Assets

601 Resources Overview

Policy changeClosed Information that is different from what is currently used to determine eligibility and/or benefits. effective October 1, 2026

What changed: The resource limit for households with an elderly or disabledClosed A member of a household who meets one of the following criteria: 1.Eligible to receive SSI benefits, including presumptive SSI payments, or is eligible as a 1619B under SSI criteria. 2.Is determined disabled by SSA and in receipt of disability payments. 3.Is a recipient of disability related medical assistance under Medicaid (Title XIX of the Social Security Act). Eligibility to receive these benefits must be based on disability or blindness criteria, which is at least as stringent as SSI regulations. 4.Is in receipt of disability retirement benefits from a government agency because of a disability considered permanent under Social Security disability criteria. 5.Is a veteran with a service connected or non-service connected disability. 6.Is a veteran considered by the VA in need of regular aid and attendance or permanently house bound under Title 38 of the United States Code. 7.Is a surviving spouse of a veteran and considered by the VA in need of regular aid and attendance or permanently house bound or a surviving child of a veteran and considered by the VA as permanently incapable of self-support under Title 38 of the United States Code. 8.Is a surviving spouse or surviving child of a veteran and considered by the VA entitled to compensation for a service-connected death or pension benefits for a non-service-connected death under Title 38 of the United States Code and has a disability considered permanent. Entitled refers to a surviving spouse and surviving children who are receiving the compensation or pension benefits stated or have been approved for such payments but are not yet receiving them. 9.Is in receipt of a Railroad Retirement disability annuity and has been determined to qualify for Medicare. 10.Is in receipt of SSI optional or mandatory supplementation. (North Dakota does not have SSI optional or mandatory supplementation. However, someone moving to North Dakota may have received this benefit from another state.) 11. Is in receipt of disability-based State general assistance benefits, provided that the eligibility to receive any of these benefits is based upon disability or blindness criteria established by the state they receive the benefit from, which are at least as stringent as those used under SSI regulations. (North Dakota does not have disability-based State general assistance benefits. However, someone moving to North Dakota may have received this benefit from another state.) member increased from $4,500 to $4,750.

View SNAP Release 26.7 (opens in a new window).

Overview

The filing unitClosed Required household members whose income and resources must be considered in eligibility determination. All members of the filing unit may not be included in the assistance unit and may not receive benefits.'s resource eligibility is determined by evaluating non-excluded resources of each member. All resources owned by these individuals must be evaluated for ownership, accessibility, value, and exclusion status.

 

Resource eligibility is determined by evaluating the householdClosed People who buy and prepare food together. Spouses, parents, and children who live together are usually counted as the same household.’s current and anticipated circumstances based on reasonable expectations and knowledge of its financial circumstances. The result accurately reflects all facts and the projection of resource eligibility through the certification or six-month report period.

 

Resources for categorically eligibleClosed Any household in which all members receive or are authorized to receive TANF and/or SSI. These households are income and asset eligible. (CE) and broad-based categorically eligibleClosed Having met the qualifications to receive a SNAP benefit by meeting the specified nonfinancial and financial requirements of eligibility. (BBCE) individuals and households are excluded.

 

CE and BBCE households do not have to meet the resource test.

Eligibility is denied or terminated if the value of non-excluded resources exceeds the following for non-CE and non-BBCE households:

  1. $4,750 for all households with an elderly or disabled member in the assistance unitClosed Those members of the filing unit who are eligible to receive benefits..

  2. $3,000 for all other households.

     

Resources available at the time the household is interviewed are used to make the resource determination. Changes in resources that occur or are reported after the interview but prior to the approval or denial of the applicationClosed Filing a signed Application for Assistance via paper application or through the self-service portal of the eligibility system to establish eligibility and assign a review period./application for reviewClosed Filing a signed Application for Review via paper review form or through the self-service portal of the eligibility system for SNAP eligibility with the human service zone to determine continuing eligibility and establish a new review period. are disregarded for the month of application.

 

The changes must be considered in determining resource eligibility for the second month’s benefit unless the second month’s benefit was already issued or timelines do not allow for an adverse action noticeClosed The agency shall provide timely and adequate notice before any adverse action is taken. Advance notice requires at least 10 days from the date the notice is mailed to the effective date of the action. Adequate notice must include: the proposed action; the reason for the action; the right to request a fair hearing; telephone number and, if possible, name of person to contact; availability of continued benefits; liability for over issuance if the fair hearing is against the recipient. to be sent to the household.

 

Income received in the month is excluded as a resource in the month it is received. If the income is deposited into a bank account, it is excluded as a resource in the month received but is countable for future months.

 

All resources, even if excluded per policy, are entered in the integrated eligibility system. Do not postpone benefits to verify resources for CE or BBCE households. Enter all resource data for each filing unit member on appropriate pages. the integrated eligibility system processes the source data and displays it on the resource page.

 

When changes are made to the financial screens, eligibility must be re-determined. If benefits are authorized for the current benefit monthClosed The month SNAP benefits are issued., changes to the financial screens will require the eligibility staff member to authorize the changed benefit.

References: 7 CFR 273.8; 7 CFR 273.10(b); 7 CFR 273.12(a)(3)

Revised: 10/1/2026

Policy last updated in Release 26.7

History Log of Changes