Here's Who Gets SNAP This Week — Full April 20–26 EBT Schedule

Ajouté : 2026-05-05

[00:00:01]If you are on SNAP benefits or you help somebody that is on SNAP, this is the only 20 minutes you need this week.

[00:00:10]Over 12 million EBT cards are loading up between April the 20th to the 26th. And yesterday, Monday, April the 20th, Florida became the 10th state in the country where soda, energy drinks, and prepared desserts do not longer qualify for SNAP benefits. So, if you live in Florida, your shopping for SNAP has changed.

[00:00:39]If you live in the other states where SNAP is loading up this week, your deposit is somewhere within the next 7 days, and I'm going to tell you exactly what you need to know.

[00:00:52]Now, here's why this matters. There are 22 states that have approved restrictions on SNAP benefits on what you can buy with your EBT card, and 10 are enforcing it, and 12 are on their way to doing the same. And then, there are three month restrictions on SNAP benefits in any given 3 years if you do not meet work requirement. A lot of people do not know that these rules have gone into effect, that your SNAP benefits are being restricted to 3 months for certain categories of people if you don't meet specific work requirement. So, I am going to walk you through what is happening step by step. My name is Kwame Owusu-Kwateng. I am an adjunct professor of finance at Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School. This is Benefits Insider. If you are new to my channel, welcome. Do me a quick favor. Go into the comment section and let me know your city and your state. I like to know where you guys are watching my channel from. Now, let's dig right into it. So, here is what I'm going to cover for today.

[00:01:53]I am going to walk you through who gets paid this week. Even before you get the money on your EBT card, I want to walk you through what's happening. And if your benefit, if your EBT card is less than what you were expecting, or if doesn't show up at all, I am going to tell you specifically what to do about that. And then, I'm going to give you the exact dates of which states are paying EBT this week. And then, I'm going to share with you three stories, three breaking news that you need to know because they have the potential to affect your SNAP benefits. Let's jump right in. So, first, let's talk about the elephant in the room.

[00:02:35]Every month, thousands of household will log into their EBT card, and they find out that their EBT balance is lower than the expected, or it hasn't been loaded at all.

[00:02:46]And I get these comments in my post every day about people who were expecting EBT, and they need the money to buy food, and it doesn't show up.

[00:02:57]There are six reasons why this happens.

[00:03:00]And I am going to let you know all six of them because the fix depends on whether the specific issue applies to your situation. So, let's talk about the six reasons why your EBT will not show up.

[00:03:15]>> [snorts] >> The first one is missed recertification.

[00:03:19]Your renewal paperwork wasn't returned on time, and so your benefits have been paused until you do that. So, that's number one. Two, your income went up. If you got a raise, you got a new job, your household members' income changed, it may push you over a certain limit, and all of a sudden, your SNAP benefits are reduced.

[00:03:42]Or if you are an older adult on Social Security, your cola probably pushed you into a new income category. All of a sudden, your SNAP benefits are affected because the food stamp office is finally catching up to the fact that you've gotten a raise in your Social Security benefit.

[00:04:00]>> [snorts] >> Excuse me.

[00:04:02]And then, number four, household change.

[00:04:06]Someone in your house moved, or someone moved in, moved out, or aged into a different category, and your household size now changes, and so that affects your SNAP benefits.

[00:04:18]And then, we have overpayment recovery.

[00:04:20]This is a big one, and a lot of people don't know.

[00:04:23]A past overpayment is now being collected, and so they are taking a portion of your SNAP benefit to pay back what you owe because you were previously paid more than you were eligible for.

[00:04:35]And then, the big one that is affecting more people than you'd know.

[00:04:40]If you are ages 18 to 64, it used to be 18 to 6 54.

[00:04:48]Now, it's 18 to 64. If you are between those ages, and you don't have dependents, or dependents are at a certain age, then you have to work 80 hours a month in order to continue to get SNAP benefits more than 3 months in any given 3 years.

[00:05:08]If you don't meet those requirements, your SNAP benefits will be cut off.

[00:05:12]So, I'm going to tell you what to do.

[00:05:15]If your benefits do not come in or is reduced, here's the three steps you need to take. First, check your balance and transaction history. Log into your state's EBT portal, or call the number on the back of your EBT card, and see if there's a missing payment, or your payment has been reduced. If it has, and you have confirmation, then call your state.

[00:05:37]Call your state SNAP office. This is important within 10 days. If the amount is wrong or missing, you have a formal right to request a recalculation and a written notice explaining why it has changed. They owe you that by law, but you have to do this within 10 days.

[00:05:54]And then, gather your documents before you call.

[00:05:57]What are the things that you're going to show to prove that they are wrong, or they miscalculated.

[00:06:03]Your recent pay stub, your Social Security cola letter, proof of household changes, any recertification notices, all the things that you need to show that what they are saying, or what they are doing, is incorrect is going to be important when you make that call. And so, gather those documents and be ready.

[00:06:22]Nine states are paying EBT this week.

[00:06:26]And so, let's walk through that.

[00:06:28]Michigan, from the 3rd to the 21st.

[00:06:31]North Carolina, from the 3rd to the 21st. Missouri, from the 1st of the month to the 22nd. And Alabama, from the 4th to the 23rd. Georgia, from the 5th to the 23rd. Indiana, from the 5th to the 23rd. And Louisiana, from the 1st to the 23rd.

[00:06:49]Now, there are some states that are paying benefits all through the month.

[00:06:53]And so, you have Florida from the 1st to the 28th. And Texas, from the 1st to the 28th. Now, I am showing you on the right-hand side how they are paying the benefit. So, it may be based on the last four of your Social Security number, your birth month plus your last name, etc., etc. What is important is that you know the window, and in the window is closing for a lot of states. So, all the states that I've indicated, most of them close on the 23rd. So, it is coming up. So, if you haven't received your benefit yet, you should pay attention to these dates.

[00:07:29]And as I mentioned, Florida is in the news because they have made some changes as of yesterday, April the 20th. I am going to explain to you what that means shortly.

[00:07:40]Now, every week when I do this EBT payment status, I am also going to cover the biggest news of the week.

[00:07:49]And there are three big things I want to cover with you this week. Changes to EBT card rules in Florida. And so, let me take you to the news article, and then we'll talk about it because this is actually something that's going to affect millions of people in Florida, and you need to be aware of that. So, here it is. It says, "Changes to SNAP EBT benefits in Florida. Uh these states are next." So, there are more states that are going to be following Florida's lead and and and implement this policy.

[00:08:20]And so, let's talk about it. It says, "Changes to SNAP are now in effect in Florida. Program recipients can no longer use their SNAP benefits to purchase soda, energy drinks, candy, and prepared desserts. This is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to give states more control over public assistance program. Through a federal waiver process, states can now submit a waiver proposal to limit which foods and drinks qualify for SNAP purchases.

[00:08:50]22 states have already applied for waivers and received federal approval, and here's what you need to know.

[00:08:55]Florida became the 10th state.

[00:08:58]An estimated 3 million Florida SNAP recipients will be affected by the recent changes. As of April the 20th, Florida beneficiaries can no longer use their EBT to buy the following: soda, energy drinks, candy, ultra-processed prepared desserts.

[00:09:15]And as I mentioned, Florida is the 10th state to begin enforcing an healthy food and drink ban through their SNAP program. The following nine states have already implemented stuff. Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia. And eight more states are getting ready to impose their own restrictions. And so, the list keeps growing. Right? The federal government began approving state-submitted waivers in May. Arkansas and Texas will begin implementing theirs in July with the following states rolling out restrictions later in the year. Hawaii, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia.

[00:09:59]>> [snorts] >> So, if you live in any of these states, get ready because restrictions are coming your way, and you don't want to be caught off guard when these things are announced. The next thing I want to cover, obviously, you know, I've already told you about Florida, is the 10th state to enforce this rule, and 3 million people are going to be affected, and four categories of things have been banned.

[00:10:23]The next thing is that Kit Kat, Gatorade, or granola, what is banned under SNAP new rules is mixed.

[00:10:32]Now, this is the Washington Post looking at what these states are doing, and it's saying that in most states what is still eligible? Kit Kat and Twix Twix bars, they contain flour, technically not candy in some states, so they're eligible. Chips and cookies classified as snacks and are not candy.

[00:10:52]And so, now we're beginning to dig in, and why is this important? Well, there's a lot of confusion, and and, you know, I don't want to spend my time talking about what food is eligible and what is not, but I'm getting questions about it. So, if it's important to you, it's important to me. And so, I did the research.

[00:11:11]>> [snorts] >> I found the article from the Washington Post that clarifies how the states are making some of these decisions. So, right, Kit Kat and Twix bars, because they contain flour, they're technically not candy.

[00:11:25]And then you have chips and obviously contain flour, they're classified as snack foods and not candy. And then most cold sandwiches, depending on the state, >> [snorts] >> they are how they are sold, are now part of that. Now, what is no longer allowed consistently across all 10 states?

[00:11:45]Soda and sweetened sparkling water.

[00:11:50]Gatorade and sports drink with electrolytes.

[00:11:53]And Pedialyte, reported by Iowa retailers and state groups. So, here's what I'm going to tell you. These things are in flux, retailers don't even know what's happening half of the time.

[00:12:05]So, when you go, be open to surprises.

[00:12:09]You may think that something is approved and it may not be approved, and then you'll find out. And if you think it is, then you need to challenge that and make sure that the retailer knows that they have the wrong information. But for you to be able to challenge anything, you also have to have the right information.

[00:12:27]Next, shocker, food stamp work rules do not increase employment.

[00:12:34]Let me pull this article because a lot of politicians like to talk about, you know, they like to badmouth SNAP recipients and say that SNAP My presentation disappeared. Thank God, it is still recording, and so I'm going to pull up my slides again, and then we're going to keep it going. This happens every now and then when I click the wrong button and then things disappear. Everything is so delicate these days. So, let's continue. So, what I wanted to share with you was the thing about SNAP employment, right? So, let's talk about that.

[00:13:26]So, SNAP employment um rules do not actually increase employment.

[00:13:34]So, let's This is something that I have known based on my research, but politicians like to badmouth SNAP recipients every time to say that, you know, you have to work to get food stamps, and if you're not working, you're lazy, and and all that and all that and all that, which is not true because majority of people getting SNAP are already working. Those who don't work, most of them cannot work or are struggling to find work and live in areas where it is very tough to find jobs. And you talk about a large population of seniors and older adults who are discriminated against when it comes to employment. We don't like to admit that, but it's true, it happens.

[00:14:14]Age discrimination happens. And so, you have this requirement that older adults between, you know, 55 to 64 now have to work. A lot of them struggle to find work. And so, if the idea is to put these work requirements in place to force people to work to get their SNAP benefits, this research is showing that it is not happening. It's actually having the opposite effect. So, let's read it together. This is CBS News. It says, "Food stamps work rules don't increase employment, research says." A half a dozen cars have been in the queue for nearly 4 hours by the time the House of Hope mobile pantry line began to move. 70 or so idle behind them by 11:30 when food distribution began. The plan was to begin handing out boxes of uh groceries at 11:00, but the Facing Hunger Food Bank truck delivering the food blew a tire and road no complaint. So, they were just setting up the story. So, they're saying that Perry Hall was among the waiting in in line.

[00:15:15]His wife, Lilly Hall, volunteers with the distribution team. Perry has been dealing with a form of cancer called myeloma. Myeloma.

[00:15:24]I think that's what it's called.

[00:15:26]The Halls get around $1,500 a month from social security benefits plus assistance from SNAP, but because of her age, Lilly, 59, recently became subject to SNAP new work rules at the risk of losing her benefits. As part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, all able-bodied adults 64 or younger who do not have dependents and don't work, volunteer, or participate in a job training at least 80 hours a month are now restricted to 3 months of SNAP every 3 years.

[00:16:02]Previously, the federal requirement was for 54 and younger. The new rule, which went into effect in November, also applies to parents of children 14 or older, and it removed exemptions for veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and young adults who have aged out of foster care.

[00:16:21]Proponents of work requirement argue that the incentive it the incentivized people who are work-ready.

[00:16:28]That's the key phrase they're using, people who are work-ready.

[00:16:34]Right? And to seek and keep jobs, reducing dependence on government assistance, and upholding dignity of work. When I hear that phrase, it drives me crazy. It drives me crazy. It is a form of patronage.

[00:16:50]You know, dignity of work. Some people cannot work.

[00:16:56]I am all for people who are able to work to work and not depend on the government.

[00:17:02]And majority of SNAP recipients are working, but the problem is that they're not making enough money, and so they need the benefits.

[00:17:11]And so, yes, they should work. But there are large number of people who are being pushed into work, and they have don't have the ability to work because of health conditions, because of illnesses, because of disability, because of homelessness, because of veterans experiencing trauma. All those people still need help. And so, when they use the word dignity of work, it's supposed to feel like if you're not working, then you don't have dignity, or you [snorts] shouldn't be proud of yourself for what you've accomplished or where you are in life, and I don't think that's a good measurement of dignity.

[00:17:47]So, Ronda serves as a health and safety policy analyst for the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy. She and her colleagues have studied the effects of SNAP work rules and found that requiring recipients to work does not lower an area's unemployment rate. Previous work requirements were suspended nationwide during the COVID pandemic. The researchers found that the average number of people employed in Mingo County each month actually went down after the work requirement was reimposed. Think about that. It it and achieved the opposite effect. A 2028 field research report that examines several data sources, including SNAP data from nine states, found that work requirements have no impact on labor force participation and the number of hours work.

[00:18:36]There are a number of possible explanations, but when people are hungry, they are not able to support themselves. When people are hungry, it's harder to focus on work. It is harder to engage in work activity, and we think that is a part of it. So, and then he says, "Jobs are scarce in southern West Virginia County." Lilly found work at a department restaurant, but it's unpaid until a waitress position opens up. That is what I'm talking about. So, it is more complex, but politicians like to throw in words like dignity of work.

[00:19:10]You have to, you know, you should be proud and and work for everything you you need. The problem is that people are not making enough money. And I know I'm pontificating here a bit, but I have a lot of knowledge and research on this, and I'm telling you, my research has shown that it is not that people don't want to work. If you don't have enough food to eat, how do you go to, you know, be able to function? And if you have a disability, if you're homeless, if you are, you know, you you cannot find work in your local area because there is less work available, and younger people are being hired because they can be hired cheaply, and people don't have to give them other benefits, all that happens.

[00:19:49]So, it is more complex. I am not saying it shouldn't be required. I'm just saying that they're being simplistic with this.

[00:19:56]I'm done with my pontificating. I'm going to move on. So, the point I'm trying to make is that work requirements have been known not to really help with increasing employment in areas just the way the government think it's going to work. It does not work like that.

[00:20:16]So, coming up next week, I am going to talk about, you know, um expanded work rules. I am going to talk about the states pay 75% of um SNAP administrative costs. And I'm going to talk about all these changes that are coming up. But, here's what you need to do. Confirm your state work window.

[00:20:37]Check your state eligi- eligibility list for food items that have been restricted and document your work hours if you are under the work requirements. And then finally, if you've been watching my channel, you know that I'm on a mission this year to help 100,000 people get peace of mind about Medicare. I am in partnership with Chapter Medicare. We are My goal is to save $5 million this year for you, my audience, $5 million.

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[00:21:45]But, there are surprises and I hear them all the time. And that's why I am partnering with Chapter Medicare to give you that peace of mind. But, why Chapter Medicare? Well, because unlike other companies, they are not there to push any particular plan on you. They are not there to use sales tactics to steer you in a particular direction.

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[00:23:31]And so, until tomorrow, I look forward to seeing you in another video. Thank you for watching.