Frequently Asked Questions

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps you pay for food. SNAP used to be known as Food Stamps. Learn more about SNAP.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is for people who can’t afford all their food. The most important factors to decide if you can get SNAP and how much you get are:

• The number of people who live and eat together (called a SNAP household)
• Household income (both gross income and net income after deductions for expenses like rent or mortgage payments, or medical costs for a household member who is disabled or 60 or older)

Whether you can get SNAP benefits may also depend on things like if you (or someone in your household) has a disability or is 60 years old or older.

Learn more about who can get SNAP.

If you are not sure if you’ll meet the income limits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), go ahead and apply for SNAP benefits to see if you qualify.

The amount you get depends on your household income, what deductions you have, and the number of people in your household.

Learn more about how SNAP decides how much you get in benefits.

You can apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP):

When you get SNAP (formerly Food Stamps), you get an an Iowa Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, a plastic card that looks and works like a debit card. Iowa puts your SNAP benefits money on the EBT card each month. You can use your EBT card to buy food at grocery stores displaying the Quest logo, and at participating farmers markets and roadside stands. Learn more about how to use SNAP.

To avoid problems with your SNAP benefits you must notify them if:

• Your household's total gross income goes over the limit for your household size
• An able-bodied adult without dependents stops working 80 hours a month, or
• Anyone in the household gets lottery or gambling winnings of $4,500 or more.

Any of these changes must be reported by the tenth day of the month after the change happens. You can report changes by calling 1-877-347-5678 or email IMCSC@dhs.state.ia.us.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the same program as what you knew as Food Stamps. It got its name from giving paper “stamps” to buy food. Now, in Iowa, SNAP gives you your benefits on the Iowa Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, a plastic card that looks and works like a debit card.