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MS 0310 (1) Volume 1 – General Administration MS 0310 – R. 5/4/22 – OMTL-595 Time Limit for Using EBT Benefits A. [An Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) account must be debited by the recipient at least once every nine months for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or benefits will be removed. If the recipient fails to debit their EBT account at least once every nine months, the SNAP benefits in the account are expunged. When the benefits are expunged, they are deducted from the recipient’s EBT account and are no longer available to the recipient. The recipient cannot, under any circumstances, get expunged benefits back. 1. When the oldest SNAP benefit in the EBT account has not been used within nine months, the EBT system checks each benefit in the account to determine if it should be expunged. For a benefit to be expunged, the “Available Date” for that benefit must be at least nine months in the past. 2. The EBT system sends Worker Portal a file of all SNAP EBT accounts that have not had any debit activity for nine months. To ensure that the recipient is aware that they have had benefits removed from their EBT account, Worker Portal sends the household an expungement notice. This notice advises the recipients that they have not used their SNAP EBT account in the last nine months, the benefits listed on the notice have been expunged from their EBT account, and they cannot get these benefits back. If the recipient has a claim, these expunged benefits will be applied to that claim.] Note: If the case is inactive due to the only household member deceased, a notice will not be issued. 3. When benefits are expunged, Worker Portal updates the benefit segments with the amount expunged and the date. This information is available on the benefit inquiry screen. B. [The discontinuance of the case has no impact on the EBT account. As long as there are SNAP benefits in the account and the recipient is debiting the account at least once every nine months, the recipient has access to the EBT account. C. An EBT account must be debited every 12 months for Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (KTAP) and Kinship Care (KC) benefits, or the above benefit expungement process will take place.] D. Access the EBT system at each reapplication to determine the status of an individual’s EBT card. E. If the EBT card status is anything other than active or inactive or if the EBT card number is blank, do the following: 1. Answer yes to the question “Does the household need a new EBT card?” 2. Tell the recipient their old EBT card will not work.