SNAP Asset Limits 2026

Updated July 29, 2026. The SNAP asset test (also called the resource test) is set by the USDA Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA), formerly the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). For FY2026 — effective Oct. 1, 2025–Sep. 30, 2026 in the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia — the countable-resource limit is $3,000 for most households and $4,500 for households that include a member age 60 or older or a person with a disability. These limits are unchanged from FY2025.

FY2026 SNAP resource limits

Countable resources generally include cash and money in checking and savings accounts. The asset test works alongside the income tests; meeting one does not automatically mean you meet the other. See our SNAP income limits by household size (2026) guide for the income side.

What is excluded

• Your home: your primary residence and the land it sits on do not count.
• Household goods and personal belongings.
• Most retirement and pension accounts are generally excluded.
• Resources of household members who receive SSI or TANF are generally not counted.

Under the federal rules, a vehicle’s fair market value above $4,650 may count toward the limit, but there are several exclusions and states apply vehicle rules differently — many exclude one or more vehicles entirely. Because vehicle and other exclusion rules vary, the only reliable way to know how your assets are treated is to ask your state SNAP agency.

Lottery and gambling winnings

Separately from the ongoing resource limit, a household that receives substantial lottery or gambling winnings of $4,500 or more is treated as exceeding the resource standard and becomes ineligible until it meets the allowable resource and income limits again. This is a specific disqualification rule, not part of the routine monthly asset count.

How BBCE can waive the asset test

Most states have adopted Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE), which can effectively waive the asset test for many households or raise resource limits above the federal figures. In those states, savings above $3,000 may not disqualify you at all. Because adoption and the exact terms differ from state to state, do not assume you are ineligible based on the federal numbers alone — net income and non-financial rules still apply, and your state SNAP agency is the authority on what applies where you live.

If you are near the limit

If your countable assets are close to or above the threshold, it may still be worth applying — especially in a BBCE state where the test may not apply. Keep documentation showing which accounts are retirement or otherwise excluded. Older adults and people with disabilities should note the higher $4,500 limit and the medical-expense deduction; see our SNAP for seniors (2026) and SNAP for disabled adults (2026) guides. When you are ready to file, the SNAP application guide (2026) lists the documents you will need, and the SNAP renewal process (2026) explains keeping benefits over time.

Sources

• FNA (formerly FNS) — SNAP Eligibility (.gov)
• FNA — SNAP FY2026 COLA Memo (.gov, PDF)
• FNA — SNAP Special Rules for the Elderly or Disabled (.gov)

Last fact-check: July 29, 2026

Editorial status: Independent subject-matter review has not been completed.