Do you need help paying for groceries? Many people who are eligible for New Jersey’s Food Stamp Program don’t know it. Many families qualify for the program, even if they work, own a home, or own a car. The following information can help you figure out if you might qualify for the program.

Aren’t food stamps just for people on welfare?

No. Most people who are eligible for food stamps are not receiving Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) welfare benefits.

Can I get food stamps if I work?

Yes. Even if you are working, if your household income is below 130% of the Federal Poverty Level, you might qualify for food stamps.

How do I know if I can get food stamps?

Households must first meet income and asset tests. If you meet these tests and are found eligible, you will also have to comply with the program’s work requirements. Some people are exempt from the work requirements.

Whether or not you can receive food stamps, and how much you can receive each month, is based on your income. The Food Stamp Program uses a two-step process: First, most households have to have incomes that are no more than the gross income limit based on their household size. This is your income before any deductions are taken. Next, the food stamp office will deduct some of the cost of certain expenses, like child care, utilities, and rent, from your income. The amount left over after these deductions is your net income. Most households must meet both the gross and net income tests. But a household with an elderly person or a person who is receiving certain types of disability payments only has to meet the net income test. The below chart can help you figure out if you meet the income requirements for the Food Stamp Program.

Household Income Limits for Food Stamps

What is deducted from gross income?

• A 20 percent deduction from earned income.
• A “standard” deduction (between $134 and $191 per month, depending on your household size).
• A dependent care deduction when needed for work, training, or education—but not more than $200 for each child under age 2 and not more than $175 for each other dependent.
• Medical expenses for elderly or disabled members that are more than $35 per month, if they are not paid by insurance or someone else.
• Legally owed child support payments.
• A $143 shelter deduction if you are homeless.
• Excess shelter costs that are more than half of the household’s income after the other deductions. Allowable costs include the cost of fuel used to heat and cook, electricity, water, the basic fee for one telephone, rent or mortgage payments, and taxes on the home. (New Jersey allows a household to deduct a set amount for utility costs instead of actual costs.) The amount of the shelter deduction cannot be more than $431 unless one person in the household is elderly or disabled.

What are the food stamp resource limits?

Households may have $2,000 in countable resources, such as a bank account. Households may have $3,000 if at least one person is age 60 or older. Certain resources are not counted, such as a home, furniture, and the resources of people who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or WFNJ benefits.

If I qualify for food stamps, how much will I receive?

The amount of food stamps you get will depend on the number of people in your household and on how much monthly income is left after certain expenses are subtracted. The expenses that are subtracted are called deductions.

A household is normally a group of people who live together and buy food and prepare meals together. The amount of benefits the household gets is called an allotment. The net monthly income of the household is multiplied by three, and the result is subtracted from the maximum allotment for the household size to find the household’s allotment. This is because food stamp households are expected to spend about 30 percent of their net income on food.

Calculating Food Stamp Benefits

How do I apply for food stamps?

The food stamp office must give you an application on the same day that you ask for one. You may ask for it in person, over the phone, or by mail. You may also ask someone else to get one for you. The office must accept the form on the same day you turn it in, even if they cannot interview you on that day.

Fill in your name, address, telephone number, and as much other information as possible on the form. Make sure to sign it. Take or mail the form to the food stamp office as soon as possible. A food stamp worker can help you fill out the rest of the form during your interview.

To find out if you are eligible for food stamps, and to fill out an application and submit it online at the NJHelps Web site. You’ll still need to have an interview and will need to submit verification for some of the information in your application.

Do I have to go the welfare office for an interview?

Yes, in most cases, you do have to go to the welfare office for a face-to-face interview, but you can ask for a waiver of that interview if you can show that it would be a hardship for you to get to the office. Even if you qualify for a hardship waiver, the food stamp office will still need you to sign and complete paperwork and to provide verification of certain information. They will still need to conduct an interview but will interview you in your home or over the phone.

How long does it take to receive food stamps?

If you qualify for food stamps, you will get them no later than 30 days from the date the office got your application.

If your household has little or no money and needs help right away, you may be eligible for expedited food stamps. This means that the food stamp office must give you food stamps within seven days of the date you apply.

The food stamp office will usually not interview you on the same day that you turn in the application. After you have turned in your application, the food stamp office will give you a date for an interview. They will contact you by telephone or mail with an interview time and date. If you can’t make the interview, contact the food stamp worker right away.

At the interview, a food stamp worker will explain the program rules and help you complete any parts of the application that you have not filled out. The worker will also ask you for proof of certain information you have given. If you have trouble getting papers (documents) or information you need, the worker may be able to help you. If the papers are not easy to get, you may give the name of someone, such as your employer, who can confirm your statements.

How will I know if I am eligible for food stamps?

After your interview, the food stamp office will send you a notice. If you do not qualify for food stamps, the notice will explain why. If you do qualify, the notice will explain how much your food stamp benefit will be. It will also tell you how long you can get food stamps before you must reapply.

If you think that your application has been wrongly denied or that you have not received the correct amount of food stamps, you should tell the office. If they do not agree, you can ask for a fair hearing to challenge the decision. Contact your local Legal Services office or LSNJ-LAW™, Legal Services of New Jersey’s statewide, toll-free legal hotline, at 1-888-LSNJLAW (1888-576-5529) for more information.

Will I get stamps or coupons? How do I use food stamps?

People who receive food stamps don’t receive coupons anymore. Instead, the amount of the food stamps is placed in an account. Food stamp recipients receive a plastic Electronic Benefits Card, similar to an ATM card or a debit card. They then use this card at grocery stores and other places where food stamps are accepted. The cost of the food is automatically deducted from the household’s food stamp account.

I am working and my income changes every month. Do I have to go back to the food stamp office each month?

Probably not. If you are working when you apply for food stamps, you only have to report changes in earned income every six months, unless your income goes above the gross monthly income limit for your household size (see the Household Income Limits for Food Stamps chart.) If your income goes above the gross monthly income limit, then you must report this change within 10 days. If you stop working, or start receiving income other than earnings, you will need to report that as well. If your income goes down, however, you can ask the food stamp office to readjust your food stamps to reflect the loss of income.

Where can I apply?

Each county has at least one food stamp office. The county offices are listed below. You must apply in the county where you live. You can apply in person at the food stamp office, or you can call or write for an application. You can also ask someone else to get an application for you. Some food stamp offices are open early in the morning or in the evening. After you submit the application, you (or your authorized representative) will need to go to the food stamp office for an interview, unless it would be a hardship for you to go to the office. If it would be a hardship, the food stamp office can arrange for an interview in your home or at another location.

New Jersey Food Stamp Offices

This article originally appeared in the December 2007 issue of Looking Out for Your Legal Rights®.

This information last reviewed 8/24/09.