Page 197
197 (07/2026) Chapter 2:Eligibility • Section 4: Household information • The transfer settled a legally enforceable claim against the resource or individual. • The transfer was court-ordered. • The resource is an annuitized annuity.
This means the cash value is no longer available and the payments have started. • The resource was transferred for reasons other than to qualify for benefits, e.g., claiming a lottery ticket for a friend and giving them the money. When the transfer does not meet any of the above criteria, it may still be determined valid if the individual can establish their intent was not to transfer the resource to become eligible for SNAP. Disqualifying transfer of lottery winnings
If ODHS/OHA determines the transfer was not valid then it is a disqualifying transfer of assets subject to a penalty. Example 1: Sitka won $10,000 on a scratch-off ticket on 3/25/25. Since $15,000 is owed in back child support, Sitka knows she will not receive any of the winnings if she claims it. Sitka asks her brother, Ahanu, to claim the ticket. Ahanu shows identification and signs the claim form attesting to being the owner of the ticket. After cashing the check, Ahanu gives the money ($6,800 after taxes) to Sitka. Ahanu applies for benefits on 4/2/25 and tells the worker about this. Ahanu did not give the winnings away to be eligible for SNAP benefits. Ahanu gave the winnings away because his sister, Sitka, was the real winner. This is not a disqualifying transfer of assets.
Example 2: Pawel won $10,000 on a scratch-off ticket on 3/25/25. Pawel was receiving SNAP and gave the winnings to adult son, Rafel, due to fear of losing SNAP benefits. The Lottery Commission reported the winnings at the beginning of April 2025. Since the amount was greater than $4,500, Pawel’s SNAP was discontinued effective 5/1/25. Pawel reapplied 5/5/25 and explained this. The transfer occurred within the look-back period for SNAP, was maintain/become eligible for SNAP, and the uncompensated amount was for more than $5,000. This is a disqualifying transfer of assets, resulting in a disqualification period of 12 months. After the worker explains this to Pawel, he decides to withdraw his application, and the disqualification is not imposed. Pawel reapplies for SNAP after 6/25/25 so the win did not occur during the three month look-back period; at that point and the transfer of assets does not matter for SNAP. Disqualification Periods
If a disqualifying transfers of assets occurs, the filing group is ineligible for SNAP benefits for the disqualification period of up to one year. The disqualification applies to each individual who was in the financial group during the month the disqualifying transfer occurred. The length of the disqualification depends on the amount of uncompensated value involved.