Seniors Living in These 15 States Could Be Hurt the Most by SNAP Cuts

Key Points

• President Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill" made several changes to the SNAP program.

• These changes are likely to reduce some seniors' SNAP benefits or render them ineligible for these benefits.

• It may be a year or two before Americans feel the full extent of these changes.

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When you think of benefits for seniors, your mind probably goes to Social Security first. But many older adults rely upon other income sources, like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, to help them fill the gaps in their retirement budget that their Social Security checks and personal savings can't cover.

These benefits help nearly 42 million low-income Americans of all ages pay for groceries each month, but a recent rule change could put many of these families in jeopardy of losing their SNAP benefits or having them cut back. This will affect residents of all states, though some could be hit harder than others.

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Some of the funding burden is shifting to states

President Donald Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill," which passed in July, includes a change that will require most states to pay between 5% and 15% of their state's SNAP benefit costs. Previously, the federal government paid the full cost.

The exact toll this will take on a state's budget depends on how many of its residents are on SNAP and how much of the program's costs it's expected to shoulder. The following 15 states could have an especially hard time because they have the largest number of residents on SNAP.

Data source: Traceone and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

States that aren't able to shoulder these extra costs may be forced to reduce SNAP benefits in their state or opt out of the program altogether, which means residents of that state would no longer be able to receive SNAP benefits. This will be especially hard on the now-retired baby boomers living on fixed incomes.

This rule is set to take effect in 2028, but it's possible that states, which budget a year or two in advance, could begin making changes to SNAP even sooner.

New work requirements target older adults

Another "Big, Beautiful Bill" change modifies the work requirements for adults who are on SNAP. Under the old rules, most non-disabled adults under 55 had to either prove that they worked 20 hours per week or qualified for an exemption to claim SNAP for more than three months out of a year. The new rule change expands these work requirements to include adults aged 55 to 64. It also eliminates work requirement exemptions for veterans and homeless Americans.

There are exemptions for those who are disabled and those with a child under 14 years old in their household, among other things. But if you don't qualify for one of these exemptions and you can't meet the work requirement, you will face new limitations on how much you can receive from SNAP in a year.

What you can do

You should receive a notice in the mail if your SNAP benefits will decrease or if you will no longer be eligible under the new program rules. The first thing you should do is read the letter carefully.

Make sure there aren't any errors in the information it used to make its determination. For example, if it shows an incorrect income or it lists you as working less than you actually do, it's important to reach out to your state social services agency as soon as possible to get this corrected.

You also have a right to appeal the decision if you believe it's unfair. Contact your local SNAP office for details on how to do this.

It doesn't hurt to start exploring other resources in your community now, even if you haven't yet gotten notice about a change to your benefits. You may be able to rely upon local food banks to make up for what your savings account, investments, and government benefits can't cover.

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