Everyone who lives and buys food together; for health coverage, everyone on your tax return
Wages and other income before deductions — what a raise changes
Why gross income?
Before the next benefit line
$0
Estimate for reference only, not verified proof — check the sources below, and their access date, before relying on this for a claim or filing.
Income limits only. SNAP also checks net income after deductions and, in some states, savings, so being under its line doesn't by itself mean you qualify. Assumes earned income and no household member aged 60+ or disabled.
Benefits cliff in South Carolina
The income lines where a raise can cost a South Carolina family its SNAP, its children's health coverage or its ACA subsidy — by household size, with a calculator.
In South Carolina, a family of three loses SNAP above $2,960 a month in gross income (130% of the poverty line), its children's Medicaid or CHIP above $58,192 a year (213%), and the ACA premium tax credit above $109,280 a year (400%). Each is a line, not a slope: a dollar over can end the help.
Reviewed by RuleCost Editorial Team. Rules for 2027, updated 13 Oct 2026.
How to use it
- 1The calculator starts with a family of three in South Carolina. Change the household size and income to yours.
- 2Use income before taxes for the year — the number a raise changes.
- 3Read how much more you can earn before the next line, and which line it is.
South Carolina income lines by household size
SNAP limits are gross income per month for October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. Children's coverage and the ACA credit are yearly income. All three use the 2026 federal poverty guidelines.
| People | SNAP / month | Kids' coverage / year | ACA credit / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,729 | — | $63,840 |
| 2 | $2,345 | $46,093 | $86,560 |
| 3 | $2,960 | $58,192 | $109,280 |
| 4 | $3,575 | $70,290 | $132,000 |
| 5 | $4,191 | $82,388 | $154,720 |
| 6 | $4,806 | $94,487 | $177,440 |
| 7 | $5,421 | $106,585 | $200,160 |
| 8 | $6,037 | $118,684 | $222,880 |
SNAP in South Carolina
South Carolina uses broad-based categorical eligibility but keeps the income limit at 130% of the poverty line; what it changes is the savings test — no limit on savings.
Below the line the benefit is not a fixed amount: it is the maximum for the household size minus 30% of net income after deductions, so it shrinks as pay rises. For fiscal year 2027 the maximum is $306 a month for one person, $808 for three and $1,023 for four. Households with someone 60 or older or disabled don't face the gross income line at all — they are judged on net income.
Children's Medicaid and CHIP in South Carolina
South Carolina covers children through Medicaid up to 194% of the poverty line under age 1, 143% for ages 1–5 and 133% for ages 6–18, and up to 213% with CHIP funding inside Medicaid (there is no separate CHIP program). Above 213% — $58,192 a year for a family of three — children can still get a Marketplace plan, with a premium tax credit while the family is under 400%.
The ACA subsidy cliff
The premium tax credit stops at 400% of the poverty line: $109,280 a year for a family of three. What crossing it costs depends on age and premiums — see the South Carolina ACA subsidy cliff for the dollar figures and South Carolina's enrollment dates.
Questions
- What is the SNAP income limit in South Carolina?
- South Carolina uses broad-based categorical eligibility but keeps the income limit at 130% of the poverty line; what it changes is the savings test — no limit on savings. For 2027 (October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027) that is $1,729 a month for one person and $3,575 for a family of four.
- Up to what income are children covered by Medicaid or CHIP in South Carolina?
- Up to 213% of the poverty line — $58,192 a year for a family of three and $70,290 for a family of four (January 2026). South Carolina covers these children inside Medicaid rather than through a separate CHIP program.
- Do I lose SNAP the moment I cross the line?
- Above the gross income line, a household without anyone 60 or older or disabled no longer qualifies. Below it, the benefit already shrinks as income rises — it is based on net income after deductions — so near the line it is often small. Households with an elderly or disabled member skip the gross test and are judged on net income instead.
- Which line comes first?
- For a family of three in South Carolina: SNAP at $35,520 a year, then children's coverage at $58,192, then the ACA credit at $109,280.