On January 6, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), a federal agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), published a final rule regarding various aspects related to, among other things, eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. As many know, SNAP offers nutrition assistance to millions of eligible, low-income individuals and families (including those with disabilities) and provides economic benefits to communities. Additionally, SNAP is the largest program in the domestic hunger safety net, according to the USDA website.
SNAP is a federally funded means tested benefit, and therefore, in accordance with the Stephen Beck Jr., Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, should disregard funds in an ABLE account when determining eligibility for its’ benefits. The recently released rules confirm and reiterate that ABLE funds will not compromise otherwise eligible individuals from accessing benefits under the SNAP program.
See rule here.