2023 Georgia Food Stamps Increase

It’s a new year and with the continued increase in food prices, one of the questions we have received from Georgia SNAP recipients is whether there will be an increase in Georgia food stamps benefits. Specifically, will there be a cost of living adjustment to food stamps benefits in 2023 to make up for the increase in food prices? In this post, we will explain in detail what the 2023 Georgia Stamps Increase will be, the income limits to qualify for benefits, and how much a family of 4 or 5 will get in SNAP benefits.

Additionally, we will provide a list of other food stamps changes in 2023 that may affect your benefits.

If you are approved for food stamps in Georgia, how much in benefits you get partly depends on the:

Number of people in your household,
Total amount of your household’s income, and
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Thrifty Food Plan.

The Thrifty Food Plan is a government estimate of how much it costs to provide a household with nutritious, low-cost meals.

The table below shows the maximum food stamps benefits for households with zero income.

As your income increases, your Georgia SNAP benefit amount goes down.

Georgia SNAP Maximum Benefit Amount by Household Size for Fiscal Year 2023
Effective October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2023
Household Size	Maximum SNAP Benefit Allotment
1	$281
2	$516
3	$740
4	$939
5	$1,116
6	$1,339
7	$1,480
8	$1,691
Each Additional Household Member: Add	$211

Here are the highlights:

A two-person household could receive $57 more in maximum SNAP benefits, from $459 to $516.

The maximum SNAP benefit for a family of four will increase by $104 from $835 to $939.

Additionally, a family of five will see their maximum food stamps benefits increase to $1116, from 992 – an increase of $124.

How Much Will a Family of 4 Get in Food Stamps?

Here’s how to calculate how much a family of 4 will get in Georgia SNAP benefits.

First, we need to start with the household income.

If you have a countable net income, multiply your net monthly income by 0.3 (30 percent).

Round up this amount to the nearest dollar.

Next, take this amount and subtract it from the maximum benefit level for a household of your size.

From the table above, the maximum a household of 4 could receive in Georgia SNAP is $939.

The result is the amount of your monthly Georgia SNAP benefits for a family of 4.

Here’s an example:

Example: Gwen and her family of four (4) have $1,550 in net income after allowable income and shelter deductions. To determine the family’s SNAP benefits, take 30% of the “net income” (30% of $1,550) and subtract it from the maximum benefit, as follows:

$1,550 Net Income for Gwen’s family
x .30 (Multiply by 30%)
$ 465 Countable Income
$ 939 Maximum SNAP for 4 persons
-$465 Countable income
$ 474 Monthly SNAP benefits for Gwen’s family

How much will a Family of 5 get in Georgia SNAP?

Using the same example above, we are going to calculate how much Gwen’s family will get if they were a family of 5 with the same $2,250 net income.

From the table above, the maximum a household of 5 could receive in Georgia SNAP is $1,116

Example: Gwen and his family of five (five) have $2,250 in net income after allowable income and shelter deductions. To determine the family’s SNAP benefits, take 30% of the “net income” (30% of $2,250) and subtract it from the maximum benefit, as follows:

$ 2,250 Net Income for Gwen’s family
x .30 (Multiply by 30%)
$ 675 Countable Income
$ 1,116 Maximum SNAP for 5 persons
-$675 Countable income
$ 441 Monthly SNAP benefits for Gwen’s family

Other Food Stamps Changes in 2023

Here are the other Georgia SNAP changes in 2023 that may affect your benefits:

Extra Food Stamps Benefits for Georgia have Ended

Food stamps recipients in Georgia saw a steep decline in their benefits, starting in June 2022.

That is because the state of Georgia ended the extra food stamps benefits program.

The emergency allotment (extra food stamps) was granted to help SNAP recipients with hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

State food stamps agencies were allowed to issue the allotment payments on a month-to-month basis to all SNAP households that normally receive less than the maximum benefit.

As long as there’s a national public health emergency in place states can opt to keep providing monthly emergency allotments.

However, Georgia food stamp recipients have not been approved to receive extra SNAP benefits since June 2022 because the state has opted not to continue the program.

How Much in Benefits Are Georgia Food Stamps Recipients Losing?

Georgia food stamp recipients were receiving close to a total of $119 million each month in the extra pandemic funding.

That is according to Georgia’s latest filing with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the federal agency that runs the program.

Updated Georgia Income Limits for 2023

The biggest factor when determining if you are eligible for food stamp benefits is your household income.

Each year, the USDA is responsible for setting the Income Eligibility Standards for SNAP. These standards are then used to perform an income test on all households that apply for food stamp benefits.

The income test is required for all households unless your household is already receiving cash assistance benefits from the federal government or your state.

Most households must have a total gross monthly income less than or equal to 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL), to be potentially eligible for Georgia SNAP benefits.

If your household has a person who is 60 or older or disabled, only the net income limit must be met.

The Georgia SNAP Income Limit for 2022-2023 is based on your household’s total income and size.

To see if your household’s income meets the fiscal year 2023 SNAP Eligibility Requirements, use the chart below:

SNAP Income Limits in Georgia (Oct. 1, 2022, through Sep. 30, 2023)

Georgia SNAP Income Eligibility Standards for Fiscal Year 2023
Effective October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2023
Household Size	Income Guidelines for Households with an Elderly or Disabled Member and Households with Dependent Care Expenses (200% of FPL)	Income Guidelines for Households with Earned Income (no elderly or disabled member/ 150% of Federal Poverty Line)	Income Guidelines for Households without Earned Income (no elderly or disabled member/ 130% of Federal Poverty Line)	Monthly Net Income (100% of FPL)
1	$2,265	$1,699	$1,473	$1,133
2	$3,052	$2,289	$1,984	$1,526
3	$3,839	$2,879	$2,495	$1,920
4	$4,625	$3,469	$3,007	$2,313
5	$5,412	$4,059	$3,518	$2,706
6	$6,199	$4,649	$4,029	$3,100
7	$6,985	$5,239	$4,541	$3,493
8	$7,772	$5,829	$5,052	$3,886
Each Additional Household Member: Add	$787	$590	$512	$394

New Allowable Deductions for 2023

To calculate your net monthly income, you must deduct approved household expenses. Here are the expenses that can be deducted from your household’s gross income:

20% deduction from Earned Income
Standard deduction of $193 for households with 1 to 4 people and $225 for households with 5 people and $226 for households with 6 or more people.
Dependent care deduction when needed for work, training, or education
A deduction for elderly or disabled member’s medical expenses that exceed $35 a month (if not paid by insurance or someone else)
Any legally owed child support payments can be deducted
Homeless Household’s shelter costs deduction of $166.81.
A deduction for excess shelter costs that exceed more than half of the household’s income (after the other deductions listed above & cannot exceed $624 unless a household member is elderly or disabled).