SNAP/Food Assistance
SNAP food assistance tips for parents who don’t live together
- Report all sources of income to your county Department of Human Services (DHS). Most sources of income are countable for SNAP applications.
- If you live separately from your child(ren)’s other parent, that person should be able to provide documents showing they are living separately. Suggestions: the visiting parent has a lease at a different residence, is paying for housing and utilities at a difference residence, their home address with their employer, DMV, and the post office is not the same as your and the child(ren)’s home address.
- If you live separately from your child(ren)’s other parent, make financial relationships crystal clear.
- It is preferable that the parent with whom the child(ren) lives receives a fixed monthly sum of money from the other parent in a way that is easy to track (not cash). Put it the agreement in writing.
- Report what is received to DHS.
- Avoid an arrangement that only involves In-kind gifts (the visiting parent buys clothes or food for the children on an as needed basis). This is income to the parent with whom the child(ren) live and can cause problems.
- You should be able to explain your monthly budget – show how you are paying your monthly expenses based on your income. The visiting parent should be able to explain their monthly budget.
- Remember that DHS can retrieve your social media posts in an investigation.