Will SNAP Benefits Be Affected by the Christmas Holiday?
Written by
Georgina Tzanetos
Edited by
Cory Dudak
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With Christmas around the corner, it’s important to keep up to date on when certain federal and state benefits will be paid and affected by the holiday. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are typically deposited on the same day each month in most states, regardless of whether or not it falls on a weekend or a holiday. It’s important to note, though, that depending on which state you live in, benefit payments may be delayed if pay day falls on a federal holiday.
In general, there is no blanket rule that pertains to SNAP benefit payments during the holidays. That means you will have to plan ahead and check your state’s specific pay calendar to determine whether or not you will be affected.
In New York, for example, December’s SNAP benefits are paid according to case numbers over the first 9 days of every month (in all counties except NYC). For example, if your case number ends in “0” or “1,” your benefits will be available on the 1st of the month. If your case number ends in a “2,” they will be paid on the 2nd of the month. And so on. For NYC cases, benefits are sent out over 13 days during the first two weeks of each month, excluding Sundays and holidays. The actual dates change monthly in this case, so NYC publishes a six-month schedule with exact dates.
In Michigan, however, benefits are paid out from the 3rd until the 21st of the month, bypassing both issues with Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays. These benefits are sent out based on the last digit of one’s ID # — only in this case, “0” corresponds with the 3rd of the month, “1” with the 5th, “2” with the 7th, and so on.
In order to find the payment schedule for the specific state in which you claim residence, visit the Providers official website and locate your home state in the “EBT in My State” dropdown tab. Or, simply type “[your state] SNAP payment schedule” into your favorite search engine and click the corresponding JoinProviders.com link.
Most states plan around major holidays, but it’s important to check your specific state’s payment schedule — especially if you’re planning for holiday meals and visits.
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