Raise Your SNAP Benefits With 3 GENIUS Deduction Moves
(DailyDig.com) – Getting the right amount in SNAP benefits can be critical to your ability to feed your family. Food assistance can be key to survival for many families. However, many people aren’t aware of the key deductions they can claim when they file for SNAP benefits. Do you need to get additional benefits, or are you concerned that you might have missed out on those key elements? Take a look at these three deductions.
1. Child Support Deductions
Does any member of your household have a legal obligation to pay child support? If so, you may have the right to claim a deduction for the full amount of the child support. Those funds aren’t coming into your household to be used for food and other expenses, which means that you might find yourself struggling to manage the bills or pay for reasonable food while paying child support. Since you can claim the child support as a deduction on your SNAP application, it may increase the amount of benefits you can receive.
Only around 2% of people receiving SNAP benefits take advantage of child support deductions.
2. Medical Expense Deductions
In many cases, if an individual or family has extensive annual medical expenses, they may have the right to deduct those medical expenses from their application. All individuals over age 60 have the right to claim a medical expense deduction for SNAP benefits. Disabled individuals may also have the right to deduct medical expenses. In order to claim a medical expense deduction, you must:
- Have an individual in your home who receives disability benefits or blindness payments, including SSI or Social Security Disability or veterans’ benefits
- Exceed $35 in medical care costs each month, since you can only claim medical expenses over that amount
- Have expenses related directly to a specific disability.
The family may have the right to include a variety of potential medical expenses as deductions. Of course, the out-of-pocket cost for regular medical expenses, including medications, health insurance, transportation to and from medical appointments, and the direct cost of any medical appointments or procedures count as medical expense deductions. You may also, however, have the right to include other medical expenses, including needed communication equipment related to a disability, the needs of a service animal, incontinence supplies, or the cost of any durable medical equipment the disabled individual may need in order to improve overall strength and mobility.
3. Excess Shelter Deduction
Many people miss the excess shelter deductions when they consider the greater cost of their bills. Shelter deductions aren’t just about the funds people have to pay for their rent or mortgage. It can also include other costs related to home ownership or renting, including rent or mortgage payments, insurance, and property taxes. In addition, sometimes, the family may have the right to include home repair costs that are not reimbursed by insurance for any reason. Furthermore, adding utility costs as a deduction can substantially increase the food stamps/SNAP benefits that families can recover. Many states do use a Standard Utility Allowance deduction, rather than a direct utility cost deduction. Even when the state uses a Standard Utility Allowance, however, you may be able to show your actually utility bill to get additional benefits.
Keep in mind that most states do have a maximum amount you can receive for food stamps. However, by using your deductions wisely, you can often increase the amount you can bring home dramatically. As you consider the benefits you can receive, make sure you carefully consider your potential deductions, including the ones that many people miss when filling out their applications.
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