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Massachusetts Benefits Calculator: SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP and Other Income Limits (2026–27)
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Massachusetts income limits at a glance
| Program | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SNAPGross income limit (200% of poverty), households with children | $2,660 | $3,607 | $4,554 | $5,500 | $6,447 | $7,394 | $8,340 | $9,287 |
| SNAPGross income limit (200% of poverty), households with someone 60 or older or with a disability | $2,660 | $3,607 | $4,554 | $5,500 | $6,447 | $7,394 | $8,340 | $9,287 |
| SNAPGross income limit (130% of poverty), other households | $1,729 | $2,345 | $2,960 | $3,575 | $4,191 | $4,806 | $5,421 | $6,037 |
| SNAPMost SNAP a month | $306 | $562 | $808 | $1,023 | $1,217 | $1,463 | $1,616 | $1,841 |
| MedicaidAdults 19 to 64 (138% of poverty) | $1,835 | $2,489 | $3,142 | $3,795 | $4,448 | $5,101 | $5,755 | $6,408 |
| MedicaidPregnant women (205% of poverty, counting the baby) | $2,727 | $3,697 | $4,667 | $5,638 | $6,608 | $7,578 | $8,549 | $9,519 |
| Medicaid and CHIPChildren 6 to 18 (305% of poverty) | $4,057 | $5,500 | $6,944 | $8,388 | $9,831 | $11,275 | $12,719 | $14,162 |
| WICIncome limit (185% of poverty) | $2,461 | $3,337 | $4,212 | $5,088 | $5,964 | $6,839 | $7,715 | $8,591 |
Income is before taxes. Each program counts income its own way (some take off deductions first), so a household just over a limit here can still qualify: the calculator works it out properly.
Sources: SNAP – Fiscal Year 2027 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (memo and tables, signed August 21, 2026) (USDA Food and Nutrition Administration (formerly Food and Nutrition Service)); 7 CFR 273.9 Income and deductions (eCFR up to date as of 2026-10-29) (eCFR / National Archives (USDA rule)); 7 CFR 273.10 Determining household eligibility and benefit levels (eCFR 2026-10-29) (eCFR / National Archives (USDA rule)); 7 CFR 273.8 Resource eligibility standards (eCFR 2026-10-29) (eCFR / National Archives (USDA rule)); Public Law 119-21 (the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act"), 4 July 2025, Title I Subtitle A "Nutrition", sections 10101-10108 (139 Stat. 81-85) (U.S. Government Publishing Office (govinfo)); Categorical Eligibility (SNAP), DTA Policy Online Guide (Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), Policy Online Guide (eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us)); SNAP Annual Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), DTA Policy Online Guide (Scheduled Mailings) (Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), Policy Online Guide (eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us)); Standard Medical Deduction Waiver, DTA Policy Online Guide (Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), Policy Online Guide (eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us)); What is SNAP?, DTA Policy Online Guide (Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), Policy Online Guide (eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us)); MACStats Exhibit 35. Medicaid and CHIP Income Eligibility Levels as a Percentage of the Federal Poverty Level for Children and Pregnant Women by State, July 2025 (Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), a federal agency); MACStats Exhibit 36. Medicaid Income Eligibility Levels as a Percentage of the Federal Poverty Level for Non-Aged, Non-Disabled, Non-Pregnant Adults by State, July 2025 (Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), a federal agency); Health Connector: Member Resources (pregnant people 200% FPL) (State of Massachusetts site (www.mahealthconnector.org)); Health Connector: Navigating Health Coverage in Massachusetts: an overview of MassHealth and Health Connector options, Spring 2026 (State of Massachusetts site (www.mahealthconnector.org)); Medicaid Program; Community Engagement Requirement for Certain Individuals, interim final rule with comment period, 91 FR 33348 (3 June 2026), CMS-2454-IFC, RIN 0938-AV98, effective 31 July 2026 (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services via the Federal Register (read as the govinfo.gov PDF)); Public Law 119-21 (4 July 2025; 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act'; CMS now calls it the 'Working Families Tax Cut' legislation), Title VII Subtitle B Chapter 1 sections 71101-71121 (Medicaid) and 71201, 71301-71303 (U.S. Congress via the Government Publishing Office); Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): 2026/2027 Income Eligibility Guidelines (91 FR 23050-23052, FR Doc. 2026-08323, 29 Apr 2026) (USDA Food and Nutrition Service (Federal Register notice)); The Food and Nutrition Assistance Landscape: Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report (Economic Information Bulletin 304, June 2026) (USDA Economic Research Service). Checked October 31, 2026.
Download every state's limits (CSV, opens in Excel) Every state and DC, households of 1 to 8 people: each program's monthly income limit and the most TANF pays, as the state pages show them, with the period each figure is for.
Where the cliffs are for a Massachusetts family
- $4,555 a month: SNAP, WIC, Lifeline end or drop, and the family has $268 less a month than just below it.
Worked out by this site's calculator with Massachusetts's rules as of November 1, 2026. Money left means pay, and benefits counted as money, after federal taxes, the child care bill and health insurance premiums. Your own household will differ: put it in the calculator above.
Each program in Massachusetts
SNAP
Massachusetts lets households with children with gross income up to 200% of the poverty line (no limit on savings); and households with someone 60 or older or with a disability with gross income up to 200% of the poverty line (no limit on savings) apply (broad-based categorical eligibility). Other households are under the federal limits. The amount still depends on income after deductions. A household that pays for heating or cooling counts a standard utility allowance of $945 a month with its rent. Where to apply.
Sources: Categorical Eligibility (SNAP), DTA Policy Online Guide (Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), Policy Online Guide (eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us)); SNAP Annual Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), DTA Policy Online Guide (Scheduled Mailings) (Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), Policy Online Guide (eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us)); Standard Medical Deduction Waiver, DTA Policy Online Guide (Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), Policy Online Guide (eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us)); What is SNAP?, DTA Policy Online Guide (Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), Policy Online Guide (eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us)). Checked October 31, 2026.
MassHealth and CHIP
Massachusetts has expanded Medicaid, so adults 19 to 64 qualify up to 138% of the poverty line. By January 1, 2027 at the latest (the federal deadline), adults 19 to 64 covered through Massachusetts’s Medicaid expansion must show 80 hours a month of work, community service, a work program or half-time school, or household income of at least $580 a month, to get or keep this coverage, unless they are exempt (for example, parents of a child 13 or under, people with a disability, and pregnant women); Massachusetts’s own start date could not be read. Where to apply.
| Who | % of poverty | 1 person | 2 people | 3 people | 4 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babies under 1 | 205% | $2,727 | $3,697 | $4,667 | $5,638 |
| Children 1 to 5 | 155% | $2,062 | $2,795 | $3,529 | $4,263 |
| Children 6 to 18 | 155% | $2,062 | $2,795 | $3,529 | $4,263 |
| Children in CHIP | 305% | $4,057 | $5,500 | $6,944 | $8,388 |
| Pregnant women | 205% | $2,727 | $3,697 | $4,667 | $5,638 |
| Parents and caretakers | 138% | $1,835 | $2,489 | $3,142 | $3,795 |
| Other adults 19 to 64 | 138% | $1,835 | $2,489 | $3,142 | $3,795 |
Monthly income before taxes, counted the way Medicaid counts it (modified adjusted gross income); a pregnant woman counts the baby she expects. The percents include the 5 points of income Medicaid disregards.
Sources: MACStats Exhibit 35. Medicaid and CHIP Income Eligibility Levels as a Percentage of the Federal Poverty Level for Children and Pregnant Women by State, July 2025 (Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), a federal agency); MACStats Exhibit 36. Medicaid Income Eligibility Levels as a Percentage of the Federal Poverty Level for Non-Aged, Non-Disabled, Non-Pregnant Adults by State, July 2025 (Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), a federal agency); Health Connector: Member Resources (pregnant people 200% FPL) (State of Massachusetts site (www.mahealthconnector.org)); Health Connector: Navigating Health Coverage in Massachusetts: an overview of MassHealth and Health Connector options, Spring 2026 (State of Massachusetts site (www.mahealthconnector.org)); Medicaid Program; Community Engagement Requirement for Certain Individuals, interim final rule with comment period, 91 FR 33348 (3 June 2026), CMS-2454-IFC, RIN 0938-AV98, effective 31 July 2026 (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services via the Federal Register (read as the govinfo.gov PDF)); Public Law 119-21 (4 July 2025; 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act'; CMS now calls it the 'Working Families Tax Cut' legislation), Title VII Subtitle B Chapter 1 sections 71101-71121 (Medicaid) and 71201, 71301-71303 (U.S. Congress via the Government Publishing Office). Checked October 31, 2026.
Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC)
Cash help for families with children. Where to apply.
Source: TANF Programs by State (Help for Families map) (HHS/ACF/Office of Family Assistance). Checked October 31, 2026.
Phone numbers and where to go in Massachusetts
Each number and address below is the one Massachusetts's own page printed when we checked it, with that page and the day under it. Where we could not read the state's page, it says "Not checked yet". Numbers change: if one does not work, the state's main page has the current one.
Applying is free. Start from the addresses here or the state's own page, not an ad or a link someone texts you, and never pay anyone to apply for you. Is this real?
Start here
Massachusetts's benefits website
- Online
- DTA Connect dtaconnect.eohhs.mass.govDTA Connect (Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance)Source: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
- Call
- 877-382-2363 DTA Assistance Line (automated case information; SNAP, TAFDC, EAEDC)Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a weekSource: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
SNAP (food benefits)
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps)
Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA)
- Call
- 877-382-2363 DTA Assistance Line (automated case information; SNAP, TAFDC, EAEDC)Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a weekSource: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
- Apply
- Where to apply dtaconnect.eohhs.mass.govSource: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
Medicaid and CHIP
Medicaid and CHIP
- Call
- Not checked yet Start at the state's main benefits website: DTA Connect dtaconnect.eohhs.mass.govSource: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
- Apply
- Not checked yet Start at the state's main benefits website: DTA Connect dtaconnect.eohhs.mass.govSource: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
TANF cash help
Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC)
Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA)
- Call
- 877-382-2363 DTA Assistance Line (automated case information; SNAP, TAFDC, EAEDC)Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a weekSource: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
- Apply
- Not checked yet Start at the state's main benefits website: DTA Connect dtaconnect.eohhs.mass.govSource: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
- Your case
- Sign in to your account dtaconnect.eohhs.mass.govSource: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
WIC
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH)
- Call
- Not checked yet Start at the state's main benefits website: DTA Connect dtaconnect.eohhs.mass.govSource: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
- Apply
- Where to apply mass.govSource: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
Child care help
Child care help
- Call
- Not checked yet Start at the state's main benefits website: DTA Connect dtaconnect.eohhs.mass.govSource: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
- Apply
- Not checked yet Start at the state's main benefits website: DTA Connect dtaconnect.eohhs.mass.govSource: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
- Open or closed
- Not checked yet Start at the state's main benefits website: DTA Connect dtaconnect.eohhs.mass.govSource: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
Help with energy bills (LIHEAP)
Help with energy bills (LIHEAP)
- Call
- Not checked yet Start at the state's main benefits website: DTA Connect dtaconnect.eohhs.mass.govSource: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
- Apply
- Not checked yet Start at the state's main benefits website: DTA Connect dtaconnect.eohhs.mass.govSource: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
- Open or closed
- Not checked yet Start at the state's main benefits website: DTA Connect dtaconnect.eohhs.mass.govSource: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
Your benefits card (EBT)
EBT card (photo EBT card; chipped)
- Call
- 800-997-2555 FIS EBT Customer Service / Assistance Line (number on the back of the EBT card)Source: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
- Card account
- The card's website dtaconnect.eohhs.mass.govSource: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
- Lost or stolen
- New and replacement cards can be requested through the FIS Assistance Line (800-997-2555), the DTA Assistance Line (877-382-2363), the DTA Connect portal and app, a local DTA office, or in writing by mail or fax. Cash-only or combined cases must report to their assigned transitional assistance office for replacement.Source: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
Keep your PIN to yourself and change it often. The federal program that paid back SNAP stolen by card skimming covered thefts only up to December 20, 2024 (Georgia DFCS), so lock your card in its app when you can and report a lost card at once. How to protect your card
How to ask for a hearing in Massachusetts
If you think a decision on your benefits is wrong, you can ask for a fair hearing: a meeting with someone outside the office that decided. Asking is free. Here is how Massachusetts says to ask, program by program.
Federal rules set the outer limits: a SNAP household can ask about anything the office did in the past 90 days (7 CFR 273.15), and for Medicaid a state must allow a reasonable time of up to 90 days from the day the notice was mailed (42 CFR 431.221), so a state can set a shorter Medicaid limit. Whether your benefits keep coming while you wait depends on how soon you ask: your notice says by when. Only the agency and the hearing officer decide your case.
SNAP
- How to ask
- By mail (the DTA appeal form, or a letter with your name, your DTA ID number (APID) or Social Security number, address and phone), by fax to 617-348-5311, or by phone: call 617-348-5321 and leave a voicemail; a DTA worker calls you back to confirm it
- Phone
- 617-348-5321 (voicemail request line)
- Who hears it
- DTA Division of Hearings (DOH), DTA Hearings, P.O. Box 4017, Taunton, MA 02780-0314
- Deadline
- 90 days from the date of written notice of action by the Department; 120 days from the date of application if the Department failed to act
- The state's page
- How hearings work eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us
Source: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
Medicaid
- How to ask
- Not checked yet Start at the state's main benefits website: DTA Connect dtaconnect.eohhs.mass.govSource: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
TANF cash help
- How to ask
- By mail (the DTA appeal form, or a letter with your name, your DTA ID number (APID) or Social Security number, address and phone), by fax to 617-348-5311, or by phone: call 617-348-5321 and leave a voicemail; a DTA worker calls you back to confirm it
- Phone
- 617-348-5321 (voicemail request line)
- Who hears it
- DTA Division of Hearings (DOH), DTA Hearings, P.O. Box 4017, Taunton, MA 02780-0314
- Deadline
- 90 days from the date of written notice of action by the Department; 120 days from the date of application if the Department failed to act
- The state's page
- How hearings work eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us
Source: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
When benefits are paid in Massachusetts
Each state sets the days its SNAP benefits arrive. This is Massachusetts's rule as its own page states it; the exact day for your case is on your approval notice. SSI, Social Security and tax refund dates, and every state's SNAP rule, are on the payment dates page.
SNAP
1st through 14th of the month
| If | Benefits arrive on |
|---|---|
| SSN ends in 0 | 1st |
| SSN ends in 1 | 2nd |
| SSN ends in 2 | 4th |
| SSN ends in 3 | 5th |
| SSN ends in 4 | 7th |
| SSN ends in 5 | 8th |
| SSN ends in 6 | 10th |
| SSN ends in 7 | 11th |
| SSN ends in 8 | 13th |
| SSN ends in 9 | 14th |
Source: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
Summer EBT (SUN Bucks) in 2026
Massachusetts took part in 2026, paying $120 for each child who qualified. The state calls it SUN Bucks (the new name for Summer EBT).
Each eligible child qualifies for $40 in monthly SUN Bucks for June, July, and August. DTA will pay these benefits in one issuance for a total of $120 per child.
Source: eohhs.ehs.state.ma.us, checked November 1, 2026
Free help from a person in Massachusetts
These are free. None of them can approve benefits, but they can help you apply, answer a letter or get ready for a hearing.
Any question
211
A free line run by more than 200 local groups across the country, such as United Ways.
- Call
- 211 Free help finding local services, such as food, housing, bills and health careSource: 211.org, checked November 1, 2026
- Online
- Massachusetts 211 mass211.orgSource: 211.org, checked November 1, 2026
Medicare questions
Serving Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE)
Free, one-to-one help with Medicare from Massachusetts's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
- Call
- 1-800-243-4636TTY 1-877-610-0241Source: shiphelp.org, checked November 1, 2026
- Online
- Its website mass.gov
A denial, a cut, an eviction
Free legal aid
Legal aid groups in Massachusetts paid by the Legal Services Corporation, which Congress set up to fund civil legal help for people with low incomes.
- Groups
- Community Legal Aid, Inc.; Northeast Legal Aid, Inc.; South Coastal Counties Legal Services; Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Boston Bar AssociationSource: lsc.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Find yours
- LSC's finder (type a city or address there) lsc.gov
Immigration questions
Free or low-cost immigration legal help
Nonprofit groups the Justice Department has recognized to give immigration legal help, with their accredited representatives. A notary public ("notario") is not a lawyer in the United States and cannot represent you (USCIS).
- The list
- Recognized organizations by state justice.govMassachusetts is under the heading MASSACHUSETTS, on pages 75–82; the list says it was updated October 25, 2026.Source: justice.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Taxes and tax credits
Free tax help (VITA and TCE)
IRS-trained volunteers prepare tax returns free for people who qualify, which matters for the EITC and the Child Tax Credit.
- Call
- 800-906-9887 IRS: find the nearest VITA or TCE siteSource: irs.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Online
- The IRS page with the site finder irs.gov