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Title 7: SNAP Page 43 Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Employees’ Manual Chapter I: Specific Households and Participants Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents… Revised February 13, 2026 Time Limit for ABAWDs When the benefits an ABAWD receives in a month that counts toward the three-month limit are entirely subject to a claim, that month continues to count toward the ABAWD’s three-month limit until the entire month’s benefits have been repaid.

1. Jalen applies for SNAP benefits in January and is determined to be an ABAWD. His January SNAP benefits are prorated, so January does not count towards his three- month limit.

He does not meet the work requirement during February, March, or April. Therefore, February, March, and April count towards his three-month limit and he uses up his eligibility in April. 2. Olson has been receiving SNAP for several months with his 13-year-old child. Olson’s child moves out in February. Olson is determined to be an ABAWD for the month of March. February does not count towards his three-month limit, because Olson’s child lived with him in February.

Olson does not meet the work requirement during March, April, or May and uses up his eligibility in the month of May. See Ineligible Household Members for how to treat the income and resources of an ineligible ABAWD who is a member of an eligible SNAP household. Countable Months in Another State If an applicant ABAWD received SNAP benefits in another state, verify whether any of the months in which benefits were received were countable months in that state. Also verify whether the additional three months of benefits were used. The other state’s verbal statement is the only proof needed that the ABAWD did or did not use any countable months. Document the information in the case record. Consider only Iowa’s three-year period when determining if the benefits received in the other state count towards Iowa’s three-month limit. See Time Limit for ABAWDs for Iowa’s periods in which ABAWDs are limited to three months of benefits. Regaining Eligibility ABAWDs who have been canceled or denied SNAP eligibility because of having used their three-month time limit can regain eligibility for SNAP benefits. There is no limit on how many times an ABAWD can regain eligibility.  ABAWDs can regain eligibility right away by becoming exempt from the ABAWD work requirement, as explained under ABAWD Exemptions.