Who Is Eligible to Receive Food Stamps?

When money is tight, food stamps can go a long way in supplementing your family's food budget. You may be eligible to receive food stamps if you meet income, asset and employment requirements.

Gross Income

• Elderly or disabled households may be exempt from gross income requirements. elderly lady image by pixelcarpenter from Fotolia.com

  In order to receive food stamps, your monthly gross household income must be at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. In 2010, for example, a family of three may have a maximum monthly income of $1,984.

Net Income Test

• Food Stamp applications are subject to a net income test, which means that certain expenses are deducted from your gross income. Such deductions include paid child support and dependent care expenses, 20 percent of earned income and a standard deduction based on household size. Elderly and disabled individuals can also deduct certain medical expenses.

Resource Limits

• Food stamp eligibility is also based on a limited amount of resources for most families. Most households can have up to $2,000 in countable assets, while those with a household member who is disabled or over age 60 can have up to $3,000. Countable resources for food stamp purposes include cash and bank account balances.

Employment Requirements

• In addition to financial components, many individuals must also work in order to be eligible to receive food stamps. For example, "...able-bodied adults between 16 and 60 must register for work, accept suitable employment and take part in an employment and training program for which they are referred..." according to the Department of Agriculture.