Does Michigan Count Child Support as Income for SNAP?

SNAP is one of many federal programs designed to benefit lower-income families and households. To be eligible for this type of assistance, families generally must meet certain income requirements and maximums. A parent receiving child support may question whether those payments count as income for a program like SNAP. Being aware of your total income and rights is vital. Talk to an experienced Oakland County child support lawyer for more information.

What is SNAP?

Formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It is a federally funded program that provides low-income households and individuals with additional funds to be used to purchase food. SNAP benefits can be used like cash and are designed to help families with limited resources afford nutritious foods that they otherwise may not be able to purchase.

Who Can Receive SNAP Benefits?

For SNAP benefits in Michigan, the gross income limit is 200% of the federal poverty level. This means that for a one-person household, the individual can make $2,430 gross per month and still qualify for the program. That is not to say that anyone making less than the maximum limit will be considered eligible.

The eligibility criteria for SNAP varies depending on your specific circumstances including how many individuals are in your household, what your total household income is, whether or not you have a disabled or elderly relative living with you, and more.

Generally, anyone can receive SNAP benefits. Couples, families with children, elderly people, disabled people, college students, and more can all benefit from this program.

Is Child Support Counted as Income for SNAP in MI?

When calculating your income to determine whether or not you are eligible for SNAP benefits, Michigan considers cash income from all sources including both earned and unearned income. For SNAP purposes, child support is considered unearned income so yes, it is included when calculating a household’s total monthly income.

This may be disappointing for families receiving child support payments as it can impact whether or not they will qualify for nutrition assistance. Consider a 3-person household of a single parent and two children. To be considered eligible for SNAP in Michigan, the parent cannot make more than $4,144 gross income per month. If the parent makes $4,000 monthly they may qualify for benefits. However, if the child support payments they receive are $200 then that money would push them over the maximum gross household income, rendering them ineligible to receive financial assistance through SNAP.

It is important that the paying parent abides by the terms of the support agreement, and that the receiving parent understands many implications of the unearned income. For additional information on the benefits and limitations of child support, speak with a knowledgeable attorney at Alan B. Cooper & Associates, PLLC.