FNS Documents & Resources

This memorandum provides the fiscal year 2018 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) to the SNAP maximum allotments, income eligibility standards, and deductions. Under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 COLAs are effective as of Oct. 1, 2017.

The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended, limits the amount of resources that a household may have and still receive SNAP benefits. Resources can include, but are not limited to, cash and funds in checking or savings accounts.

The memorandum that follows is intended to update earlier guidance provided to state agencies on the treatment of gift cards in determining Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program eligibility and benefits.

The memorandum that follows is intended to update earlier guidance provided to state agencies on the treatment of retirement accounts in determining SNAP eligibility.

This memorandum provides the fiscal year 2017 Cost-of-Living-Adjustments to SNAP maximum allotments, income eligibility standards, and deductions. COLAs are effective as of Oct. 1, 2016.

The guide allows you to evaluate NOAAs to see how well they work for clients; and improve them using proven plain language and information design techniques. In addition, the guide contains models for general notices—providing you with some basic language and formatting examples that can be adapted to notices.

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide regional offices and state agencies with information that can help them examine and revise client notices of denial and termination to improve SNAP customer service and program access.