If you’re one of the many families in New York City who receives SNAP benefits (you may know them as food stamps), you know that keeping track of your deposit date is incredibly important. These monthly funds, loaded onto an EBT card that works like a regular debit card, are a real lifesaver for stocking your groceries each month.
The thing is, the date you receive the money isn’t the same for everyone. It actually depends on two key factors: where you live and your case number. It’s a system that’s organized this way to avoid overloading the system and so everyone can plan their purchases with a bit of order.
SNAP Payment Schedule for September 2025
For those of us who live outside the Big Apple, that is, in the rest of New York State, the dates are fixed. Benefits are distributed between September 1 and 9, and the exact day is determined by the last digit of your case number. It’s pretty straightforward.
If your case number ends in 0 or 1, your funds will be deposited on October 1. For those ending in 2, it will be on October 2. This pattern continues, one digit per day, until number 9 arrives, which receives its funds on October 9.
Let’s see the full schedule:
- Case number ending in 0: Payment on October 1
- Case number ending in 1: Payment on October 1
- Case number ending in 2: Payment on October 2
- Case number ending in 3: Payment on October 3
- Case number ending in 4: Payment on October 4
- Case number ending in 5: Payment on October 5
- Case number ending in 6: Payment on October 6
- Case number ending in 7: Payment on October 7
- Case number ending in 8: Payment on October 8
- Case number ending in 9: Payment on October 9
But be careful with weekends and holidays! If your due date falls on one, don’t worry, the deposit will be made the previous business day. For example, September 1st is a holiday, so cases ending in 0 or 1 will receive their payment a little earlier, on the last day of August.
Differences between NY state and NYC
Things get a little different for those living in the five boroughs of New York City. There, the calendar isn’t governed by exact days of the month, but by business days. This means that calendar dates can vary slightly from month to month.
For the city, the program is also based on the last digit of your case. The first group (digits 0 and 1) receives their payment on the first business day of the month. The next digit (2) receives their payment on the following business day, and the rotation continues until all numbers are covered.
Now, let’s talk about money: maximum SNAP benefits
September is an important month because it’s the last month to see the 2.5% cost-of-living (COLA) increase. This means the maximum amounts you’ll see this month are a little higher than usual, which is always good news.
For the contiguous states and the District of Columbia, the maximum benefits for September 2025 were as follows: $292 for a one-person household, $536 for a two-person household, and $768 for a three-person household. Each additional family increases the available amount.
For a family of four, the maximum is $975. For a family of five, the benefit increases to $1,158. For families of six, the aid is $1,390. Families of seven can receive up to $1,536, and those of eight, $1,756.
What if your family is larger? For each additional member after eight, $220 is added to the total amount. On the other hand, the minimum benefit for one- and two-person households in these areas is $23, although some states like New York often supplement it to make it slightly higher.
