If your SNAP/foods stamp benefits are supposed to go up because of a change in your household circumstances, DTA must increase your benefits by the next month after the date you reported the change to the Department. 106 C.M.R. § 366.120(B).

You will need to give DTA proofs of your new income, expenses, or other changes. However, DTA should not wait until it receives these proofs to increase your SNAP/food stamps. 106 C.M.R. § 366.120(D).

For example, if you usually receive your benefits on the 1^st of the month, and on December 18^th you tell DTA that your income is going down by $40 a month, your January 1^st benefits should be higher. You will need to give DTA proof of your change in income by the middle of January, or else your February food benefits will go down again. If you didn't tell DTA about your change in income until December 26, your benefits would not increase until February.

You may be eligible for supplemental SNAP/food stamp benefits in addition to increasing your ongoing benefit amount in the future. If your net countable income after deductions drops to zero, you are eligible for supplemental SNAP/food stamps in the same month you report the change. 106 C.M.R. § 366.120(A)(1).

If you report a new household member or a change in income of $50 or more, DTA must adjust your SNAP/food stamp benefits effective with the first payment you are due ten days after you reported the change. If you report the change after the 20th of the month and it is too late in that month to increase the next month's payment, DTA must authorize supplemental SNAP/food stamps so that you get the increase by the tenth day of the following month or on your normal issuance date, whichever is later. 106 C.M.R. § 366.120(A)(2).

If you receive TAFDC and are on monthly reporting and your income from any source other than TAFDC stops, the income from the terminated source should not be counted in figuring your SNAP/food stamps. If you report the change fewer than ten days before you are supposed to get your next benefit payment, DTA may count the income in figuring your regular payment that month, but must issue you extra SNAP/food stamps for that month. 106 C.M.R. § 366.120(D).