Do you report cash aid or food stamps as income

[lisaleon27]

i receive cash aid can i file that money

[nyinyeb]

No. Welfare and food stamps are not taxable and, therefore, not included in your return.

[Chastity 74]

I got tanf this Year for money for kids..want get child tax return on them

[xmasbaby0]

You do not report food stamps or public assistance on a tax return.  However, if you can claim your children as dependents on your own tax return you can get the child tax credit for 2021.   If you did not get the 3rd stimulus check for yourself or for your dependent children then you can get the 3rd stimulus as a recovery rebate credit on a 2021 tax return.

IRS interview to help determine who can be claimed:

https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/who-can-i-claim-as-a-dependent

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/3113432-who-can-i-claim-as-my-dependent  

[abaldman]

@xmasbaby0 I believe my mother (who lives in Mass) was misinformed on this topic while filing her 2021 taxes.  She only receives Social Security and has no other income. The volunteer tax preparer at her senior center put her SNAP benefits as "other" income on her taxes. I was kind of surprised to hear this as the volunteer wasn't aware SNAP is not considered income. 

I wanted to make sure she that she doesn't make the same mistake while filing her 2022 taxes. Are you sure that she doesn't need to report this on her state taxes? 

I found this article from late 2018 which backs up what you are saying:

https://pocketsense.com/count-food-stamps-federal-return-23954.html

thanks,

[xmasbaby0]

If your mother's only income is Social Security then she does not even have to file a tax return at all.   And SNAP benefits are not income on any tax return.

Who has to file?

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Do-I-Need-to-File-a-Tax-Return%3F

[abaldman]

Thanks for your quick response. She doesn't file a federal tax return only a state tax return in Mass. She files since she used to get a Senior Circuit Breaker tax credit which was normally up to $1000 each year. Last year she only got $69 back, I believe due to the SNAP income she reported. Actually after reading this again, it instructs people to report their food assistance in addition to her social security to calculate the credit. It's specific to Mass. So I guess that is why she didn't get as much back. Previously she wasn't getting SNAP. 

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-senior-circuit-breaker-tax-credit#who-is-and-isn't-e...