Resources and Toolkits

Summary of cost to states based on SNAP 2025 error rates

Common policy missteps states may take in efforts to reduce SNAP payment error rates (PERs), such as adopting change reporting, imposing asset tests, or limiting discretionary exemptions, can have unintended effects of increasing error rates. Instead, states should make informed policy choices, such as adopting simplified reporting, waiving asset tests, allowing discretionary exemptions, and implementing…

Tracker displaying most recent federal and state agency data on SNAP participation, along with unemployment trends.

Guidance on state policy chocies that tend to increase SNAP payment error rates include requiring change reporting or monthly reporting, imposing asset tests, and limiting discretionary exemptions. In contrast, states can reduce errors by simplifying reporting requirements, using BBCE, applying exemptions, and using one-month lookbacks to minimize reassessments and ensure coverage for eligible populations.

Resource explaining how SNAP’s BBCE helps working families qualify for food assistance by easing income and asset limits. It also outlines the potential negative impacts, such as increased food insecurity, if BBCE were eliminated.

Key strategies to improve accuracy and efficiency of SNAP program delivery, including evaluating intervention impacts independently, developing strong proxy metrics, watching for unintended consequences, strategically reviewing most error-prone case elements and actions, leveraging new technology for caseworkers, and improving client communication and outreach.