If DTA gives you less SNAP/food stamp benefits than you are supposed to get, the mistake is called an underpayment or "under-issuance." For example, you might get underpaid because DTA fails to act on information you gave them, such as:

• you report a drop in your income, the addition of a new member to your household, or higher shelter costs that reduce your countable income, or
• you are entitled to higher deductions because you report a disability or turn age 60, or
• the Social Security Administration took your application and made an error in the information it gave DTA.

DTA must correct any under-issuance that happened during the 12 months before DTA first discovered or was told about the mistake. 106 C.M.R. § 366.520.

You can get back SNAP/food stamp benefits even if you are not on benefits anymore. 106 C.M.R. §§ 366.500, 366.570. For example, if you or an advocate discover a mistake after your benefits have ended, you can still ask DTA for the underpaid benefits.

If you are owed back SNAP/food stamp benefits, send a letter to DTA requesting the underpayment correction (keep a copy of this letter for yourself). DTA must send you a notice about your request, the amount it will give you back if DTA agrees, how it calculated the amount (including any amounts DTA keeps to offset benefits you may owe), and your right to appeal. 106 C.M.R. § 366.530. You have a right to appeal any denial of a correction of an underpayment as well as appeal the amount DTA offers to pay you. You need to do this within 90 days of the date of notice from DTA. See 79. What are my rights if DTA denies or cuts my benefits?

Sometimes the store will make a mistake by taking money out of your Bay State Access account even though you did not get your groceries. If this happens, the store must file a "merchant mis-dispense claim" with DTA. It may take several days or weeks for you to get your SNAP/food stamp benefits credited back to your account. You may be able to get your benefits back sooner if you can get the store to contact DTA directly to verify the mistake. Call the EBT Customer Service line for immediate help: 800-997-2555.