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There are commercial services that provide information on income and assets. Credit bureaus are one source as is The Work Number. There is also the Federal Data Services Hub.
In California the local food stamp office must first confirm your eligibility using your bank statements to get food stamps and avail yourself of assistance from food banks.
Overall, they look at your Gross Income, Net Income, and the Asset tests (excluding your home).
If you have 1M in the bank, depositing into a high interest rate account will bring in more than you would get from SNAP.
In California the local food stamp office must first confirm your eligibility using your bank statements to get food stamps and avail yourself of assistance from food banks.
Overall, they look at your Gross Income, Net Income, and the Asset tests (excluding your home).
If you have 1M in the bank, depositing into a high interest rate account will bring in more than you would get from SNAP.
Its the "confirm" part that I'm asking about. I know what they all *SAY*, but what does "confirm" mean in reality? Same with "look at". What does "look at" mean in reality? They can ask to see your bank statements, but what if you tell them you don't have any? What if you show them 1 statement for an account with $50 in it and don't show them the one with $50k in it? It is the verification aspect that I am wondering about, not just what their own literature says. What measures are in place to keep a dishonest person who is trying to game the system from getting benefits that they are ineligible for?
...Just to be amazed at what the gov't may or may not check when handing out various benefits and approving people for programs (in this case food stamps)...
Are you planning to scam the system if you think they don't really confirm financial information?...OR....
Do you know someone who should be turned in for scamming the system. (Which if the person is truly a big enough fish they could be prosecuted for.)
Its the "confirm" part that I'm asking about. I know what they all *SAY*, but what does "confirm" mean in reality? Same with "look at". What does "look at" mean in reality? They can ask to see your bank statements, but what if you tell them you don't have any? What if you show them 1 statement for an account with $50 in it and don't show them the one with $50k in it? It is the verification aspect that I am wondering about, not just what their own literature says. What measures are in place to keep a dishonest person who is trying to game the system from getting benefits that they are ineligible for?
They have your social security number when applying for SNAP. They have your employment information. They can verify information.
Any account that may pay you money will have your social security number linked to it. They also can check your records looking for bank accounts that you have not reported.
However, a third party can set up an irrevocable trust in the individuals name who wishes to apply for Snap. The Trustee would manage the account and the Snap recipient would not have direct access to the account (thus wouldn't be considered the "owner" but is the beneficiary of the trust). This is done every day for medi-cal patients to ensure they remain on services (which they would loose if the funds were in their name). The Snap recipient would qualify for snap under this situation. (edited to add - this would be a special needs trust).
Last edited by twins4lynn; 02-18-2024 at 10:35 AM..
That's how I thought it worked, but apparently not. I've been told they just take people's word for it and don't check anything that isn't earned wages from a job. And as far as bank accounts go, I've also been told if you just say you don't have any bank accounts and/or don't mention a bank account with a lot of cash or only show one with very little, they'll not check that either. But I have no idea.
You "have been told" by who?
Of course nobody checks applications
You "have been told" by who?
Of course nobody checks applications
People who are familiar with how it works. People who work for DHHS, and others who have just applied, lied, and have been continuously receiving snap benefits while having both an income that exceeds the stated cap and have savings that exceed the stated cap. I'm asking the questions because I am unfamiliar with how it works and have never applied nor received any snap benefits.
If you want to try to beat the system and lie on the application, no one's going to stop you. BUT...if you get caught, there is a fine and possible prison sentence awaiting you. What's worse, you may be banned from ever again getting SNAP benefits.
Some people can cheat the system their whole lives and never get found out. Others cheat once and get the boom lowered on them. There are asset and income limits to qualify for SNAP and one of those assets is what you have in your checking and savings account. If you lie about that, you will be found out.
Now having said that, I've been told by many people that if you're able to make it on the SNAP benefits, you have to cheat. I don't know that that's true, though. I was receiving the whole amount for a single person during Covid and I was able to feed myself all month. But I cook and my benefits were rarely for junk food.
I am not looking to make a call. I was asking this here to see if anyone on this forum happened to have additional information or insight on a subject I had recently become aware of and interested in. It appears that nobody does. So I will investigate elsewhere. Thanks.
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