Types of People Eligible for Food Stamps in Tennessee
- Everyone who wants to receive food stamps in Tennessee must be residents of the state. They must also be U.S. citizens or nationals, or legal immigrants who have been in the country for at least five years. All applicants for food stamps must supply a Social Security number or proof of having applied for a Social Security number.
- For classification purposes, the Tennessee Department of Human Services counts all individuals who buy and prepare food together as a single household. Households with children may be eligible for food stamps if they do not exceed income and asset limits. The income limit is based on the size of the family and the current federal poverty guidelines for a household of that size. Child support is counted as income, but not any earnings made by children aged 17 or under. While as a rule food stamp recipients must be citizens or legal immigrants who have been in the country for five years or more, children are an exception to this. Federal regulations allow all immigrant children to receive food stamps regardless of when they entered the U.S.
- Unlike Temporary Assistant for Needy Families, singles or households without children are eligible for food stamps. They cannot exceed income levels for a household of their size nor hold assets in excess of $2,000, as of 2011. However, able-bodied adults with no dependents cannot receive food stamps in Tennessee for more than a five-month period within three years, unless they are working at least 80 hours per month.
- Minors are usually counted as part of their parents' or other caregivers' households. But minors may apply for food stamps on their own, if they do not live with their parents.
- Tennessee sets slightly different regulations for food stamp applicants who are disabled or aged 60 or older. The asset limit for households with at least one disabled or elderly member is $3,000 rather than $2,000. Food stamp recipients aged 60 or over or disabled also do not have to meet the state's work requirements, and their benefits are not cut off after five months if they do not work and have no children in the home.
