New Veteran SNAP Rule Ignores Household Income for 100 Days Post-Service Transition

The “Setting the Table for Transition Act” is a straightforward piece of legislation aimed squarely at helping veterans hit the ground running—or at least, making sure they can eat while they try. Essentially, this bill changes the rules for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps, for a short period right after someone leaves the military.

The 100-Day Income Reset

Here’s the deal: When a service member separates from the military, they receive a Report of Separation (SEC. 2). For the 100 days immediately following that report, their household’s eligibility for SNAP is calculated differently. Instead of looking at the income of everyone in the household—which is the standard rule—SNAP will only consider the income of the veteran (SEC. 2). This is huge for a couple of reasons. First, a lot of veterans don't have a new job lined up right away, meaning their income is $0 during that initial transition period. Second, if they are moving back in with family or a partner who has a decent job, that income is usually counted against them, often disqualifying them for SNAP. Under this temporary rule, that other income is ignored. This makes it much easier for veterans to get immediate food assistance while they are job searching, setting up housing, and navigating the early, chaotic days of civilian life.

Who Gets to Sit at the Table?

This benefit isn’t universal, but the definition is pretty clear (SEC. 3). To qualify, you must have served on active duty in the U.S. military—Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marines—and you must have left the service under conditions that were not dishonorable. If you received a dishonorable discharge, you don’t meet the definition for this specific benefit. This means the bill targets veterans who served honorably but are still struggling during the transition. While the exclusion for dishonorable discharges is explicit, it does leave out some of the most vulnerable individuals who may also be facing severe financial hardship post-service.

When Does This Kick In?

Like many pieces of legislation, this one won’t start immediately. The entire Act is set to become effective 90 days after it is signed into law (SEC. 4). This delay is standard procedure, giving the agencies—in this case, the Department of Agriculture, which runs SNAP—time to update their systems, train staff, and write the necessary regulations to implement the new 100-day eligibility rule smoothly. For veterans, this means the help is coming, but it won't be instantaneous, even once the bill is passed.