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Check My EligibilityThe Bridge Card is Michigan's EBT card. Same plastic, same magnetic stripe, same PIN system as every other state's EBT card. Michigan just named it after the Mackinac Bridge. The card works at any authorized SNAP retailer in the country, not just in Michigan. If you drive to Ohio to visit family, the card works at the Kroger in Toledo. The benefits load on the same date every month based on the last digit of your case number, days 3 through 21.
Yes, every Saturday at Eastern Market the Bridge Card works at the shed vendors. Eastern Market also runs Double Up Food Bucks, so for every SNAP dollar you spend on fresh produce you get a free dollar to spend on more produce, up to
The federal gross income limit for SNAP is 130% of the Federal Poverty Level. In 2026, that works out to $1,632 a month for one person, $2,215 for two, $2,798 for three, and $3,381 for four. Each additional household member adds about $758 to the gross cap. Households with an elderly or disabled member skip the gross test entirely and only need to clear the net income limit. In BBCE states, the gross cap can rise to 200% FPL — about $2,508 a month for one person.
0 a day. The Detroit Eastern Market location on Russell Street is the original Double Up site from 2009. The program has since spread to 25 states but Michigan is still the biggest. Bring your card to the market info booth and they will swipe it for tokens.Yes. Michigan applies the federal 20% earned income deduction off the top of your gross income before any other math happens. If you make
The federal gross income limit for SNAP is 130% of the Federal Poverty Level. In 2026, that works out to $1,632 a month for one person, $2,215 for two, $2,798 for three, and $3,381 for four. Each additional household member adds about $758 to the gross cap. Households with an elderly or disabled member skip the gross test entirely and only need to clear the net income limit. In BBCE states, the gross cap can rise to 200% FPL — about $2,508 a month for one person.
40 comes off immediately. Your countable income for the rest of the SNAP math is $960. This is why two brothers I worked with, both at Stellantis grossingThere are three common reasons MDHHS cuts off a case. First, you missed your recertification deadline. Fix by filing a new application through MI Bridges, which restarts the clock. Second, you did not report income going over 130% of poverty within 10 days. Fix by filing a hearing request within 90 days of the closure notice if you disagree, or by reapplying when your income drops. Third, your card sat unused for 274 days and the state expunged the balance. Fix by calling 1-888-678-8914 and asking them to reinstate the card. Any benefits expunged are gone, but future benefits resume once the card is active again.
Yes. SNAP is a federal program but administered state by state. Your Ohio case has to close before your Michigan case can open. Cancel your Ohio benefits by calling the Ohio county office that issued them. Then apply through MI Bridges in Michigan. Bring your Ohio closure notice if you have one, it speeds up the process. You can apply the same day you cancel Ohio. Michigan will not process your application until Ohio confirms the closure, which usually takes 3 to 5 days. Do not use your Ohio card after you move, that is an overpayment waiting to happen.
Double Up Food Bucks is the produce-doubling program that started at Eastern Market in Detroit in 2009. Run by Fair Food Network, based in Ann Arbor. Spend a SNAP dollar on fresh Michigan produce at a participating farmers market or grocery store, get a free dollar to spend on more produce, up to
The federal gross income limit for SNAP is 130% of the Federal Poverty Level. In 2026, that works out to $1,632 a month for one person, $2,215 for two, $2,798 for three, and $3,381 for four. Each additional household member adds about $758 to the gross cap. Households with an elderly or disabled member skip the gross test entirely and only need to clear the net income limit. In BBCE states, the gross cap can rise to 200% FPL — about $2,508 a month for one person.
0 a day. It works at most farmers markets in the state and at some Meijer, Family Fare, and independent grocers. The full list is at doubleupfoodbucks.org. The program is in 25 states now, but Michigan still has the most sites.Gross income is your total household income before any deductions. Net income is what's left after subtracting all allowable SNAP deductions — the standard deduction, the 20% earned income deduction, medical expenses for elderly or disabled members, dependent care costs, court-ordered child support, and excess shelter costs. Most households have to clear both tests (130% FPL gross and 100% FPL net). Households with an elderly or disabled member only need to clear the net income test.
Yes, if you live in one of the 40+ states that use Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE). BBCE lifts the gross income limit to 200% FPL or higher in participating states and removes the asset test entirely. In 2026, a household in a BBCE state with a 200% FPL cap can earn up to about $2,508 a month for one person, $3,395 for two, or $5,198 for a family of four and still potentially qualify. Check your state's specific BBCE rules to see if you're eligible even with higher income.
Yes. Self-employment income is calculated as gross business receipts minus allowable business expenses — things like supplies, business rent, business utilities, advertising, and insurance. You can't deduct personal expenses, federal income taxes, depreciation, or entertainment costs. Once you arrive at net self-employment profit, that figure counts as earned income, which means it also gets the 20% earned income deduction when calculating net income for SNAP.
Seniors (60 or older) and people receiving disability benefits get four breaks: they skip the gross income test entirely, they get an uncapped excess shelter deduction (no $712 cap), they can claim the medical expense deduction for costs over $35 a month, and they get a higher asset limit in non-BBCE states ($4,500 instead of $3,000). These exceptions often make the difference between qualifying and not qualifying for elderly applicants with modest retirement income.
SNAP income limits are updated every fiscal year (October 1) based on the Federal Poverty Level, which the Department of Health and Human Services recalculates annually using inflation data. The 2026 figures represent a modest increase over 2025. Standard deductions, shelter caps, and utility allowances also adjust annually. Your benefit amount can change at recertification even when your income hasn't, simply because the federal numbers shifted.
Founder & Lead Researcher · Food Stamp Eligibility Calculator
Wasim Akram is an independent web publisher and digital entrepreneur with over 8 years of experience in SEO, web publishing, technical research, and building digital products. Since 2018, he has been creating niche websites, online tools, custom CMS platforms, and WordPress products. He founded Food Stamp Eligibility Calculator in 2026 after seeing firsthand how difficult it was for ordinary families to get a straight answer about whether they qualified for food assistance. Every article on this site is researched, written, and reviewed against primary government sources including USDA Food and Nutrition Service manuals, state SNAP policy manuals, the Federal Register, and official state agency guidance.
