Massachusetts loads SNAP benefits onto your EBT card once a month, somewhere in the first 14 days, on a date set by the last digit of your Social Security number. If your SSN ends in 0, you are paid on the 1st. If it ends in 9, you are paid on the 14th. That date does not move from month to month as long as your case stays open.
The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) calls this your cyclical period, and the same last digit that sets your deposit date also sets the month your benefits cover. This guide gives the full digit-to-date lookup straight from DTA's own charts, a 2026 calendar, the weekend and holiday rule, current Massachusetts income limits, and what to do when nothing shows up.
How Massachusetts Sets Your Deposit Date
DTA staggers SNAP issuance across ten dates rather than paying every household at once. The mapping below appears in two places that are as close to the source as you can get: USDA's Monthly Issuance Schedule for All States and Territories, which is the schedule Massachusetts files with the federal government, and DTA's own Helpful Charts and Figures worker reference, where it is printed under the heading "Cyclical Periods."
| Last Digit of SSN | Deposit Date | Cyclical Month Ends |
|---|
| 0 | 1st | End of the month |
| 1 | 2nd | 1st |
| 2 | 4th | 3rd |
| 3 | 5th | 4th |
| 4 | 7th | 6th |
| 5 | 8th | 7th |
| 6 | 10th | 9th |
| 7 | 11th | 10th |
| 8 | 13th | 12th |
| 9 | 14th | 13th |
Notice that the 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th are never used. Massachusetts pays on two consecutive dates, skips one, and repeats.
The digit that matters is the one on the SSN of the person DTA has listed as the head of household on the SNAP case, not whoever happens to be carrying the card. If nobody in the household has a Social Security number, DTA assigns a case identification number and uses the last digit of that instead.
What the Cyclical Month Means
Your SNAP month runs from your deposit date to the day before your next deposit. Someone whose SSN ends in 5 is paid on the 8th, so their benefit month runs from March 8 to April 7, then April 8 to May 7, and so on.
This matters more than it sounds. Recertification deadlines, interim report due dates, and the period your reported income applies to are all built around that cycle, not around the calendar month. If DTA tells you a report is due "by the end of your certification period," check DTA Connect for the actual date rather than assuming it is the last day of the month.
Massachusetts EBT Deposit Calendar 2026
Your date is the same calendar day every month. Here is how those ten days land across 2026.
| Month | 1st | 2nd | 4th | 5th | 7th | 8th | 10th | 11th | 13th | 14th |
|---|
| January | Thu | Fri | Sun | Mon | Wed | Thu | Sat | Sun | Tue | Wed |
| February | Sun | Mon | Wed | Thu | Sat | Sun | Tue | Wed | Fri | Sat |
| March | Sun | Mon | Wed | Thu | Sat | Sun | Tue | Wed | Fri | Sat |
| April | Wed | Thu | Sat | Sun | Tue | Wed | Fri | Sat | Mon | Tue |
| May | Fri | Sat | Mon | Tue | Thu | Fri | Sun | Mon | Wed | Thu |
| June | Mon | Tue | Thu | Fri | Sun | Mon | Wed | Thu | Sat | Sun |
| July | Wed | Thu | Sat | Sun | Tue | Wed | Fri | Sat | Mon | Tue |
| August | Sat | Sun | Tue | Wed | Fri | Sat | Mon | Tue | Thu | Fri |
| September | Tue | Wed | Fri | Sat | Mon | Tue | Thu | Fri | Sun | Mon |
| October | Thu | Fri | Sun | Mon | Wed | Thu | Sat | Sun | Tue | Wed |
| November | Sun | Mon | Wed | Thu | Sat | Sun | Tue | Wed | Fri | Sat |
| December | Tue | Wed | Fri | Sat | Mon | Tue | Thu | Fri | Sun | Mon |
Weekends and Holidays
Massachusetts is one of the states that does adjust. DTA's guidance on using your EBT card states that if your date falls on a holiday or a Sunday, you receive your benefits on the previous business day. That is a real difference from states like Kansas, which pay on the fixed calendar date no matter what day of the week it is.
Two honest caveats. First, DTA publishes the rule but does not publish a month-by-month adjusted calendar, so the exact shifted date is not something you can look up in advance on a state page. Second, the rule names Sunday and holidays, not Saturday. A Saturday deposit date is generally not moved.
The 2026 dates where this can come into play:
Sundays that are deposit dates: January 4 and 11, February 1 and 8, March 1 and 8, April 5, May 10, June 7 and 14, July 5, August 2, September 13, October 4 and 11, November 1 and 8, and December 13.
State holidays that are deposit dates: January 1 (New Year's Day), July 4 (Independence Day, observed Friday July 3), September 7 (Labor Day), and November 11 (Veterans Day).
Because the shifted date is not published, the reliable move is to check DTA Connect a day or two ahead. It shows your specific deposit date and the exact amount for your case, which is better than any general schedule, including this one.
How to Check Your Massachusetts EBT Balance
Massachusetts moved its EBT processing from Conduent to Fidelity Information Services (FIS) on April 27, 2025, so the back end is now the ebtEDGE system. Your options:
- DTA Connect: Log in at dtaconnect.com or use the DTA Connect mobile app. This shows your balance, your deposit date, your case status, and documents DTA has received.
- Phone: Call EBT Customer Service at 1-800-997-2555, automated and available 24 hours a day. You can also get your last ten transactions here.
- DTA Assistance Line: 1-877-382-2363 for case questions, interviews, and recertifications.
- Receipt: Your remaining balance prints at the bottom of every SNAP purchase receipt.
DTA is also piloting chip and tap EBT cards out of the Worcester office starting in summer 2026, with a statewide rollout planned for fall 2026. If a new card arrives in the mail from an out of state address, it is not a scam. Keep it and activate it.
What to Do If Your Benefits Did Not Load
Step 1. Confirm the digit. Use the SSN of the head of household on the SNAP case, not your own, if you are not the head of household.
Step 2. Wait through the end of the day. Deposits usually post overnight, but posting time varies with processing volume.
Step 3. Check DTA Connect. If benefits were issued, the deposit shows there with the amount. If nothing was issued, the case is the problem, not the card.
Step 4. Look for mail from DTA. A missed interim report, an incomplete recertification, or unreturned proofs will stop benefits, and DTA sends a notice explaining why. Work requirement paperwork is a common trigger now that the expanded rules apply to more adults.
Step 5. Call 1-800-997-2555 if the card itself might be the issue. After four wrong PIN attempts the card locks until the next day.
Step 6. Call the DTA Assistance Line at 1-877-382-2363 if benefits were not issued at all and you do not know why.
Report a lost or stolen card immediately at 1-800-997-2555. DTA charges a $5 replacement fee in most cases, though it is waived for a first photo EBT card, a defective card, a card lost in the mail, a name change, or a reasonable accommodation.
Massachusetts SNAP Income Limits 2026
Massachusetts uses Broad Based Categorical Eligibility, which sets the gross monthly income limit at 200% of the federal poverty level and eliminates the asset test for most households. That is the highest gross threshold federal rules allow, well above the 130% federal baseline, and it means plenty of working households qualify when they assume they earn too much.
The figures below come from DTA's Helpful Charts and Figures reference. The 200% standards took effect February 1, 2026. The maximum benefit amounts took effect October 1, 2025 and run through September 30, 2026.
| Household Size | Gross Monthly Income Limit (200% FPL) | Maximum Monthly SNAP Benefit |
|---|
| 1 | $2,660 | $298 |
| 2 | $3,607 | $546 |
| 3 | $4,553 | $785 |
| 4 | $5,500 | $994 |
| 5 | $6,447 | $1,183 |
| 6 | $7,393 | $1,421 |
| 7 | $8,340 | $1,571 |
| 8 | $9,287 | $1,789 |
| Each additional member | +$947 | +$218 |
A small number of Massachusetts households are not categorically eligible and are measured against the federal gross income standard of 130% of poverty instead, which for federal fiscal year 2026 is $1,696 for one person, $2,292 for two, and $3,483 for four. Those households also face an asset limit of $3,000, or $4,500 if a member is age 60 or older or has a disability.
Most households receive well under the maximum. Your actual benefit is calculated from net income after deductions, and Massachusetts deductions are substantial: a standard deduction of $209 to $299 depending on household size, a maximum shelter deduction of $744, a $199 homeless shelter deduction, and a standard utility allowance of $914 for households with heating or cooling costs. Households with an elderly or disabled member get an uncapped shelter deduction plus a deduction for medical expenses above $35 a month. One and two person households that qualify receive a minimum benefit of $24.
How to Apply for SNAP in Massachusetts
Online. Go to DTAConnect.com and submit an application. This is the fastest route and lets you upload documents from your phone.
By phone. Call the DTA Assistance Line at 1-877-382-2363. Interpretation is available.
By mail or fax. Download the SNAP application from mass.gov, then mail it to DTA Document Processing Center, P.O. Box 4406, Taunton, MA 02780, or fax it to 617-887-8765.
In person. Visit any DTA local office. You can also get help from a SNAP outreach partner or a food bank in your region at no cost.
What Happens After You Apply
DTA has 30 days to decide. Every applicant needs an interview, which is usually done by phone, and a case worker will call you. You will be asked for proof of identity, income, and shelter costs, so sending pay stubs, a lease or rent receipt, and a utility bill along with the application speeds things up.
Households in immediate need may qualify for expedited SNAP within 7 days. The usual triggers are gross monthly income under $150 with liquid assets under $100, income and resources that fall short of monthly rent plus utilities, or status as a migrant or seasonal farmworker with little income.
If approved and you do not already have a card, your EBT card arrives in the mail within about a week. Your first deposit follows the SSN schedule above, prorated from your application date.
Documents to Have Ready
- Photo ID for the head of household
- Proof of Massachusetts residency, such as a lease or utility bill
- Social Security numbers for everyone applying
- Recent pay stubs or benefit award letters
- Rent or mortgage statement
- Heating and utility bills
- Childcare or dependent care receipts
- Medical expense records for members age 60 or older or with a disability
Work Rules Worth Knowing in 2026
Federal changes enacted in 2025 broadened the time limit that applies to adults without dependents. The age range now reaches up to 64 rather than stopping at 54, exemptions that previously covered veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and former foster youth were removed, and the caregiver exemption narrowed to households with a child under 14. Adults subject to the rule must document 20 hours a week of work, training, or volunteering, or qualify for an exemption, to keep SNAP beyond three months.
Massachusetts began applying the expanded rules in late 2025. If you received a notice about work requirements, do not ignore it. Exemptions for disability, pregnancy, caregiving, and participation in a training program still exist, and DTA has to grant one if you qualify.
Getting More From Your EBT Card
The Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) puts money back on your card when you buy fresh fruits and vegetables from participating farmers markets, farm stands, mobile markets, and CSA farm shares. The monthly caps were restored to $40 for households of one or two, $60 for households of three to five, and $80 for households of six or more, effective September 1, 2025. The rebate loads automatically to your EBT card, usually within minutes of the purchase.
Your card also works at authorized retailers anywhere in the United States, and unused SNAP benefits carry over month to month. Massachusetts removes benefits only after an account goes unused for a year, so use the card at least occasionally to keep the balance.
Other Massachusetts Benefits Worth Checking
SNAP is rarely the only program a household qualifies for. Massachusetts residents on SNAP frequently also qualify for MassHealth, fuel assistance through LIHEAP, WIC, free school meals, and discounted internet or phone service through Lifeline. See the full list on the Massachusetts benefits page, or compare payment timing across states on our national SNAP EBT deposit schedule guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What day does EBT deposit in Massachusetts in 2026?
Massachusetts deposits SNAP benefits over the first 14 days of the month based on the last digit of the head of household's Social Security number. SSNs ending in 0 are paid on the 1st, 1 on the 2nd, 2 on the 4th, 3 on the 5th, 4 on the 7th, 5 on the 8th, 6 on the 10th, 7 on the 11th, 8 on the 13th, and 9 on the 14th.
How do I find my Massachusetts EBT deposit date?
Look at the last digit of the Social Security number on file for the head of household on your SNAP case and match it to the schedule. DTA Connect also shows your specific deposit date and amount, which is the surest way to confirm it.
What time does Massachusetts EBT deposit?
Benefits are typically available at the start of your deposit day, with most accounts updating overnight. If your balance has not changed by the end of the day, check DTA Connect or call 1-800-997-2555.
What happens if my Massachusetts EBT deposit date falls on a weekend or holiday?
DTA's guidance says that if your date falls on a Sunday or a holiday, benefits are made available on the previous business day. Saturday dates are generally not adjusted. DTA does not publish an adjusted month-by-month calendar, so check DTA Connect a day or two ahead for the exact date.
Can I change my EBT deposit date in Massachusetts?
No. The date is tied to the last digit of the head of household's Social Security number and cannot be requested or moved. It changes only if the head of household on the case changes.
What is the income limit for SNAP in Massachusetts in 2026?
Massachusetts uses Broad Based Categorical Eligibility with a gross monthly income limit of 200% of the federal poverty level. Effective February 1, 2026 that is $2,660 for one person, $3,607 for two, $4,553 for three, and $5,500 for four, plus $947 for each additional member.
How much SNAP can a family of 4 get in Massachusetts?
The maximum for a household of four is $994 a month for the federal fiscal year running October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Most households receive less, since the amount is calculated from net income after deductions for shelter, utilities, and dependent care.
How long does it take to get SNAP in Massachusetts?
DTA has 30 days to decide. Households in immediate need can qualify for expedited benefits within 7 days if gross monthly income is under $150 with liquid assets under $100, or if income and resources together fall below monthly rent and utility costs.
How do I check my Massachusetts EBT balance?
Log in to DTAConnect.com or the DTA Connect app, call EBT Customer Service at 1-800-997-2555, or look at the balance printed on your last purchase receipt.
Do unused Massachusetts SNAP benefits roll over?
Yes. Unused SNAP benefits stay on the card and carry into the next month. Benefits are removed only after an account goes unused for a full year.
