 60, that threshold is raised to $3,000. Certain assets, such as a home, retirement accounts and college savings accounts, are exempt from the resource test.