Highest monthly snap benefit amount
Executive summary
The highest standard SNAP monthly maximum for a family of four under FY2026 guidance is $1,995 in parts of Alaska; for the 48 contiguous states and D.C. the FY2026 maximum for a family of four is $975 (FY2025 table gave $975; FY2026 COLA lists higher regional maxima including up to $1,995 for Alaska) [1] [2]. November 2025 guidance temporarily cut maximum allotments to 65% of normal levels (a 35% reduction from typical maximums), which changes the practical November caps beneficiaries might see [3] [4].
1. What “highest monthly SNAP benefit” means in federal paperwork
Federal SNAP rules publish “maximum allotments” by household size and geography; actual household benefits are typically the maximum allotment minus 30% of net income, so few households receive the published maximum unless their net income is zero [5] [6]. The USDA’s cost‑of‑living tables therefore show upper bounds, not guaranteed checks for every recipient [1] [2].
2. The headline maxima: range and where the top number comes from
The FY2026 COLA tables published by USDA list regional maximums that vary by state and territory. The highest published maximum for a four‑person household in those tables reaches $1,995 in some Alaska areas; other non‑contiguous areas (Guam, Virgin Islands, Hawaii) have their own higher/lower maxima, while the contiguous 48 states and D.C. use a lower baseline [2] [1].
3. What changed for November 2025 and why the “highest” number may not apply then
In early November 2025 the USDA first issued a memo reducing maximum allotments to 50% because of limited contingency funding, then revised that to a 35% reduction so November maximums would be 65% of the typical maximums [7] [3]. That revision means the effective cap for November 2025 is the usual maximum multiplied by 0.65 — so the published highest maxima remain the legal reference, but November payouts were governed by the temporary 65% level [3] [4].
4. How to convert a published maximum into what a household actually gets
The arithmetic the USDA uses is: SNAP benefit = maximum allotment (for household size/area) minus 30% of the household’s net income [5] [6]. During the November reduction the agency instructed states to calculate benefits using the reduced maximum (65% of normal) and then subtract 30% of net income; one‑ and two‑person households subject to the reduction were guaranteed minimums specified in the revised tables [7] [3].
5. Why Alaska and territories show higher maxima
USDA adjusts allotments by locale to reflect higher food and living costs in non‑contiguous states and territories; that is why Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands have different, often higher, maximum allotments for the same household size than the 48 contiguous states and D.C. [1] [2].
6. Practical implications for households and reporting ambiguity
Even with the published maxima, most households receive less because of the 30% net‑income subtraction; furthermore, November 2025 was an exceptional month with reduced contingency payments that meant many recipients saw materially lower benefits [6] [3]. Media outlets reported differing framings (some noting a 50% initial cut then a 35% revision), so readers should rely on the USDA’s revised memorandum and the FY2026 COLA tables for authoritative numbers [7] [3] [2].
7. What the available sources do not cover
Available sources do not mention specific dollar amounts after applying individual households’ net income or show a state‑by‑state table of the reduced (65%) November figures in full text here; they also do not provide household‑level examples beyond illustrative estimates from secondary sites [5] [8]. For case‑specific benefit estimates, states’ SNAP offices or USDA’s official allotment tables should be consulted [1] [2].
Bottom line: the published federal maximums set the ceiling (with the highest listed for a family of four reaching $1,995 in Alaska under FY2026 tables), but most households receive less after the 30% income offset — and November 2025 specifically was subject to a temporary reduction to 65% of those normal maximums [2] [5] [3].