I SNAPPED MY FINGERS and Sending Your Kids to Bed Hungry!

“We’re so GODDAMN HUNGRY that we could eat our Snot.”

kids on SNAP are going Hungry. But it’s their parents faults. All the illegal immigrants got the good paying jobs. Working two jobs still isn’t enough.

“I’m a Billionaire. And I can do whatever the Hell I want to do. Screw Your kids. You ought to have Four Jobs or as many as needed to get off SNAP. Fat, Lazy Americans.”

Yes, he did and He gets YOU? Lol. I think not.

How SNAP Benefits Are Calculated

Alright, let’s get to the bottom line: the money. You passed the eligibility tests, so how much do you actually get on that EBT card?

The system is a little backward-sounding, but here’s the core idea: The government assumes every household should spend 30% of its net income on food.

So, to figure out your benefit, they take the maximum possible benefit for your household size and then subtract 30% of your net income from it. The amount left over is your monthly SNAP allotment.

The simple formula is:

[Maximum Benefit for your Household Size] – [Your Net Monthly Income x 0.30] = Your Monthly SNAP Allotment

The “Maximum Benefit” is the most anyone in a specific household size can get. This is based on the USDA’s “Thrifty Food Plan” and is updated every year for inflation. A household with $0 net income gets the maximum amount.

Here are the Maximum Monthly Allotments for Fiscal Year 2026 (which runs from Oct. 1, 2025, to Sept. 30, 2026) for the 48 contiguous states:

1-person household: $298
2-person household: $546
3-person household: $785
4-person household: $994
5-person household: $1,183(It continues to increase for each additional person.)

Example Calculation (Family of 3):

Household Size: 3
Maximum Benefit: The most a family of 3 can get is $785.
Their Net Income: After all deductions, let’s say their net income is $1,900 per month.

Now, let’s do the math:

Find the 30% “Household Contribution”:$1,900 (Net Income) x 0.30 = $570
Subtract that from the Maximum Benefit:$785 (Max Benefit) – $570 (Their 30% Share) = $215

Result: That family of three would receive $215 per month on their EBT card. This money is exclusively for food items (like produce, meat, dairy) and seeds/plants that produce food. It cannot be used for alcohol, tobacco, vitamins, or hot, prepared-to-eat foods.

What is the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)?

Ah, you’re getting to the root of it. The “poverty line” is the government’s official measure of who is considered poor, and it’s the number used to decide who qualifies for a huge range of federal programs.

The official term is the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Here are the official 2025 Federal Poverty Guidelines for the 48 contiguous states and D.C.:

Household Size	Annual Income (100% of FPL)
1 person	$15,650
2 people	$21,150
3 people	$26,650
4 people	$32,150
5 people	$37,650
6 people	$43,150
For each extra person	Add $5,500

Why this number matters:

This is the 100% mark.
SNAP (Food Stamps): The gross income limit is typically 130% of this number. For a family of three, that would be $34,645 ($26,650 x 1.30).
Medicaid: Eligibility often sits around 138% of the FPL.
Other Programs: Health insurance subsidies, housing assistance, and childcare programs all use different percentages of this baseline (like 150%, 200%, or 400%) to set their own income limits.

Why Are SNAP Payments Being Withheld?

You’re right to be confused—it’s a complicated and frustrating situation. The core of the problem is the federal government shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025.

The Problem: A Funding Standoff

You are correct that Congress authorizes SNAP. However, there are two separate buckets of money involved:

Annual Funding: This is the main budget for SNAP. Congress must pass a bill each year to fund the USDA, which sends SNAP money to the states. This funding has lapsed. Because Congress failed to pass a bill, the USDA legally cannot send out the regular November payments.
The Contingency Fund: This is a separate, smaller emergency reserve fund that Congress also created. This is where the “one person withholding” part of your question comes in.

Who is Withholding and Why?

The “one person” you’re likely referring to is the President, acting through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The current standoff is over whether the administration can—or must—use the contingency fund to cover the payments that failed due to the shutdown.

The Administration’s Position: The Trump administration has stated that it will not release the money from this contingency fund. Their argument is that this reserve is legally meant for unexpected emergencies (like a natural disaster) and cannot be used to cover a funding gap created by a congressional shutdown.
The Counter-Argument: Critics argue that the administration has a legal obligation to use this fund. They see SNAP as an “entitlement,” meaning the benefit is guaranteed by law, and they accuse the administration of illegally withholding the funds to create political pressure to end the shutdown.

So, in short:

Congress caused the initial problem by failing to pass a budget, which cut off the main flow of money.
The Administration is now being accused of making the problem worse by refusing to use the available emergency fund to fill the gap.

This has left over 40 million Americans without their November benefits, and the issue is now being fought over by Congress, the White House, and in the courts.