SNAP Benefits Update: Is Your EBT Payments Expiring Soon? Check Now!

States have been distributing their respective SNAP benefits payments through the residents' Electronic Benefit Transfer cards, which have an expiration depending on the state.

Agriculture Department noted that states have the option to impose expiration dates on SNAP benefits EBT cards, according to a Go Banking Rates report.

The Agriculture Department also stated that SNAP benefits payments can be lost if the EBT card has not been used in all nine months. The loss of the benefits will be permanent.

SNAP recipients that use their benefits, but carry over a balance will not be losing their SNAP benefits payments after nine months.

It is ideal that residents check with their local SNAP benefits agency for more information regarding the expiration of EBT payments and how long they can access benefits if they do not use them regularly.

EBT Payments

In January, Forbes reported that SNAP benefits do not expire at first, and unused SNAP payments from the previous month are automatically added on top of the benefits deposited for the current month.

States are required to inform households no later than 30 days before the date they remove the benefits on the recipients' EBT card. Meanwhile, if you do not use your EBT card for three months, it will be deemed offline and your access to the account will be revoked.

Recipients will not be able to use their EBT cards until they contact their local benefits to get it reinstated.

The inactivity period for EBT payments vary in each state. EBT cards without any transaction for at least 60 days in Washington state are deemed inactive. If your EBT card is suspended due to inactivity, you should contact your local SNAP agency to have benefits returned.

SNAP Benefits Payments

Families of four receiving the maximum allotment of SNAP benefits are receiving a maximum allotment of $835 in 48 states and D.C. as of early 2022.

Meanwhile, the minimum benefit for the 48 states and D.C. will increase by up to $20 and will also increase in Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, and U.S. Virgin Islands, as reported by Yahoo Finance.

SNAP benefits have increased between 2021 and 2022 to cushion the effects on the economy, including inflation and other financial challenges.

In Texas, SNAP benefits emergency allotments have been extended for the month of September. Gov. Greg Abbott announced that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission is providing more than $344.9 million in emergency SNAP benefits, which is seen to help about 1.6 million Texas households.

Abbott said in a press release that the SNAP benefits play a key role in making sure that Texas households "lead a healthy life." The Republican governor also thanked HHSC for the provision of emergency allotments.

The emergency September allotments in Texas are provided on top of the more than $7.9 billion in benefits that were previously distributed since April 2020.

Texan recipients get their SNAP benefits payments through their EBT cards called the Lone Star card.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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