Do you get SNAP benefits, or have you thought about applying? If you’re 60 or older or have a qualifying disability, you may be eligible for special rules that make it easier to qualify and could increase your monthly food benefits.
Most households have to pass two income tests. But households with an older adult or a person with a qualifying disability generally only have to pass one. They may also qualify for higher resource limits and deductions that other households don’t receive.
There are even special rules for some older adults who live with other people but cannot shop for or prepare their own meals.
Here’s what you need to know, including the work requirement changes that could affect adults ages 55 to 64.
Who Counts as “Elderly” or “Disabled” for SNAP?
SNAP uses specific definitions, and they may be different from what you expect.
Under USDA’s SNAP special rules, elderly means age 60 or older. You don’t need to be retired or receiving Medicare.
To count as disabled under these special SNAP rules, you must meet at least one of several federal criteria.
These include:
- Receiving federal disability or blindness benefits under the Social Security Act, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
- Receiving state disability or blindness payments based on SSI rules.
- Receiving a government disability retirement benefit because of a permanent disability.
- Receiving certain Railroad Retirement benefits while meeting Medicare or SSI disability requirements.
- Being a veteran who meets certain VA disability criteria, including qualifying permanent and total disabilities or permanent homebound status.
- Being a surviving spouse or child of a veteran who receives qualifying VA benefits and meets the applicable disability requirements.
Other specific circumstances may also qualify under USDA rules.
Having a medical diagnosis, including autism or another developmental disability, does not automatically establish disability status under SNAP’s special financial rules.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you are ineligible for SNAP or exempt from no work requirements. Different SNAP provisions can use different disability standards.
What Is Different for Seniors and People With Disabilities?
Several SNAP rules are more favorable when your household includes someone who is at least 60 or meets SNAP’s disability definition.
1. You Only Have to Pass One Income Test
Most households must meet both a gross income limit and a net income limit.
Gross income is generally your income before deductions. Net income is what remains after SNAP’s allowable deductions.
Households with an elderly or disabled member generally only have to meet the net income test, unless a separate eligibility or disqualification rule applies.
That means a household may still qualify even if its income is above the usual gross income limit.
Your net income generally must be at or below 100% of the federal poverty level.
You can learn more about these limits in our Federal Poverty Level guide.
2. You May Have a Higher Savings Limit
For October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027, the federal SNAP resource limits are:
- $4,750 for households with an elderly or disabled member.
- $3,000 for other households subject to the federal resource test.
Not everything you own counts toward those limits.
For example, your home and the lot it sits on are generally excluded. Most retirement accounts and pension plans are also excluded.
The resources of people receiving SSI or TANF are generally excluded under applicable SNAP rules.
Many states use broader eligibility policies that raise or eliminate the resource test for certain households, so your state’s rules may be more generous.
Don’t assume you’re ineligible just because you have some money saved.
3. You Can Deduct Certain Medical Expenses
This is one of the most valuable special SNAP rules.
If you are elderly or meet SNAP’s disability definition, you may be able to deduct allowable out-of-pocket medical expenses that exceed $35 per month.
Eligible expenses can include:
- Medicare premiums and other qualifying health insurance premiums.
- Prescription medications.
- Medical and dental care.
- Certain medical supplies and equipment.
- Qualifying transportation costs for medical care.
The expenses generally must not be paid or reimbursed by insurance or another source.
Special diets and the cost of ordinary food are not allowable medical deductions.
For example, if you have $135 in qualifying monthly medical expenses, the amount above $35 is $100. That $100 may reduce the income SNAP counts when calculating your benefits.
Keep your bills, premium statements, and receipts so you can document the expenses.
Our guide to the SNAP medical expenses deduction explains which costs may qualify and how to report them.
4. Your Shelter Deduction Has No Dollar Cap
SNAP allows households to deduct certain shelter expenses when those costs exceed half of their income after other applicable deductions.
For many households, the excess shelter deduction has a maximum limit.
For fiscal year 2027, that federal limit is generally $769 in the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C. Different limits apply in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
But households with an elderly or disabled member are not subject to that dollar cap.
That means all qualifying excess shelter costs may be deducted, rather than stopping at the usual maximum.
Rent, mortgage payments, certain property-related expenses, and allowable utility costs can affect the calculation.
This can make a meaningful difference for someone living on Social Security who spends a large portion of their income on housing.
5. Utility Assistance Can Affect Your SNAP Deduction
Utility costs are another important part of the SNAP calculation.
Under the 2025 federal law changes, receiving more than $20 in qualifying home energy assistance, such as LIHEAP, can affect whether your household qualifies for the heating and cooling standard utility allowance.
The updated rule generally looks at qualifying assistance received during the month of application or the preceding 12 months, with additional conditions under the law.
Don’t assume that every LIHEAP payment automatically gives you the same SNAP utility deduction.
Ask your state SNAP agency which utility allowance applies to your household and whether you need to provide proof of heating or cooling expenses.
Also, under the updated federal rules, internet service costs can no longer be counted as shelter expenses for SNAP purposes.
These changes can affect how much income SNAP counts, even if your actual monthly bills have not changed.
Can Someone Over 60 Apply as a Separate SNAP Household?
Sometimes, yes.
Normally, people who live together and purchase and prepare food together are considered one SNAP household.
However, USDA has a special rule for certain older adults with disabilities.
If you are 60 or older and cannot purchase and prepare meals separately because of a permanent disability, you may be able to qualify as a separate SNAP household even if you live with other people.
There is an important income condition: the income of the other people you live with generally cannot exceed 165% of the federal poverty level.
This exception can be especially important for an older adult living with adult children or other relatives.
It does not mean that everyone over 60 can automatically apply separately. You must meet the specific disability and household requirements.
If this sounds like your situation, ask your SNAP caseworker to evaluate whether you qualify under the separate-household rule.
What Changed for Adults Ages 55 to 64?
The 2025 federal budget law expanded SNAP’s time-limit rules for certain adults without dependents.
Previously, the federal time limit generally applied to adults ages 18 through 54.
Under the updated law, the age range extends through 64.
That means some people ages 55 to 64 who were previously outside the time-limit age range may now be affected.
Under the rule, an adult who is subject to the time limit generally cannot receive SNAP for more than three months in a 36-month period unless they meet qualifying work or activity requirements, usually averaging at least 20 hours per week, or qualify for an exemption.
What If You’re 60 to 64?
This is where the rules can get confusing.
At age 60, you qualify as elderly for SNAP’s special financial rules. That can mean access to the medical expense deduction, higher resource limit, and uncapped excess shelter deduction.
But turning 60 does not automatically exempt you from the SNAP time limit.
Adults ages 60 to 64 may still be subject to that limit unless another exemption applies.
There is also a separate rule for SNAP Employment and Training (E&T): adults age 60 or older are generally exempt from mandatory E&T participation.
Being exempt from mandatory E&T is not necessarily the same as being exempt from the time limit.
What If You Have a Disability?
People with qualifying physical or mental health conditions may be exempt from the time limit.
The rules for determining whether someone is medically unable to meet work requirements are not necessarily identical to the rules for receiving SNAP’s special elderly or disabled deductions.
If you are 55 to 64 and have a health condition that limits your ability to work, ask your state agency how to document a possible exemption.
The 2025 law also removed certain previously available exceptions, including categorical exceptions for veterans and people experiencing homelessness.
You can review the USDA guidance on the updated SNAP time-limit exceptions.
How Do You Apply for SNAP?
You apply through your state SNAP agency, not directly through the federal government.
USDA maintains a directory of state SNAP offices to help you find the agency responsible for your application.
The process generally includes four steps.
- Submit an application. Your application date matters because approved SNAP benefits are generally calculated from the date you applied.
- Complete an interview. Interviews are commonly conducted by phone or in person.
- Provide verification. You may need to document your income, expenses, household circumstances, and disability-related eligibility.
- Receive a decision. States generally have up to 30 days to process a regular SNAP application.
If you have very little income and limited available resources, you may qualify for expedited SNAP service.
Eligible households can receive benefits within seven days, rather than waiting for the standard processing period.
Before applying, gather documents showing your income, housing and utility costs, medical expenses, and any qualifying disability benefits.
You can also use our guide to applying for food stamps for additional help.
What If You Can’t Visit the SNAP Office or Have Nobody to Help?
You don’t necessarily have to visit a SNAP office in person.
USDA recognizes telephone interviews as a standard option, and many states offer other application and communication methods.
You can also designate an authorized representative to help with your SNAP case.
An authorized representative is someone you choose to act on your behalf. They may be able to apply, participate in the interview, or help with other parts of the process, depending on the authorization.
You generally must designate that person in writing.
It does not necessarily have to be a relative. A trusted friend or another person may be able to help.
If you live alone or have difficulty managing paperwork, ask your state SNAP office how to appoint an authorized representative.
Is There an Easier SNAP Application for People 65 and Older?
Some states participate in the Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP).
ESAP is designed to simplify SNAP participation for eligible older adults, generally those age 65 or older who have no earned income.
Some approved projects also include people with disabilities who have no earned income.
Depending on the state’s approved project, ESAP may offer:
- A simplified application process.
- Certification periods lasting up to 36 months.
- No recertification interview under the project’s rules.
- Streamlined verification requirements.
ESAP is not available everywhere, and the specific rules depend on the state.
You can read more in our guide to ESAP, the special food stamps program for seniors, or review USDA’s ESAP information.
Outside ESAP, federal regulations also allow states to use certification periods of up to 24 months for certain households in which all adult members are elderly or disabled.
That is a state option, not an automatic nationwide benefit.
Your SNAP approval notice should tell you how long your certification lasts and when you need to renew.
What If SNAP Denies Your Application or Calculates Your Benefits Incorrectly?
If you disagree with a SNAP decision, you have the right to request a fair hearing.
This may be useful if you believe the agency:
- Failed to count your allowable medical expenses.
- Applied the wrong household or income rules.
- Denied your application incorrectly.
- Calculated your benefits using inaccurate information.
Under federal SNAP rules, you generally have 90 days to request a hearing about a decision you disagree with.
You can request a hearing through your state SNAP agency, including by phone, in writing, or in person.
If you’re concerned about a mistake, don’t assume the decision cannot be challenged.
Keep your notices, receipts, and supporting documents, and contact your state agency promptly.
What Else Should You Know?
These special SNAP rules can make a real difference, but they do not guarantee eligibility or a particular benefit amount.
You still have to meet the applicable income, household, and other program requirements.
The federal figures discussed here apply to October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027, unless otherwise noted.
Some state rules are more generous, and certain federal provisions are still being updated following the 2025 law.
It’s also important to respond to SNAP renewal notices and report required changes so your benefits do not end unexpectedly.
If you’re uncertain whether a particular deduction or exemption applies, ask your state agency to review your circumstances rather than assuming you don’t qualify.
Relief Recap
If you’re 60 or older or have a qualifying disability, SNAP has special rules that may help you qualify for food assistance or receive more benefits.
The biggest opportunities include the net-income-only test, higher resource limits, deductions for eligible medical expenses over $35 per month, and an uncapped excess shelter deduction.
Some older adults with disabilities may also qualify as separate SNAP households, even when living with relatives.
But remember that adults ages 55 to 64 need to pay particular attention to the updated SNAP time-limit rules.
The most important thing you can do is make sure your state SNAP agency knows about every deduction and exemption that may apply to you.
If you live alone and need additional assistance, our guide to help for seniors without a family covers other resources that may be worth exploring.
