Food Stamp Guidelines for Iowa
- In order to be eligible for food stamps in Iowa you are required to be a citizen of the United States or a legal immingrant. Some non-citizens can also be eligible. You are also required to be a resident of the state of Iowa with a physical address. This can be proven through a current utility bill which shows the address of your residence along with your full name. According to the Iowa Department of Human Services, a child who is a legal citizen of the United States and an Iowa resident can apply for food stamps in the state even if her parents are not residents or citizens of the U.S.
- If you are an able-bodied adult age 16 to 60, you are required to maintain full-time employment, register for a state work program or take part in a work training program to remain eligible for food stamps in Iowa. Exceptions to this rule apply to those who are disabled, women who are pregnant or any able-bodied adult who has dependent children. A person who is on strike due to a union labor dispute is not eligible to apply for food stamps in Iowa unless he was eligible the day before he went on strike.
- Your income is required to pass both gross income and net income tests in order to be eligible for benefits in Iowa. As of 2010, the gross monthly income for a household of one must be less than $1,174 and the net income for a household of one must be less than $903. You may deduct certain expenses from your gross income to determine your net income such as medical expenses, costs associated with child care, costs of shelter such as a home loan or rental payment and utility payments. If your household includes an elderly person or a person receiving a form of disability payments, you are only required to meet the net income requirement to be eligible.
- Your available resources are also required to meet certain guidelines to be eligible for food stamps in Iowa. A household may have up to $2,000 in countable resources such as money in a checking or savings account, stocks, bonds or an automobile which is not directly used for business purposes. A household may have up to $3,000 in available resources if it includes at least one member who is age 60 or older.