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Montana Benefits Calculator: SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP and Other Income Limits (2026–27)
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Montana income limits at a glance
| Program | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SNAPGross income limit (200% of poverty) | $2,660 | $3,607 | $4,554 | $5,500 | $6,447 | $7,394 | $8,340 | $9,287 |
| 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 (162% of poverty, counting the baby) | $2,155 | $2,921 | $3,688 | $4,455 | $5,222 | $5,989 | $6,755 | $7,522 |
| Medicaid and CHIPChildren 6 to 18 (266% of poverty) | $3,538 | $4,797 | $6,056 | $7,315 | $8,574 | $9,833 | $11,092 | $12,351 |
| WICIncome limit (185% of poverty) | $2,461 | $3,337 | $4,212 | $5,088 | $5,964 | $6,839 | $7,715 | $8,591 |
| School mealsFree meals (130% of poverty) | $1,729 | $2,345 | $2,960 | $3,575 | $4,191 | $4,806 | $5,421 | $6,037 |
| TANFMost Montana Temporary Assistance for Needy Families pays a month | $425 | $575 | $725 | $875 | $1,025 | $1,175 | – | – |
| Child care helpIncome limit to start | – | $3,261 | $4,109 | $4,956 | $5,804 | $6,652 | $7,500 | $8,348 |
| Child care helpIncome limit to keep it | – | $3,525 | $4,442 | $5,358 | $6,275 | $7,192 | $8,108 | $9,025 |
| Energy help (LIHEAP)Income limit | $3,010 | $3,936 | $4,862 | $5,789 | $6,715 | $7,641 | $7,815 | $7,988 |
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)); SNAP 304-1 Non-Financial Requirements: Categorical and Expanded Categorical Eligibility (SNAP Policy Manual section), effective October 1, 2026 (Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Human and Community Services Division); SNAP 602-4 Shelter Deductions (SNAP Policy Manual section), effective October 1, 2026 (Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Human and Community Services Division); SNAP Program Overview (Who is eligible, income limits, resources, deductions) (Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Human and Community Services Division); 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); ACA/Family Medicaid 201-7 ACA Adult Medicaid and ACA Adult (eff. 07/01/2026) (State of Montana site (dphhs.mt.gov)); ACA/Family Medicaid 005 Table of Standards: Healthy Montana Kids Program-Income (HMK and HMK Plus), effective 04/01/2026 (State of Montana site (dphhs.mt.gov)); ACA/Family Medicaid 004 Table of Standards: ACA Pregnancy Income (eff. 04/01/2026) (State of Montana site (dphhs.mt.gov)); ACA/Family Medicaid 007 Table of Standards: ACA Adult Medicaid/ACA Adult Income (eff. 04/01/2026) (State of Montana site (dphhs.mt.gov)); Montana Presumptive Eligibility Income Calculation Tool - Effective April 1, 2026 (State of Montana site (medicaidprovider.mt.gov)); DPHHS 'Apply for Health Coverage' page: says apply for Medicaid/HMK Plus/HMK online at healthcare.gov, by phone 1-800-318-2596, or in person (State of Montana site (dphhs.mt.gov)); Healthy Montana Kids (DPHHS) (State of Montana site (dphhs.mt.gov)); DPHHS news release 30 June 2026: Montana Medicaid Community Engagement Requirements Begin July 1 (State of Montana site (dphhs.mt.gov)); 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); Child Nutrition Programs: Income Eligibility Guidelines (91 FR 17932-17935, FR Doc. 2026-06842, 9 Apr 2026) (USDA Food and Nutrition Service (Federal Register notice)); Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) page with income standards table (Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), Human and Community Services Division); Montana State Plan for the TANF Program, Full Plan #25, effective 01/01/2024 (covers 1/2024 to 12/2026) (Montana DPHHS); HHS Poverty Guidelines (HHS/ASPE); TANF Programs by State (Help for Families map) (HHS/ACF/Office of Family Assistance); Child Care Sliding Fee Scale, effective 07-01-2025 (Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship) (Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS)); Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship Program (program page) (Montana DPHHS, Early Childhood and Family Support Division); CCDF Policies Database Book of Tables, policies as of October 1, 2023 (OPRE Report 2025-054, May 2025) (HHS/ACF/OPRE (Urban Institute)); Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (web page) (Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services). 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 Montana family
- $1,030 a month: TANF ends or drops, and the family has $100 less a month than just below it.
- $2,332 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $7 less a month than just below it.
- $2,554 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $8 less a month than just below it.
- $2,776 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $9 less a month than just below it.
- $2,998 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $10 less a month than just below it.
- $3,220 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $10 less a month than just below it.
- $3,331 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $9 less a month than just below it.
- $3,442 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $9 less a month than just below it.
- $3,553 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $9 less a month than just below it.
- $3,664 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $10 less a month than just below it.
- $3,775 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $11 less a month than just below it.
- $3,886 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $11 less a month than just below it.
- $3,998 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $11 less a month than just below it.
- $4,109 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $12 less a month than just below it.
- $4,110 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $227 less a month than just below it.
- $4,555 a month: SNAP, WIC, Lifeline end or drop, and the family has $233 less a month than just below it.
Worked out by this site's calculator with Montana'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 Montana
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (SNAP)
Montana lets every household with gross income up to 200% of the poverty line (no limit on savings) apply (broad-based categorical eligibility). The amount still depends on income after deductions. A household that pays for heating or cooling counts a standard utility allowance of $826 a month with its rent. Where to apply.
Sources: SNAP 304-1 Non-Financial Requirements: Categorical and Expanded Categorical Eligibility (SNAP Policy Manual section), effective October 1, 2026 (Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Human and Community Services Division); SNAP 602-4 Shelter Deductions (SNAP Policy Manual section), effective October 1, 2026 (Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Human and Community Services Division); SNAP Program Overview (Who is eligible, income limits, resources, deductions) (Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Human and Community Services Division). Checked October 31, 2026.
Montana Medicaid and Healthy Montana Kids
Montana has expanded Medicaid, so adults 19 to 64 qualify up to 138% of the poverty line. Since July 1, 2026, adults 19 to 64 covered through Montana’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). Where to apply.
| Who | % of poverty | 1 person | 2 people | 3 people | 4 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babies under 1 | 148% | $1,968 | $2,669 | $3,369 | $4,070 |
| Children 1 to 5 | 148% | $1,968 | $2,669 | $3,369 | $4,070 |
| Children 6 to 18 | 148% | $1,968 | $2,669 | $3,369 | $4,070 |
| Children in CHIP | 266% | $3,538 | $4,797 | $6,056 | $7,315 |
| Pregnant women | 162% | $2,155 | $2,921 | $3,688 | $4,455 |
| 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); ACA/Family Medicaid 201-7 ACA Adult Medicaid and ACA Adult (eff. 07/01/2026) (State of Montana site (dphhs.mt.gov)); ACA/Family Medicaid 005 Table of Standards: Healthy Montana Kids Program-Income (HMK and HMK Plus), effective 04/01/2026 (State of Montana site (dphhs.mt.gov)); ACA/Family Medicaid 004 Table of Standards: ACA Pregnancy Income (eff. 04/01/2026) (State of Montana site (dphhs.mt.gov)); ACA/Family Medicaid 007 Table of Standards: ACA Adult Medicaid/ACA Adult Income (eff. 04/01/2026) (State of Montana site (dphhs.mt.gov)); Montana Presumptive Eligibility Income Calculation Tool - Effective April 1, 2026 (State of Montana site (medicaidprovider.mt.gov)); DPHHS 'Apply for Health Coverage' page: says apply for Medicaid/HMK Plus/HMK online at healthcare.gov, by phone 1-800-318-2596, or in person (State of Montana site (dphhs.mt.gov)); Healthy Montana Kids (DPHHS) (State of Montana site (dphhs.mt.gov)); DPHHS news release 30 June 2026: Montana Medicaid Community Engagement Requirements Begin July 1 (State of Montana site (dphhs.mt.gov)); 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.
Montana Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
Cash help for families with children: at most $725 a month for a family of three with no other income, for up to 60 months in a lifetime. Where to apply.
Sources: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) page with income standards table (Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), Human and Community Services Division); Montana State Plan for the TANF Program, Full Plan #25, effective 01/01/2024 (covers 1/2024 to 12/2026) (Montana DPHHS); HHS Poverty Guidelines (HHS/ASPE); TANF Programs by State (Help for Families map) (HHS/ACF/Office of Family Assistance). Checked October 31, 2026.
Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship
Help paying for child care while parents work or study. Where to apply.
Sources: Child Care Sliding Fee Scale, effective 07-01-2025 (Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship) (Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS)); Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship Program (program page) (Montana DPHHS, Early Childhood and Family Support Division); CCDF Policies Database Book of Tables, policies as of October 1, 2023 (OPRE Report 2025-054, May 2025) (HHS/ACF/OPRE (Urban Institute)). Checked October 31, 2026.
Energy bill help (LIHEAP)
Help with heating and cooling bills, while the year's money lasts.
Source: Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (web page) (Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services). Checked October 31, 2026.
Phone numbers and where to go in Montana
Each number and address below is the one Montana'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
Montana's benefits website
- Online
- Self Service Portal apply.mt.govSelf Service Portal (apply.mt.gov): apply, manage a case, report changes for SNAP, TANF and health coverageSource: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Call
- 1-888-706-1535 Public Assistance Helpline (SNAP, TANF, Medicaid and Healthy Montana Kids: apply or manage a case)Source: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
SNAP (food benefits)
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Human & Community Services Division, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS)
- Call
- 1-888-706-1535 Public Assistance Helpline (SNAP, TANF, Medicaid and Healthy Montana Kids: apply or manage a case)Source: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Apply
- Where to apply apply.mt.govSource: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Medicaid and CHIP
Montana Medicaid
Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS)
- Call
- 1-888-706-1535 Public Assistance Helpline (who qualifies for Medicaid and Healthy Montana Kids)1-800-318-2596 Apply for health coverage1-800-362-8312 Montana Healthcare Programs Member Helpline (Healthy Montana Kids dental care, eyeglasses, pharmacy and other services)Source: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Apply
- Where to apply apply.mt.govSource: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
TANF cash help
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Human and Community Services Division, Montana DPHHS
- Call
- (888) 706-1535 Public Assistance Helpline (apply for TANF)Source: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Apply
- Where to apply apply.mt.govSource: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
WIC
Montana's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Montana DPHHS, Early Childhood and Family Support Division (WIC)
- Call
- Not checked yet Start at the state's main benefits website: Self Service Portal apply.mt.govSource: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Apply
- Where to apply signupwic.comSource: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Clinics
- Find a WIC clinic signupwic.comSource: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Child care help
Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship (BBS)
Montana DPHHS, Early Childhood and Family Support Division; applications go to the child care agency (Child Care Resources, Family Connections) for the county
- Call
- 800.728.6446 Child Care Resources, Region 1 (Missoula): help with applying for the Best Beginnings Scholarship; toll free800.696.4503 Family Connections, Region 2 (Great Falls); toll freeSource: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Apply
- Where to apply okta.loginmt.comSource: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Open or closed
- Not checked yet Start at the state's main benefits website: Self Service Portal apply.mt.govSource: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Help with energy bills (LIHEAP)
Montana Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Intergovernmental Human Services Bureau (IHSB), Human and Community Services Division, Montana DPHHS
- Call
- (406) 444-1788 local eligibility offices have their own numbersSource: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Apply
- Where to apply apply.mt.govSource: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Open or closed
- Taking applications
You may apply for LIHEAP during the heating season, which is October 1 through April 30 of each year
Source: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Your benefits card (EBT)
Montana Access Card
- Call
- 1-866-850-1556 EBT help desk hotline: PIN selection, balance inquiry, last 10 transactions, help with EBT system problemsSource: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Lost or stolen
- Call 1-866-850-1556 to report the card lost, stolen or damaged; the state mails a replacement card within two business days of the report if the address on file is current.Source: dphhs.mt.gov, 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 Montana
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 Montana 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
- You can ask by phone or in person, including through the Public Assistance Helpline, 1-888-706-1535; or in writing: email hhsofh@mt.gov, mail PO Box 202922, Helena MT 59620, or fax (406) 444-6565
- Phone
- (406) 444-2470
- Who hears it
- Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH), Montana DPHHS
- Deadline
- Within 90 days of the Department's action notice
- The state's page
- How hearings work dphhs.mt.gov
Source: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Medicaid
- How to ask
- Instructions are on the Notice of Adverse Action you receive; OAH contact: (406) 444-2470, hhsofh@mt.gov, PO Box 202922, Helena MT 59620
- Phone
- (406) 444-2470
- Who hears it
- Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH), Montana DPHHS
- The state's page
- How hearings work dphhs.mt.gov
Source: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
TANF cash help
- How to ask
- Refer to the notice from the Department; OAH contact: (406) 444-2470, hhsofh@mt.gov, PO Box 202922, Helena MT 59620
- Phone
- (406) 444-2470
- Who hears it
- Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH), Montana DPHHS
Source: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
When benefits are paid in Montana
Each state sets the days its SNAP benefits arrive. This is Montana'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.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (SNAP)
Not checked yet Montana's own page with its SNAP payment days could not be read, or it prints no rule. The day is on your approval notice; the state's EBT line can tell you too.
Summer EBT (SUN Bucks) in 2026
Montana took part in 2026, paying $120 for each child who qualified. The state calls it SUN Bucks (Summer EBT).
Each eligible child will receive one payment of $120 for the summer on a SUN Bucks Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card.
Source: dphhs.mt.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Free help from a person in Montana
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
- 211 Montana montana211.orgSource: 211.org, checked November 1, 2026
Medicare questions
Montana State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
Free, one-to-one help with Medicare from Montana's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
- Call
- 406-444-4077Source: shiphelp.org, checked November 1, 2026
- Online
- Its website dphhs.mt.gov
A denial, a cut, an eviction
Free legal aid
Legal aid groups in Montana paid by the Legal Services Corporation, which Congress set up to fund civil legal help for people with low incomes.
- Groups
- Montana Legal Services 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.govMontana is under the heading MONTANA, on pages 89–90; 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