Income and food insecurity among SNAP recipients: a consideration of the SNAP benefit formula.

This article examines the relationship between food insecurity and two key components of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit determination—gross income and income deductions—among SNAP recipients in the United States using data from the 2018 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). The study finds that higher gross income is generally associated with lower food insecurity and very low food security (VLFS), while greater income deductions, which adjust gross income to net income for benefit calculations, are positively correlated with food insecurity. Notably, these relationships vary across subgroups: households with seniors or members with disabilities show significant positive associations between deductions and food insecurity, whereas households with children do not exhibit statistically significant relationships. The findings suggest potential policy considerations for adjusting SNAP benefit formulas, particularly to better address food insecurity among seniors and disabled recipients.