Food Stamp Resources

• Some resources don't count toward income for food stamp eligibility. Andrew Bret Wallis/Photodisc/Getty Images

  You and your family can qualify more easily for food stamps because some possessions are no longer counted toward your income limit. States place time limits on the eligibility of able-bodied, unemployed and childless adults. The Food Research & Action Center defines a household as a person or group of people living together, who do not have to be related. The household must buy and cook their food together. Households who do not have elderly or disabled members have to have incomes below 130 percent of the federal property line. All households must have "net" incomes below 100 percent of poverty to be eligible.

Cash

• Your family (or household) cannot have any more than $2,000 in financial resources, according to Social Security Online. If you have a family member who is elderly or disabled, your family can have up to $3,000 in cash before you lose eligibility for food stamps. Families who receive benefits under Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) don't have their resources counted for "food stamp purposes," according to Social Security Online. For reporting purposes, "cash resources" include your bank accounts, cash and other property.

  Present proof of income, which includes your pay stubs, SSI, Social Security or pension payments made to each member of your household.

Home and Land

• If you own land and the home that sits on that land, these are not counted toward food stamp eligibility, according to Social Security Online. To show that you either rent or are buying your home, take rent receipts or canceled checks as proof for your eligibility interview.

Vehicle

• Social Security and the food stamp office do not count your vehicle toward food stamp eligibility, according to Social Security Online. Your vehicle will count differently depending on its use. Privately owned, licensed vehicles do not count if they are used for income-producing purposes; needed for long-distance travel other than the daily work commute; annually producing income that is consistent with their fair market value; needed to help transport someone in the family who is physically disabled; used as the home; or if the family owes more on the vehicle than it is worth.

  On all other vehicles, the fair market value over $4,650 (or the equity value, whichever is higher) is counted-- -- one vehicle per household member and any other vehicle a household member under the age of 18 drives to school, job training, work or on a job search, according to the USDA. For any other vehicle, the fair market over $4,640 -- or the equity value, whichever is higher -- is counted as a resource, according to the UDSA.

  Most states go by TANF rules (not food stamp rules) if the TANF rules will help you out more as you apply for food stamps.