Wisconsin loads FoodShare food benefits onto your QUEST card once a month, on a date set by the eighth digit of the head of household's Social Security number. Deposits are staggered across the first half of the month, landing on the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 11th, 12th, 14th, or 15th, depending on which digit you have. A household whose head-of-household SSN has an 8 as the eighth digit gets paid on the 14th every month. One ending in 0 gets paid on the 2nd. This schedule is published in the Wisconsin FoodShare Handbook and runs unchanged through all of 2026.
This guide covers the complete Wisconsin FoodShare deposit calendar for 2026, which 2026 dates land on weekends, what to do if a deposit does not show up, and current FoodShare income limits and application steps.
How Wisconsin Sets Your FoodShare Deposit Date
FoodShare is Wisconsin's name for SNAP, and it is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) in partnership with county and tribal economic support agencies, plus consortia like the IM Consortia that process applications in some regions. Eligibility work, such as interviews and document verification, happens at the local or regional level.
Issuance timing does not. Wisconsin runs a single statewide rule tied to the eighth digit of the Social Security number of the head of household on the case. That digit, not your last name, your county, your application date, or the rest of your SSN, decides your monthly date. Two households in different counties with the same eighth digit are paid on the identical calendar day, every month, for as long as the case stays open and the head of household on record does not change.
Wisconsin FoodShare 2026 Deposit Schedule by SSN Digit
Find the eighth digit of the head of household's Social Security number in the table below. FoodShare benefits become available on that date.
| Eighth Digit of SSN | Monthly Deposit Date |
|---|
| 0 | 2nd |
| 1 | 3rd |
| 2 | 5th |
| 3 | 6th |
| 4 | 8th |
| 5 | 9th |
| 6 | 11th |
| 7 | 12th |
| 8 | 14th |
| 9 | 15th |
Notice the pattern skips a day between most pairs: 2nd and 3rd, then a gap to 5th and 6th, a gap to 8th and 9th, a gap to 11th and 12th, and a gap to 14th and 15th. That spacing is intentional. It spreads issuance across the first 15 calendar days of the month in even blocks of two, rather than compressing everyone into one week.
Example: if the head of household's SSN is 123-45-6789, the eighth digit is 8, so that household is paid on the 14th of every month.
Where to find the right digit: count from the left, including the dashes as separators but not as digits. In a nine-digit SSN written XXX-XX-XXXX, the eighth digit is the second-to-last digit before the final number. If you are unsure, log in to ACCESS Wisconsin and check your benefit notice, or call the FoodShare Member Services line.
Weekends and Holidays
Wisconsin's published FoodShare issuance schedule is a fixed calendar-day rule: your deposit lands on the same numbered date every month regardless of which day of the week it falls on. The state does not publish a policy that moves deposits earlier for an upcoming weekend or holiday. If your assigned date is a Saturday or a Sunday, your benefits are still expected to post that day, not the Friday before.
What weekends and holidays do affect is your ability to reach a caseworker. County, tribal, and consortium offices are closed on state holidays and weekends, so if a deposit issue comes up on a holiday, you may not reach a live person until the next business day even though the underlying deposit timing itself does not change. If you ever see a discrepancy between your assigned date and what actually lands in your account, treat your ACCESS Wisconsin notice as the source of truth and call Member Services to confirm.
2026 Calendar: Which Deposit Dates Fall on Weekends
Because the schedule holds the same numbered date regardless of weekday, several 2026 FoodShare deposits land on Saturdays and Sundays. Here is the full breakdown by month.
| Month | 2nd | 3rd | 5th | 6th | 8th | 9th | 11th | 12th | 14th | 15th |
|---|
| January | Fri | Sat | Mon | Tue | Thu | Fri | Sun | Mon | Wed | Thu |
| February | Mon | Tue | Thu | Fri | Sun | Mon | Wed | Thu | Sat | Sun |
| March | Mon | Tue | Thu | Fri | Sun | Mon | Wed | Thu | Sat | Sun |
| April | Thu | Fri | Sun | Mon | Wed | Thu | Sat | Sun | Tue | Wed |
| May | Sat | Sun | Tue | Wed | Fri | Sat | Mon | Tue | Thu | Fri |
| June | Tue | Wed | Fri | Sat | Mon | Tue | Thu | Fri | Sun | Mon |
| July | Thu | Fri | Sun | Mon | Wed | Thu | Sat | Sun | Tue | Wed |
| August | Sun | Mon | Wed | Thu | Sat | Sun | Tue | Wed | Fri | Sat |
| September | Wed | Thu | Sat | Sun | Tue | Wed | Fri | Sat | Mon | Tue |
| October | Fri | Sat | Mon | Tue | Thu | Fri | Sun | Mon | Wed | Thu |
| November | Mon | Tue | Thu | Fri | Sun | Mon | Wed | Thu | Sat | Sun |
| December | Wed | Thu | Sat | Sun | Tue | Wed | Fri | Sat | Mon | Tue |
Notable holiday overlaps in 2026: Monday, September 7, Labor Day, is the deposit date for the digit-6 group. Wednesday, November 11, Veterans Day, is the deposit date for the digit-1 group. In both cases, plan for the possibility that a live representative may not be reachable that day even if the deposit itself posts on time.
When Benefits Post Outside the Regular Schedule
Your very first FoodShare payment after approval often does not land on your assigned monthly date.
- Expedited FoodShare. Households in urgent need must receive benefits within 7 calendar days of applying, not on the regular monthly cycle.
- New approvals and prorated first months. Your first month's benefit is prorated from your application date, and it is issued once your case clears CARES (the state's eligibility system), which may not line up with your eighth-digit date.
- Applications after the 15th. If you apply after the 15th of the month and qualify for both the application month and the next month, both months can be issued together rather than split across two cycles.
- Corrections and supplements. If your benefit amount changes because of a reported change or a recalculation, the difference is issued separately from your regular monthly deposit.
After that first off-cycle payment, your case settles into the regular eighth-digit schedule.
It is also worth noting that the federal funding lapse in the fall of 2025 caused disruption to SNAP issuance nationwide, including in Wisconsin. That was a one-time event tied to a federal budget standoff. Regular staggered issuance resumed once funding was restored, and the eighth-digit schedule above is what governs 2026.
How to Check Your Wisconsin FoodShare Balance
- Online: log in to your ACCESS Wisconsin account at access.wisconsin.gov
- Mobile app: the MyACCESS Wisconsin app, available for iPhone and Android
- Phone: call QUEST Card Customer Service at 1-877-415-5164
- Receipt: your remaining balance prints at the bottom of every store receipt after a QUEST purchase
What to Do If Your Benefits Did Not Load
Step 1. Confirm the correct digit. Make sure you are counting the eighth digit of the head of household's actual Social Security number, not a case number, confirmation number, or another household member's SSN.
Step 2. Check after your assigned date has started. Wisconsin does not publish an exact posting time, so if you check very early in the morning on your date and see no change yet, wait and check again later the same day before assuming something is wrong.
Step 3. Rule out an off-cycle situation. New approvals, expedited issuance, and back-month benefits post when authorized, not necessarily on your regular date.
Step 4. Check whether your case is still open. A missed interview, an unreturned verification request, or a lapsed recertification stops issuance. Log in to ACCESS Wisconsin or check your mail for a notice from your agency.
Step 5. Call the right line. For card, balance, or PIN problems, call QUEST Card Customer Service at 1-877-415-5164. For case and eligibility questions, contact your county, tribal, or consortium economic support agency, or the FoodShare Member Services line.
Protecting Your QUEST Card in 2026
Federal authority for states to replace SNAP benefits stolen through card skimming, cloning, or phishing expired at the end of December 2024 and has not been renewed nationally. That means Wisconsin cannot automatically replace benefits lost to that kind of theft the way it once could, though DHS's Office of the Inspector General still reviews Replacement Request for Stolen FoodShare Benefits forms and each household may request replacement up to two times per federal fiscal year for benefits stolen through unauthorized transactions.
Since replacement is not guaranteed, prevention matters more than ever:
- Change your PIN regularly, especially right before your deposit date. Skimmers capture card data and PIN together, then drain the account the moment new funds land. Change your PIN through QUEST Card Customer Service at 1-877-415-5164.
- Avoid obvious PINs, like repeating digits or your birth year.
- Check your transaction history in the days right after your deposit through ACCESS Wisconsin or the MyACCESS app.
- Inspect card readers at checkout and at ATMs for anything loose, taped on, or added.
Wisconsin gives each cardholder one free replacement QUEST card per calendar year (January 1 through December 31). Additional replacement cards cost $2.70, deducted from your FoodShare benefits. Report a lost or stolen card immediately at 1-877-415-5164.
Wisconsin FoodShare Income Limits 2026
Wisconsin uses Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility, which raises the standard gross income test to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Most households that pass this test face no asset limit. The figures below apply for the federal fiscal year running October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
| Household Size | Wisconsin Gross Monthly Limit (200% FPL) | Federal Baseline (130% FPL) | Maximum Monthly Benefit |
|---|
| 1 | $2,610 | $1,696 | $298 |
| 2 | $3,525 | $2,292 | $546 |
| 3 | $4,442 | $2,888 | $785 |
| 4 | $5,360 | $3,483 | $994 |
| 5 | $6,275 | $4,079 | $1,183 |
| 6 | $7,192 | $4,675 | $1,421 |
| 7 | $8,109 | $5,271 | $1,571 |
| 8 | $9,025 | $5,867 | $1,789 |
| Each additional person | +$917 | +$596 | +$218 |
Passing the gross income test does not guarantee the maximum benefit. Your actual FoodShare amount is calculated from net income after deductions, including the standard deduction, 20 percent of earned income, dependent care costs, excess shelter expenses, and out-of-pocket medical costs above $35 a month for members age 60 or older or living with a disability. Households near the top of the income range typically receive a smaller benefit than a household with little or no income.
Households where every member is age 60 or older or has a disability, and whose income exceeds 200 percent FPL, are held to a separate net income test and a $4,500 asset limit. Elderly or disabled households under 200 percent FPL generally face no asset limit at all, same as everyone else.
Work Requirements Changed for 2026
Federal legislation signed in July 2025, sometimes called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, expanded who must meet Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) work rules, and Wisconsin implemented those changes during 2026:
- The ABAWD age range widened from 18 through 54 to 18 through 64
- The exemption for parents and caregivers now applies only to those with a child under 14 in the home, down from under 18
- Veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and young adults who recently aged out of foster care, previously exempt, are now subject to the work requirement
- Affected adults must complete 80 hours a month of work, job training, or volunteering, or the equivalent hours calculated by dividing their monthly FoodShare benefit by the state minimum wage, to keep benefits beyond 3 months in a 36-month period
- The current 36-month tracking period runs from January 2025 through December 2027
State advocates estimated tens of thousands of Wisconsin FoodShare recipients could be affected by the expanded age range and narrowed exemptions. If you receive a work requirement notice, respond by the deadline listed, and check with your county or tribal agency about which exemptions or approved activities apply to your situation.
How to Apply for FoodShare in Wisconsin
Apply online at ACCESS Wisconsin. The online application covers FoodShare along with Wisconsin Medicaid, BadgerCare Plus, and other programs in a single submission. You can also apply through the MyACCESS Wisconsin mobile app, available for iPhone and Android.
Other options: apply by phone through the WKRP Call Center at 1-888-794-5820 (Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. to noon), by fax at 1-855-293-1822, in person at your county, tribal, or consortium economic support agency, or with help from Feeding Wisconsin's FoodShare helpline at 1-877-366-3635.
What Happens Next
- Your local or regional eligibility worker reviews the application in the state's CARES system
- You complete an interview, by phone or in person, scheduled by your agency
- You submit missing verification, such as pay stubs, rent receipts, or ID
- You receive a written approval or denial notice by mail or through ACCESS Wisconsin
Standard applications must be processed within 30 days. Households that qualify for expedited service, generally those with gross monthly income under $150 and liquid assets under $100, or whose income and resources combined are less than housing costs, receive benefits within 7 calendar days.
Once approved, your QUEST card arrives by mail. Activate it and set your PIN by calling QUEST Card Customer Service at 1-877-415-5164 or through ACCESS Wisconsin.
Wisconsin households approved for FoodShare frequently qualify for other assistance too, including BadgerCare Plus health coverage, WIC, home energy assistance, and child care subsidies. See the Wisconsin benefits overview for the full list, or compare payment timing across other states in our national SNAP EBT deposit schedule guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What day does EBT deposit in Wisconsin in 2026?
Between the 2nd and the 15th of each month, based on the eighth digit of the head of household's Social Security number. Digit 0 pays on the 2nd, digit 1 on the 3rd, digit 2 on the 5th, digit 3 on the 6th, digit 4 on the 8th, digit 5 on the 9th, digit 6 on the 11th, digit 7 on the 12th, digit 8 on the 14th, and digit 9 on the 15th.
How do I find the eighth digit of my Social Security number?
Count the digits of the SSN from left to right, including the dashes as separators. In a number written XXX-XX-XXXX, the eighth digit is the second-to-last digit, just before the final digit of the number.
Does Wisconsin move the deposit if it falls on a weekend or holiday?
Wisconsin's published FoodShare issuance schedule is fixed by calendar date and does not include an early-release rule for weekends or holidays. If your assigned date falls on a Saturday or Sunday, your deposit is still expected that day. County and tribal offices are closed on weekends and holidays, which can affect how quickly you can reach a caseworker if a problem comes up.
Does my FoodShare deposit date change if I move counties?
No. Eligibility work, such as interviews and verification, is handled locally by your county, tribal, or consortium agency, but the deposit date itself is set statewide by the eighth digit of the head of household's Social Security number. Moving to a different Wisconsin county does not change your date.
Can I change my Wisconsin FoodShare deposit date?
No. The date is tied to the eighth digit of the head of household's SSN and cannot be requested or moved. It only changes if the head of household on the case changes.
What is the income limit for FoodShare in Wisconsin in 2026?
Wisconsin sets the gross income limit at 200 percent of the federal poverty level, which is about $2,610 a month for one person and $5,360 for a household of four for the period running October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Most qualifying households face no asset limit.
How much FoodShare can a family of 4 get in Wisconsin?
The maximum is $994 a month for the federal fiscal year ending September 30, 2026. Actual amounts depend on net income after deductions, so households with earnings typically receive less than the maximum.
Will Wisconsin replace my stolen QUEST card benefits?
Not automatically. Federal authority to reimburse SNAP benefits stolen through skimming expired at the end of December 2024. DHS's Office of the Inspector General still reviews replacement requests, and each household may request replacement up to two times per federal fiscal year, but approval is not guaranteed. Change your PIN regularly and monitor your transactions.
How long does a replacement QUEST card take, and what does it cost?
Wisconsin gives one free replacement card per calendar year. Additional replacements cost $2.70, deducted from your FoodShare benefits. Report a lost or stolen card right away by calling QUEST Card Customer Service at 1-877-415-5164.
Why did my first Wisconsin FoodShare deposit come on an unusual day?
New approvals, expedited benefits, and prorated first-month payments are issued when authorized rather than held for your assigned eighth-digit date. After that first payment, your case moves onto the regular monthly schedule.
