Bad news for millions of Americans receiving SNAP payments: USDA cuts up to $600 as it stands
It’s been another crazy week of uncertainty, with partial payouts, court fights, steep hits and negotiation.
After several reversals, the U.S. Department of Agriculture instructed states to issue partial November SNAP benefits equal to 65% of the maximum allotment, not the full amounts some courts briefly ordered. The revised cap was posted by USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service on November 6 and detailed in a table of reduced allotments.
For a household of eight in the 48 contiguous states and D.C., that’s $1,163 instead of $1,789 – a cut of $626 – which is why large families take the biggest hit. A family of four drops from $994 to $646 (-$348); a single adult falls from $298 to $193 (-$105).
But a week is a long time in politics...
What SNAP changes have courts demanded?
On the night of Friday November 7, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson temporarily stayed a Rhode Island judge’s order that would have forced the administration to fund 100% of November benefits immediately. Within hours, USDA told states the full-payments guidance was “unauthorized” and to “immediately undo” any steps taken to issue them, warning of penalties for noncompliance. Several states had already sent money with Wisconsin and Kansas saying that they would not claw back funds already on cards.
Why are SNAP households losing more than 35%?
If you’re not aware, SNAP isn’t a flat check. Actual benefits equal the maximum for your household size minus 30% of net income. Under the interim formula, households at the maximum lose 35%, and all households of the same size lose the same dollar amount. This sees those not at the maximum experiencing a bigger percentage cut. Example: a three-person household’s reduction is $275 either way, which can be far more than 35% if their usual benefit is below the max.
When will my November SNAP benefits arrive?
Even partial payments won’t hit all at once. States warn it could take weeks to reprogram systems and reload EBT cards. The big news on Monday night, though, was that the Senate passed a bill to end the shutdown and restore full-year SNAP funding for USDA, sending the measure to the House.
But until that becomes law, USDA’s 65% cap and the state-by-state delays remain the governing reality.
What the cuts look like at a glance (48 states plus D.C.)
- 1 person: $298 to $193 (-$105)
- 4 people: $994 to $646 (-$348)
- 6 people: $1,421 to $924 (-$497)
- 8 people: $1,789 to $1,163 (-$626)
Note that Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and USVI have higher baselines but are also limited to 65% this month.
What will shutdown deal consist of?
The compromise measure would reopen the government through January 30, restoring full operations and reversing recent federal layoffs.
It also guarantees yearlong funding for key programs, including SNAP food assistance, veterans’ benefits, and other essential services, with SNAP now set to continue at elevated levels through September 2026.
Lawmakers also secured a future vote on extending Affordable Care Act premium subsidies, the expiring tax credits that have been at the heart of the shutdown standoff.
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