The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will finalize payments to qualified New Mexico residents for January in nine days.

Food stamps are distributed to low-income New Mexico families and individuals starting on the first of every month and ending on the 20th. The exact day SNAP benefits are sent out is based on the last two digits of a recipient’s Social Security number.

Recipients with Social Security numbers ending in 16, 36, 56, 76, or 96 should collect their SNAP benefits on Thursday. Recipients with numbers ending in 06, 26, 46, 66, or 86 will collect their benefits on Friday. Households with Social Security numbers ending in 00, 20, 40, 60, or 80 will collect their benefits on the 20th of the month.

The maximum payment that a household of one can receive is $291, the maximum payment for a household of five is $1,155, and $1,751 is the maximum payment for a household of eight. For each household member after eight, $219 is added.

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SNAP benefits are loaded onto an electronic benefits transfer card every month, and recipients can use the card at grocery stores to purchase eligible food products such as fruits, vegetables, bread, meat and poultry, and drinks. Recipients are barred from using SNAP benefits for products such as pet food, alcohol, and household items such as paper and soap.

New Mexicans interested in applying for SNAP can do so through New Mexico’s self-service eligibility portal called YesNM. This application is used for public assistance benefits such as SNAP, Medicaid, and the Low-Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program. Households can track their applications through the portal or by calling the response line at 1-800-283-4465.