Many SNAP beneficiaries spend all the money they receive from USDA. However, even if this program only gives you part of the money you need for groceries, some may not need to use all of it.
Imagine you have a vegetable garden and you have lots of things to eat in spring. This will help you save money on food. But you may fear losing the money you have not spent and is left on your Electronic Benefits Transfer card.
DOES SNAP MONEY ON EBT CARDS EXPIRE?
USDA sends a clear message to all Food Stamps recipients in the United States. Any unused SNAP benefits will be carried over into the next month. So, you will not lose you cash if you do not need to spend the full amount.
However, if you have just become ineligible for Food Stamps next month, you may be worried about losing this cash. USDA confirms that SNAP benefits will be carried over into the next month even if the beneficiary no longer qualifies for this program.
Bear in mind that any unused SNAP benefits for 9 months will be permanently lost. So, make sure you use it regularly to avoid this from happening. What is more, you can always buy foods that do not go off and store them.
DO SNAP ELECTRONIC BENEFIT TRANSFER CARDS EXPIRE?
Now that you know that any unused Food Stamps may be lost if not used for 9 months, you may wonder if you need to renew your EBT card. It will depend on the State where you have applied for this benefit.
It is possible for States to implement expiration dates for SNAP EBT cards. If you are not sure if your EBT card expires or not, call your local Food Stamp office to find out. Some cards may show the date they expire on it.
Summing up, you can use this month’s Food Stamp benefits for next month. Besides, your SNAP card may expire. What is certain is that Food Stamp recipients will need to recertify or renew this benefit from time to time.