Are you applying for food stamps in Michigan and want to know how much you can expect to receive in benefits each month? If so, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will walk you through the step-by-step instructions on how to use the MI Food Stamp Calculator for 2022. This will help you find out exactly how much food stamps you will get in Michigan.
Your monthly Michigan food stamp benefit amount is primarily based on your household size and income. The Michigan Food Stamp Calculator will help determine if food assistance will make a significant difference for your household.
In addition, this article will cover:
- Michigan SNAP Benefits Overview
- MI Food Stamp Calculator for 2022
- Michigan Food Stamp Eligibility Guidelines
- Michigan Benefits Portal Pre-Screening Tool
- MI Food Stamp Application Instructions
To find out how much you can expect to receive in Michigan food stamp benefits each month, continue reading below.
Michigan Food Stamp Benefits
If you are struggling to afford food, then applying for Michigan food stamp benefits could provide your household with some much-needed relief.
The USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps provides monthly cash benefits to eligible households in Michigan.
Monthly SNAP benefits can be used to purchase eligible food items at grocery stores, markets, gas stations, seafood markets, bakeries, and more.
Benefits are accessed by using an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Card, also known as the Michigan EBT Card.
In the state of Michigan, the program is administered by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) through the MI Bridges online platform.
When applying for Michigan food stamp benefits, one of the first questions applicants want to know is how the food stamp calculator in Michigan works.
The MI Food Stamp Calculator tells you exactly how much you will receive in monthly SNAP benefits.
This is important because it allows you to determine if food assistance will make a difference for your household.
With that said, let’s get started on how to calculate your Michigan food stamp benefits.
How much Food Stamps will I get in Michigan?
The amount of food stamps you receive comes down to a few major factors – your household income, household size, and the number of allowable deductions.
Other factors such as assets and resources (i.e. cash, bank accounts, etc.) play a role in how much you can expect to receive in monthly food benefits.
Additionally, your monthly household income includes money earned from work, as well as payments from Social Security, Unemployment, and SSI.
To find out how much food stamps you will get in Michigan, use the Michigan food stamp eligibility calculator below.
MI Food Stamp Calculator (2022 Guide)
Use the Michigan Food Stamp Calculator provided below to find out how much you will receive in food assistance benefits.
To begin, we first have to look at the maximum benefit a household could get.
This amount is set each year by the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services (USDA FNS).
For fiscal year 2022, the chart below shows the Maximum Monthly Benefits for your household size.
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Maximum SNAP Benefit Amount by Household Size for Michigan |
|
|
Effective October 1, 2021 – September 30, 2022 |
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Household Size |
Maximum SNAP Benefit Allotment |
| 1 | $250 |
| 2 | $459 |
| 3 | $658 |
| 4 | $835 |
| 5 | $992 |
| 6 | $1,190 |
| 7 | $1,316 |
| 8 | $1,504 |
| Each Additional Household Member: | +$188 |
The table below from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) shows you the maximum benefit amount and estimated average benefit amount for the household size.
As you can see, for a household of one, the maximum food stamps benefit per month is $250.
However, the average is $175, which translates to $5.83 a day on average.
For a family of four, the maximum benefits that can be received is $835.
However, the average benefit amount for a family of four is $638 per month.
This averages $21.26 a day to purchase food for a family of four.
Food Stamps MI Calculator – Example
To calculate how much you could receive in Michigan food stamp benefits, we have provided an example below.
This example from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) will show you how much a family of three is expected to receive.
The family shown includes one full-time, minimum-wage worker, two children, dependent care costs of $67 a month, and shelter costs of $927 per month.
We hope the example provided below will help you calculate your own benefit amount.
To find out if your household is eligible to receive monthly food stamps in Michigan, use the eligibility guidelines highlighted below.
Who qualifies for SNAP in Michigan?
Individuals and households that qualify for Michigan food stamps meet the SNAP income guidelines, or have someone in the household that is elderly or disabled.
The Michigan Food Stamps Income Limit is set by the USDA at 130% of the current year’s Federal Poverty Level.
To learn more about who qualifies for food stamps in Michigan, continue reading below.
Michigan Food Stamp Eligibility Guidelines
To be eligible for the Michigan Food Stamp Program, you have to meet the eligibility requirements established by the USDA.
The Michigan Food Assistance Program has a certain criteria that you must meet to receive benefits.
To qualify for Michigan SNAP EBT Card benefits, you must:
- Be a U.S. Citizen or Legal Non-Citizen
- Live in the state of Michigan
- Meet the Michigan SNAP Income Limit
In addition to the eligibility requirements listed above, your household must also meet the three income and resources tests.
Income is the most important requirement when it comes to qualifying for Michigan food stamps.
The three tests include your household’s gross monthly income, net income, and assets.
To make determining your eligibility for Michigan SNAP easy, the MI Department of Health and Human Services created an online pre-screening tool.
The pre-screening tool will help you find out if you are eligible for food stamp benefits in Michigan.
The online eligibility tool is available on the benefits.gov website.
With that said, to find out how to use the Michigan Benefits online pre-screening tool to determine your eligibility for food stamps, then continue reading below.
MI Food Stamp Eligibility Pre-Screening Tool
If you think you are eligible for Michigan Food Stamp benefits, you can use the pre-screening tool on the Benefits.gov website.
This will help determine if you qualify for food stamp benefits in Michigan.
Please note, the Pre-Screening Tool is an application to determine eligibility for several benefit programs.
The prescreening tool covers most of the Michigan food stamps rules. However, to fully determine your eligibility for benefits, you need to submit a Michigan Food Stamp Application.
Benefits.gov Eligibility Tool is used to determine eligibility for several assistance programs, including:
- Food Assistance (SNAP)
- Cash Assistance (TANF)
- Low or no cost healthcare (Medicaid)
- Help to pay Medicare premiums
To find out how to use the Michigan Food Stamps Pre-Screening Tool, follow the step-by-step instructions provided below:
Step 1 – Visit the Michigan Food Stamp Eligibility Calculator
The first thing you need to do when determining your eligibility for MI SNAP is to visit the Michigan food stamp eligibility calculator.
You can visit the Benefits.gov website at www.benefits.gov.
The website should look like the image below:
Step 2 – Start the Benefits.gov Eligibility Tool
Once you are on the Benefits.Gov website, start the Eligibility Pre-Screening Tool.
To do so, click the text that says, “Start Benefit Finder” – as seen in the screenshot above.
Step 3 – Begin the Michigan Benefits Assessment
Next, you will be taken to a new page explaining how the Eligibility Pre-Screening Tool works.
Click the “Get Started” button located at the bottom-right of the page.
Please refer to the screenshot below:
Step 4 – Provide your Personal Information
After that, you will be asked to provide some basic personal and financial information pertaining to your household.
This includes your:
- Date of Birth
- Citizenship Status
- State you Live in
- Number of People in your Household – including adults, elderly, and children
- Total Monthly Household Income (before taxes)
- Employment Status
- Marriage Status
- Disability Status
- Blind or Hearing Status
Once you complete this information, you will be asked to select the type of benefits you are interested in.
Be sure to select “Food and Nutrition” from the list, as well as any other benefits you are interested in.
For help, see the screenshot below.
After that, click the “Next” button to proceed.
Step 5 – Review your MI Benefits Eligibility Results
Once you complete the Eligibility form you will be provided with results regarding which benefits you may qualify for.
To review this information, click the “Skip to Benefits” button at the bottom of the page.
If you are eligible for benefits and need help applying for Michigan food stamps, follow our step-by-step instructions provided below.
For more help determining if your household is eligible to receive food stamp benefits in Michigan, check out our complete MI Food Stamps Eligibility Guide.
How to Apply for Food Stamps in Michigan
There are four ways you can apply for food stamps in Michigan – online, in-person, by mail or via phone. Before we go through each of the four ways to apply for MI food stamps, let’s review what you will need to apply. It’s important that you gather all the necessary documents prior to applying for Michigan food stamp benefits.
Here is a list of information and documentation you will need to complete your Michigan SNAP Application:
- Social Security Number (SSN)
- Date of Birth (DOB)
- Income information such as job, child support or any other sources
- Resource or asset information such bank accounts (checking, savings accounts), vehicles, homes, land or life insurance
- Housing expenses such as rent or utilities
- Health Insurance information
Once you have gathered this information, you can now begin the Michigan Food Stamps application process.
Michigan SNAP Application Instructions
Here are the four ways you can apply for Michigan food stamps:
Option 1: Online via DHHS
The first option is to apply online using the Michigan online portal, MI Bridges. You can access the Michigan website by visiting newmibridges.michigan.gov.
If this is your first time using the Michigan ePASS online portal, you will first have to create a MI Bridges online account.
Creating an MI Bridges account is quick, easy, and should only take a few minutes.
Once you have created your account, you can apply for food stamp benefits online by submitting your MI Food Stamps Application.
Option 2: In-Person at Michigan DHHS Office
The next way to apply for food stamps in Michigan is in-person at your local county Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) office.
Click here for a full list of Michigan DHHS Office locations.
Option 3: By Phone
If you do not have access to a computer or transportation, you can also submit your MI SNAP Application by phone.
To apply for Michigan food stamps by phone, please call 866-719-0141. If you are deaf or hearing impaired, please call Relay Services by dialing 7-1-1 on your phone.
You will be walked through the steps on how to apply for benefits by phone.
Option 4: By Mail
The last option for completing your Michigan SNAP Application is by mail. In order to complete your application by mail, you must download the Michigan SNAP Application online.
To apply for Michigan food stamps by mail, click here to download the Michigan Food Stamps Application.
Once completed, you can upload your Michigan SNAP Application online or mail the completed application to the Family Assistance Department of Human Services.
Click here to upload your Michigan SNAP Application online.
To submit your Michigan Food Stamps Application by mail, send it to your local MI DHHS office.
Be sure to include copies of any requested verification documentation with your Michigan Food Stamps Application.
Michigan Food Stamps Customer Service Help
For additional help completing your Michigan Food Stamps Application, contact your local county assistance office (DHHS).
In addition, you can contact the Michigan SNAP Family Service Center by calling their customer service phone number at 866-311-4287.
Michigan Food Stamps Customer Service representatives are available to help you Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6 p.m.
If you are hearing impaired or deaf, please contact Relay Services by calling 711.
MI Food Stamp Calculator Questions
We hope this article on the Michigan Food Stamp Calculator for 2022 was helpful to you!
If you need additional help determining your eligibility for food stamps in Michigan, please let us know in the comments section below.
If you found this article helpful, we encourage you to please share it with someone using the “Share this” button below.
In the meantime, be sure to check out our other articles on Michigan Food Stamps and EBT:
Michigan Food Stamps Income Limit
MI Food Stamps Eligibility Guide
