Are you applying for food stamps in North Carolina and want to know how much you can expect to receive in benefits each month? If so, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will walk you through the step-by-step instructions on how to use the North Carolina Food Stamp Calculator for 2022. This will help you find out exactly how much food stamps you will get in North Carolina.
Your monthly North Carolina food stamp benefit amount is primarily based on your household size and income. The Food Stamps NC Calculator will help determine if food assistance will make a significant difference for your household.
In addition, this article will cover:
- North Carolina SNAP Benefits Overview
- North Carolina Food Stamp Calculator for 2022
- NC Food Stamp Eligibility Calculator Guidelines
- North Carolina Benefits Portal Pre-Screening Tool
- NC Food Stamp Application Instructions
To find out how much you can expect to receive in North Carolina food stamp benefits each month, continue reading below.
North Carolina Food Stamp Benefits
If you are struggling to afford food, then applying for North Carolina food stamp benefits could provide your household with some much-needed relief.
The USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps provides monthly cash benefits to eligible households in North Carolina.
Monthly SNAP benefits can be used to purchase eligible food items at grocery stores, markets, gas stations, seafood markets, bakeries, and more.
Benefits are accessed by using an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Card, also known as the North Carolina EBT Card.
In the state of North Carolina, the program is administered by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) through the ePASS online portal.
When applying for North Carolina food stamp benefits, one of the first questions applicants want to know is how the food stamp calculator in North Carolina works.
The North Carolina Food Stamp Calculator tells you exactly how much you will receive in monthly SNAP benefits.
This is important because it allows you to determine if food assistance will make a difference for your household.
With that said, let’s get started on how to calculate your North Carolina food stamp benefits.
How much Food Stamps will I get in NC?
The amount of food stamps you receive comes down to a few major factors – your household income, household size, and the number of allowable deductions.
Other factors such as assets and resources (i.e. cash, bank accounts, etc.) play a role in how much you can expect to receive in monthly food benefits.
Additionally, your monthly household income includes money earned from work, as well as payments from Social Security, Unemployment, and SSI.
To find out how much food stamps you will get in North Carolina, use the North Carolina food stamp eligibility calculator below.
North Carolina Food Stamp Calculator (2022 Guide)
Use the North Carolina Food Stamp Calculator provided below to find out how much you will receive in food assistance benefits.
To begin, we first have to look at the maximum benefit a household could get.
This amount is set each year by the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services (USDA FNS).
For fiscal year 2022, the chart below shows the Maximum Monthly Benefits for your household size.
|
Maximum SNAP Benefit Amount by Household Size for North Carolina |
|
|
Effective October 1, 2021 – September 30, 2022 |
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Household Size |
Maximum SNAP Benefit Allotment |
| 1 | $250 |
| 2 | $459 |
| 3 | $658 |
| 4 | $835 |
| 5 | $992 |
| 6 | $1,190 |
| 7 | $1,316 |
| 8 | $1,504 |
| Each Additional Household Member: | +$188 |
The table below from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) shows you the maximum benefit amount and estimated average benefit amount for the household size.
As you can see, for a household of one, the maximum food stamps benefit per month is $250.
However, the average is $175, which translates to $5.83 a day on average.
For a family of four, the maximum benefits that can be received is $835.
However, the average benefit amount for a family of four is $638 per month.
This averages $21.26 a day to purchase food for a family of four.
Food Stamps NC Calculator – Example
To calculate how much you could receive in North Carolina food stamp benefits, we have provided an example below.
This example from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) will show you how much a family of three is expected to receive.
The family shown includes one full-time, minimum-wage worker, two children, dependent care costs of $67 a month, and shelter costs of $927 per month.
We hope the example provided below will help you calculate your own benefit amount.
To find out if your household is eligible to receive monthly food stamps in North Carolina, use the eligibility guidelines highlighted below.
Who qualifies for SNAP in North Carolina?
Individuals and households that qualify for North Carolina food stamps meet the SNAP income guidelines, or have someone in the household that is elderly or disabled.
The North Carolina Food Stamps Income Limit is set by the USDA at 130% of the current year’s Federal Poverty Level.
To learn more about who qualifies for food stamps in North Carolina, continue reading below.
North Carolina Food Stamp Eligibility Guidelines
To be eligible for the North Carolina Food Stamp Program, you have to meet the eligibility requirements established by the USDA.
The North Carolina Food Assistance Program has a certain criteria that you must meet to receive benefits.
To qualify for North Carolina SNAP EBT Card benefits, you must:
- Be a U.S. Citizen or Legal Non-Citizen
- Live in the state of North Carolina
- Meet the North Carolina SNAP Income Limit
In addition to the eligibility requirements listed above, your household must also meet the three income and resources tests.
Income is the most important requirement when it comes to qualifying for North Carolina food stamps.
The three tests include your household’s gross monthly income, net income, and assets.
To make determining your eligibility for North Carolina SNAP easy, the NC Department of Job and Family Services created an online pre-screening tool.
The pre-screening tool will help you find out if you are eligible for food stamp benefits in North Carolina.
The online eligibility tool is available on the benefits.gov website.
With that said, to find out how to use the North Carolina Benefits online pre-screening tool to determine your eligibility for food stamps, then continue reading below.
NC Food Stamp Eligibility Pre-Screening Tool
If you think you are eligible for North Carolina Food Stamp benefits, you can use the pre-screening tool on the Benefits.gov website.
This will help determine if you qualify for food stamp benefits in North Carolina.
Please note, the Pre-Screening Tool is an application to determine eligibility for several benefit programs.
The prescreening tool covers most of the North Carolina food stamps rules. However, to fully determine your eligibility for benefits, you need to submit a North Carolina Food Stamp Application.
Benefits.gov Eligibility Tool is used to determine eligibility for several assistance programs, including:
- Food Assistance (SNAP)
- Cash Assistance (TANF)
- Low or no cost healthcare (Medicaid)
- Help to pay Medicare premiums
To find out how to use the North Carolina Food Stamps Pre-Screening Tool, follow the step-by-step instructions provided below:
Step 1 – Visit the North Carolina Food Stamp Eligibility Calculator
The first thing you need to do when determining your eligibility for NC SNAP is to visit the North Carolina food stamp eligibility calculator.
You can visit the Benefits.gov website at www.benefits.gov.
The website should look like the image below:
Step 2 – Start the Benefits.gov Eligibility Tool
Once you are on the Benefits.Gov website, start the Eligibility Pre-Screening Tool.
To do so, click the text that says, “Start Benefit Finder” – as seen in the screenshot above.
Step 3 – Begin the North Carolina Benefits Assessment
Next, you will be taken to a new page explaining how the Eligibility Pre-Screening Tool works.
Click the “Get Started” button located at the bottom-right of the page.
Please refer to the screenshot below:
Step 4 – Provide your Personal Information
After that, you will be asked to provide some basic personal and financial information pertaining to your household.
This includes your:
- Date of Birth
- Citizenship Status
- State you Live in
- Number of People in your Household – including adults, elderly, and children
- Total Monthly Household Income (before taxes)
- Employment Status
- Marriage Status
- Disability Status
- Blind or Hearing Status
Once you complete this information, you will be asked to select the type of benefits you are interested in.
Be sure to select “Food and Nutrition” from the list, as well as any other benefits you are interested in.
For help, see the screenshot below.
After that, click the “Next” button to proceed.
Step 5 – Review your NC Benefits Eligibility Results
Once you complete the Eligibility form you will be provided with results regarding which benefits you may qualify for.
To review this information, click the “Skip to Benefits” button at the bottom of the page.
If you are eligible for benefits and need help applying for North Carolina food stamps, follow our step-by-step instructions provided below.
For more help determining if your household is eligible to receive food stamp benefits in North Carolina, check out our complete NC Food Stamps Eligibility Guide.
How to Apply for North Carolina Food Stamps
There are four ways you can apply for food stamps in North Carolina – online, in-person, and by phone or mail.
Before we go through each of the four ways to apply for NC food stamps, let’s review what you will need to apply.
It’s important that you gather all the necessary documents prior to applying for North Carolina food stamp benefits.
Here is a list of information and documentation you will need to complete your North Carolina SNAP Application:
- Driver’s License
- Social Security Number (SSN)
- Date of Birth (DOB) or Birth Certificate
- Income information such as pay stubs from a job, child support or any other sources.
- Resource or asset information such bank accounts (checking, savings accounts), vehicles, homes, land or life insurance.
- Housing expenses, such as rent or utilities.
- Health Insurance information
- Verification of participation in other social services programs such as Medicaid or Work First Family Assistance.
Once you have gathered this information, you can now begin the North Carolina Food Stamp Application process.
For help completing your NC Food Stamp Application for SNAP benefits, follow the instructions provided below.
NC Food Stamp Application Instructions
Here are the four ways you can apply for North Carolina food stamps:
Option 1: Online via ONE DHS
The first option is to apply online using the North Carolina online portal, ePASS. You can access the North Carolina website by visiting epass.nc.gov.
If this is your first time using the North Carolina ePASS online portal, you will first have to create an NCID online account.
Creating an ePASS account is quick, easy, and should only take a few minutes.
Once you have created your account, you can apply for food stamp benefits online by submitting your NC Food Stamp Application.
Option 2: In-Person at NC DSS Office
The next way to apply for food stamps in North Carolina is in-person at your local county Department of Social Services (DSS) office.
Click here for a full list of North Carolina DSS Office locations.
Option 3: By Phone
If you do not have access to a computer or transportation, you can also submit your NC SNAP Application by phone.
To apply for North Carolina food stamps by phone, please call 866-719-0141. If you are deaf or hearing impaired, please call Relay Services by dialing 7-1-1 in your phone.
You will be walked through the steps on how to apply for benefits by phone.
Option 4: By Mail
The last option for completing your North Carolina SNAP Application is by mail. In order to complete your application by mail, you must download the North Carolina SNAP Application online.
To apply for North Carolina food stamps by mail, click here to download the North Carolina Food Stamps Application.
Once completed, you can upload your North Carolina SNAP Application online or mail the completed application to the Family Assistance Department of Human Services.
Click here to upload your North Carolina SNAP Application online.
To submit your North Carolina Food Stamps Application by mail, send it to your local NC DSS office.
Be sure to include copies of any requested verification documentation with your North Carolina Food Stamps Application.
North Carolina Food Stamps Customer Service Information
For additional help completing your North Carolina Food Stamps Application, contact your local county assistance NC DSS office.
You can contact the North Carolina Food Stamps Customer Service phone number by calling them at 1-866-719-0141.
Additionally, you can contact the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Customer Service Center by calling 1-800-662-7030.
Customer Service representatives are available to help you Monday through Friday.
North Carolina Food Stamps Calculator Questions
We hope you found this article on the North Carolina Food Stamps Calculator for 2022 helpful to you!
If you have any additional questions about the Food Stamp North Carolina Calculator or help determining your eligibility, please let us know in the comments section below.
If the meantime, check out our other articles on North Carolina Food Stamps:
NC Income Limit Guidelines
North Carolina Eligibility Guide
Extra Food Stamps in North Carolina
Does Costco take EBT in North Carolina?
