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2023-R-0100 April 5, 2023 Page 4 of 7
and remain eligible for TFA, households must also meet a $3,000 asset limit, generally not including one vehicle (Connecticut TANF State Plan, p. 7).
Options When Income Increases Separate Income Eligibility for Enrollees With Earned Income. Once a family qualifies for TFA, DSS must disregard earned income up to 100% of FPL when calculating benefit amounts (CGS § 17b-112(d)). This allows families to earn funds in excess of the program’s standard of need once they have qualified for the program.
SNAP Income and Asset Limits DSS administers SNAP in Connecticut and determines whether households meet eligibility requirements, within federal parameters. At the federal level, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service administers the program. Participating households may use SNAP benefits to purchase food. Under federal law, a household’s monthly SNAP benefit amount is calculated by subtracting 30% of the household’s net monthly income from a maximum monthly benefit.
Connecticut uses “broad-based categorical eligibility” in its SNAP program. Under this policy, households are categorically eligible for SNAP if they qualify for a non-cash benefit funded by the federal TANF block grant or state maintenance-of-effort requirements. In Connecticut, this policy confers SNAP eligibility to households with gross income of up to 200% of FPL, which is the highest income allowed under this option (7 C.F.R. § 273.2(j)(2)(ii)(B)). Households that meet this eligibility criteria are not subject to an asset limit. However, certain households that include an elderly person or a person receiving disability payments may be subject to an asset limit if their gross income exceeds 200% of FPL. DSS provides more information on its website.
Options When Income Increases Transitional Benefits Alternative. Connecticut provides five months of SNAP benefits though a Transitional Benefits Alternative for households that are leaving TFA due to new or increased earned income (7 C.F.R. § 273.26).