The Intertwined Relationship of Child Support and Food Stamps

From moms:

Child support and food stamps have a very important and intertwined relationship. According to The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities near one-fifth of all SNAP households with children receive child support payments. More times than not, single parents will be including their children on the application; however, they do have the option to apply individually.It is important that parents know how the child support they are receiving or paying will affect the outcome of the decision.

For instance, when a parent receives child support, (court-ordered or not) it is considered income. Likewise, if they are not receiving the payments, it is not considered income. When a parent is paying court-ordered child support, it is deducted from their total income. If the parent pays child support not mandated by the courts, those payments will not be taken off their income.

If a parent is getting child support that is not part of a court order, they still legally need to count that towards income. The USDA states all of your answers when applying for SNAP must be complete and honest. If you knowingly give false information or intentionally fail to report required information, you may incur substantial penalties, including fines, imprisonment, and removal from the program.

Read more here.