Do You Have to Pay Back SNAP Benefits? The Overpayment Rules, With Real Dollar Examples
Did a letter from your SNAP office just say you owe money back — or are you wondering whether the food benefits on your EBT card are a loan in disguise? No. SNAP is not a loan, and benefits you received while eligible are yours to keep. You only repay money when you were overpaid — and even then, federal law caps how much can come out of your check each month. Not sure whether you qualify for SNAP in the first place? Start with the 20-minute eligibility screen built on three free official tools before you worry about repayment. The short answer: benefits you were entitled to are yours If you were entitled to the benefits, you never repay them. SNAP — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — is outright assistance, not credit. The money the government loads onto your EBT card each month is meant to be spent on food, and no repayment schedule comes attached to it. Repayment only enters the picture when a household receives more than it was entitled to. Federal law calls tha...