Household Size and Income

• Certain maximum income requirements must be met to qualify for food stamps. For a household with one member, gross monthly income must not exceed $1,127 and net monthly income must not exceed $867. For a household of two, gross monthly income must not exceed $1,517, net monthly income $1,167. For a household of three, gross monthly income must not exceed $1,907, net monthly income not over $1,467. For a household of 4, a gross monthly income of $2,297 or less and a net monthly income of $1,767 is required. For a family of five, a gross income cannot exceed $2,687 and net monthly income cannot exceed $2,067. For a household of six, a gross monthly income of not more than $3,077 and a net monthly income not exceeding $2,367 is required. For a family of seven, a gross monthly income not exceeding $3,467 and a net monthly income of $2,667 or less is required. For a family of eight, a gross monthly income of $3,857 or less and a net monthly income not exceeding $2,967 is required. For each additional member, $390 may be added to the maximum gross monthly income and $300 to the maximum net monthly income.
  
  You can prove your income by providing pay stubs and tax returns.
  
  

Household Assets

• Households must have resources that total less than $2,000. The maximum resources requirements do not not count the value of one home and one car, as long as the car is used to commute to work. You can demonstrate the value of your resources by bringing bank statements, 401K and IRA statements and other financial data to a meeting with a welfare representative who will help you determine if you qualify for food stamps.
  
  

Disability

• Households with a disabled member or a member age 60 or older may have up to $3,000 worth of assets and still qualify for food stamps. The individual must be totally disabled, as defined by the state's definition of disability. This means the person must have a covered disability on the state list of disabilities or be considered significantly impaired.
  
  

Citizenship

• U.S. citizenship or a legal residency is required in most cases to qualify for food stamps. Immigrants who have been in the United States for at least five years and fall under certain categories may also be qualified for food stamps. For example, lawful permanent residents can qualify, as can refugees or people granted political asylum.
  
  

Other Exceptions

• An immigrant parent or child of an immigrant who has been the victim of battering or extreme cruelty in the United States by a spouse, a parent or by a member of the spouse or parent's family residing in the same house as the immigrant at the time of the abuse can also qualify for food stamps. The extreme cruelty and battery must be connected to the need for food stamp benefits. In addition, the individual must not live in the same domicile as the abuser.