What changes do I need to report to SNAP and when do I have to report them?

Your Responsibility to Report Changes

Please read the rules carefully. If you do not report a change(s), we may have to put in a claim for giving you too much in SNAP benefits. This means we will collect the amount of the overpayment from you. Your benefits will go down until it is paid back.

Below are the changes that you MUST report, and when. You may still choose to tell us about any changes in your SNAP household. If the change will increase your benefits, and you give us proof of the change, we will increase your benefit.
To see what changes you must report and when, first use the chart below to see which rules will apply to you. Once you know which rules, scroll down to the appropriate section.

 

1.  Do you receive transitional SNAP benefits (TBA)?	YES – Scroll down to “TBA Change Reporting” (Skip questions 2 through 8)	NO – Go To Question #2, below
2.  Do you receive New York State Nutrition Improvement Project (NYSNIP) benefits?	YES – Scroll down to “NYSNIP” Change Reporting (Skip questions 3 through 8)	NO – Go To Question #3, below
3.  Are you certified for SNAP benefits for three months or less at a time?	YES – Scroll down to “Change Reporting” (Skip questions 4 through 8)	NO – Go To Question #4, below
4.  Does anyone in your household have earned income that is being counted in your SNAP benefit amount?	YES – Scroll down to “Simplified Reporting” (Skip questions 5 through 8)	NO – Go To Question #5, below
5.  Are all of the adults (18 or older) in your household either permanently disabled or 60 or older?	YES – Scroll down to “Change Reporting” (Skip questions 6 through 8)	NO – Go To Question #6, below
6.  Does your household receive $0 income (including $0 Temporary Assistance)	YES – Scroll down to “Change Reporting” (Skip questions 7 and 8)	NO – Go To Question #7, below
7.  Are you without shelter (undomiciled) or a migrant/seasonal farmworker?	YES –Scroll down to “Change Reporting” (Skip question 8)	NO – Go To Question #8, below
8.  Did you answer “NO” to all 7 questions above?	Scroll down to “Simplified Reporting”

 

Simplified Reporting

Under the “Simplified Reporting” rules, you usually only have to report changes at the time of your next recertification. There are three (3) situations where you will have to report changes sooner:

1. If your household’s gross monthly income exceeds 130% of the poverty level. You MUST report this change in income 10 days after the end of the calendar month in which your income goes over the 130% level. For example, if your gross monthly income goes beyond 130% of the poverty level on July 6th, you have to let us know by August 10th.

Gross income is the amount of income before taxes and other deductions are taken out. It is not the amount you receive when you cash your check. We must use the gross income in figuring your eligibility for SNAP benefits. Your worker can tell you what 130% of the poverty level means for a family of your size.

Any other kind of income that you receive besides earnings must be added to your gross earned income to know if you are over 130% of the poverty level. Examples of other sources of income that we count include child support you receive, Unemployment Insurance, Cash Assistance (CA) payments, Workers Compensation, Social Security Benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and private disability payments.

If you do not report that your gross income is above 130% of the poverty level in any calendar month, all benefits received after that month may be considered an overpayment. This is true even if your gross income falls below the 130% poverty level in a future month.

2. If your household’s certification period is longer than 6 months.  At the six-month point into your certification period, you will get a Periodic Report form. You MUST return the form within ten (10) days of getting the form. You will also get an alert on Access HRA to let you know that you can return the form online.

If your household has any of the changes listed below, you MUST report them when you return the Periodic Report either online through Access HRA or on the form that is sent to you.

Change Reporting

Under the “Change Reporting” rules, you MUST report the following changes within 10 days after the end of the month in which the change happened:

• Changes in any source of income for anyone in your household
• Changes in your household’s total earned income when it goes up or down by more than $100 a month
• Changes in your household’s total unearned income from a public source such as Social Security Benefits or Unemployment Insurance Benefits when it goes up or down by more than $100 a month
• Changes in your household’s total unearned income from a private source such as Child Support Payments or Private Disability Insurance when it goes up or down by more than $100 a month
• Changes in the amount of legally obligated child support you pay to a child outside of your SNAP household
• Changes in who lives with you
• If you move, your new address and your new rent or mortgage costs, heat/air-conditioning costs and utility costs
• A new or different car, or other vehicle
• Increases in your household’s cash, stocks, bonds, money in the bank or savings institution if the total cash and savings of all household members now amounts to more than $2,250 (more than $3,500 if anyone in your household has a disability or is 60 years old or older)
• If anyone in your SNAP household is an Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents (ABAWD), they MUST tell us if their work hours go below 80 hours for the month  within 10 days after the end of that month. The ABAWD can ask us to help them meet the ABAWD rules.

TBA Change Reporting

Transitional SNAP benefits can continue for up to five months after your CA case closes. You are not required to report changes during that period.

If you have changes that may increase your benefits, contact your worker and file an early recertification application. You can do this at any time during your transitional period to receive the increase.

We cannot give you the increase until you file a signed recertification application. You must also complete the entire recertification process to get the increase.

Near the end of your transitional period, you MUST recertify to see if you can keep getting SNAP benefits. We will send you a notice to remind you of this. If you do not recertify, we will not send you any other notice. Your SNAP benefits will stop. 

NYSNIP Change Reporting

Under the NYSNIP rules, you are not required to report changes during your certification period other than the 24-month contact letter. You will get the contact letter 24 months after you start in NYSNIP and you MUST complete it and return it to us.

You may voluntarily report increases in your medical expenses, rent, heat/air-conditioning costs, or utility costs, or decreases in your income. If you report and give proof of these changes, you may be eligible to get more SNAP benefits.

You are not required to, but should report your new address if you move. This will help make sure you continue to receive any notices we send to you.