Montana SNAP Benefits for Grandparents Raising a Grandchild

Why SNAP Rules Are Different From TANF for Relative Caregivers

If you have already applied for Montana's child-only TANF grant, you know that DPHHS excludes your income and assets entirely — only the child's financial situation counts. SNAP works differently, and the difference trips up a lot of grandparents.

SNAP eligibility is based on everyone who lives together and customarily purchases and prepares meals together. If you and your grandchild share meals — which nearly every household does — your income is counted in the SNAP household unit. That means your Social Security, pension, wages, and other income all factor into the eligibility calculation.

This catches people off guard. A grandparent who qualifies easily for a child-only TANF grant can have a tighter SNAP calculation because their own income enters the picture.

Income Limits and Asset Rules

Montana uses Expanded Categorical Eligibility (ECE) for most SNAP households, which means most families face no asset test at all. For non-ECE households, the resource limits are $4,750 if someone in the household is age 60 or older or disabled, or $3,000 for other households. The primary home and vehicles are excluded.

Gross and net income limits scale by household size. SNAP also allows several deductions before comparing net income to the standard: a 20% earned income deduction, dependent care costs, shelter costs exceeding 50% of net income, and out-of-pocket medical expenses exceeding $35/month for elderly or disabled household members.

That medical expense deduction is particularly relevant for older caregivers. Prescription costs, Medicare premiums, and medical equipment can all reduce the countable income used in the SNAP calculation.

Direct Certification: Sometimes You Skip the Income Test

Children who receive TANF cash assistance or SSI are directly certified for SNAP without a separate income application. If your grandchild is already receiving a child-only TANF grant, they may qualify for SNAP automatically. Households where all members receive TANF or SSI are categorically eligible, and the asset limits are waived entirely.

Applying for SNAP

The same channels used for TANF handle SNAP applications:

• Online: apply.mt.gov
• Phone: 1-888-706-1535
• In person: Your local Office of Public Assistance

Standard processing takes up to 30 calendar days. If your household has less than $150 in gross monthly income and $100 or less in liquid resources, you qualify for expedited processing — SNAP benefits must be issued within 7 calendar days.

Bring proof of identity, Montana residency, income documentation (pay stubs, Social Security award letters, pension statements), and information about shelter costs and medical expenses so the deductions can be applied.

Summer EBT and School Meals

Children receiving SNAP or TANF are directly certified for free school breakfasts and lunches — no separate application needed. Montana also participates in Summer EBT (SUN Bucks), which provides a grocery benefit card to eligible school-age children during summer months. Children directly certified during the school year automatically receive SUN Bucks.

If you are not receiving SNAP or TANF, you can submit a standard Household Application for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals through the school district.

Coordinating SNAP With Other Benefits

SNAP, TANF, and health coverage each use different household composition and income rules. The Financial Help for Grandparents and Relatives Raising a Child in Montana guide compares all the programs side by side — who counts, whose income matters, and how to prepare a single application packet that covers everything at once.

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