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Where SNAP benefits stand amid government shutdown negotiations

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9 months ago

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A volunteer displays information on the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) at a grocery store in Dorchester, Massachusetts, US, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.

Mel Musto | Bloomberg | Getty Images

As the longest federal shutdown nears an end, millions of Americans may also see an end to the conflict that has put their food benefits for November on the line.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, helps low-income individuals and families with monthly benefits toward food purchases.

The federal government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1, led to delays or interruptions in November SNAP benefits. A deal to end the shutdown is working its way through Congress that would include SNAP funding. The bill was passed by the Senate on Monday night and is now waiting for a House vote on Wednesday evening.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended a pause of a federal judge’s order that the Trump administration pay full SNAP benefits for November. The delay is slated to last until late Thursday. In the meantime, Congress may reach an agreement to end the shutdown and reinstate full SNAP benefits.

While the federal government is mandated to pay full benefits, the Trump administration said the funding to pay 100% was not available and has supported paying 65% of SNAP benefits during the shutdown through the use of contingency funds. Originally, the administration had said it would pay 50% of benefits.

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The guidance has been changing daily and, in some cases, even hourly, according to Poonam Gupta, a research associate at the Urban Institute, a Washington, D.C., think tank.

“From the beneficiary perspective, it’s wildly confusing,” Gupta said, and comes at a challenging time — the holiday season tends to drive food spending up.

“The last 10 or 11 days have really highlighted how important SNAP is to the 42 million people across the country who participate in it and how critical it is to combating hunger and helping families put food on the table,” Crystal FitzSimons, president of the Food Research & Action Center, a non-profit focused on fighting poverty-related hunger, said Tuesday.

Experts say the interference with SNAP benefits during a government shutdown is unprecedented. Excluding the current pause, there have been 14 shutdowns since 1980, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Yet this shutdown, which now holds the record for the longest, is the first time SNAP benefits have been affected, according to experts.

In previous shutdowns, “administrations of both parties have been energetic and creative in avoiding an interruption in benefits,” said David Super, professor of law at Georgetown University.

The first Trump administration “really bent over backwards” to make sure there wouldn’t be a SNAP interruption during the 35-day shutdown spanning late 2018 to early 2019, Super said. That is now the second-longest shutdown on record.

When to expect November SNAP benefits

As Congress moves towards finalizing a deal, that should also end the conflict around SNAP November payments, according to FitzSimons.

“We do expect everybody to receive full benefits soon,” FitzSimons said. “It’s just going to take some states more time than others.”

42 million Americans set to be impacted as SNAP benefits expire

While some states have either moved forward with full benefits for November or announced their intention to pay 100% of benefits, other states have followed plans to pay 65% of the payments in accordance with the administration, FitzSimons said.

To help beneficiaries find out what is happening with benefits, the Food Research & Action Center has launched a shutdown tracker that follows changes in each state.

New ‘big beautiful’ law changes to cut benefits

President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful” legislation, passed earlier this year, includes big changes to SNAP that are due to start phasing in.

Adults up to age 65 will have a three-month time limit on their benefits every three years unless they can demonstrate that they have met certain work requirements, with a minimum of 80 hours per month. Those requirements will now apply to veterans, homeless individuals and former foster youth.

The new law also restricts SNAP eligibility for individuals who are not American citizens.

The “big beautiful” law will also shift more responsibility for both the administration of SNAP and the funding of the benefits onto states. SNAP administrative costs will move from a 50-50 share between federal and state to 25% federal and 75% state. Full federal funding of benefits is also due to stop, with states’ share depending on their error rates, or the accuracy of their eligibility and benefit determinations.

“There’s millions of people who are going to lose benefits and people who will lose some of their benefits,” FitzSimons said.

Research from the Urban Institute estimates 22.3 million families may lose some or all of their SNAP benefits as a result of the legislative changes.

Of those families, 5.3 million would lose at least $25 per month in SNAP benefits, according to the report. On average, those families would lose $146 in SNAP funding per month.

The “big beautiful” changes to SNAP that were enacted in July, followed by the limitations on the program during the government shutdown have turned the program into a “political tool,” Gupta said.

“At the end of the day, it’s just meant to be a program to help people afford food for their families,” Gupta said.

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$20,000 Caution Bond Requirement for US Visa Applications imposed on 50 Countries

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6 days ago

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August 8, 2026

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The United States Department of State has officially implemented a revised visa policy introducing a mandatory posting requirement for caution payments of up to $20,000 on select foreign travel applications. Under the updated regulatory framework, consular officials are authorized to require temporary nonimmigrant visa applicants from targeted foreign countries to post a refundable financial bond of $20,000 as a condition for visa issuance. The policy mechanism is designed to address diplomatic concerns regarding high overstay rates among temporary visitor, business, and educational visa categories.

The caution bond pilot program applies selectively to foreign nationals from designated countries whose diplomatic entities record historical visa overstay rates exceeding established federal thresholds. Under administrative guidelines published by the State Department, the full financial deposit is posted directly to a dedicated federal escrow account prior to final visa issuance. The entire caution payment is automatically refunded to the applicant upon verified proof of timely departure from the United States in strict compliance with the authorized duration of stay. Conversely, failure to depart within the legal timeframe results in full forfeiture of the posted financial bond to the United States government.

Diplomatic representatives and travel policy experts have expressed varying perspectives regarding the operational implementation of the caution bond system. Administration officials emphasize that the measure serves as an effective, market-based incentive to enforce international travel compliance and preserve domestic immigration security standards. However, international trade organizations and foreign diplomatic missions have raised concerns regarding the financial burden imposed on legitimate business travelers, foreign students, and commercial partners from developing nations.

The United States finalized the rule to make the temporary visa bond program permanent, taking effect on August 3, 2026. The updated permanent regulation replaces the prior 12-month pilot, eliminates the lowest $5,000 tier, and raises the maximum required bond amount to $20,000 for specific B-1/B-2 business and tourist visa applicants.

Here is the list of the 50 countries on the list as o August 3, 2026

African Nations (31 Countries)

  • Algeria
  • Angola
  • Benin
  • Botswana
  • Burundi
  • Cabo Verde (Cape Verde)
  • Central African Republic
  • Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
  • Djibouti
  • Ethiopia
  • Gabon
  • The Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Lesotho
  • Malawi
  • Mauritania
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Nigeria
  • São Tomé and Príncipe
  • Senegal
  • Seychelles
  • Tanzania
  • Togo
  • Tunisia
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Asian & Eastern European Nations (11 Countries)

  • Bangladesh
  • Bhutan
  • Cambodia
  • Georgia
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Mongolia
  • Nepal
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Uzbekistan

Caribbean & Latin American Nations (5 Countries)

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Cuba
  • Dominica
  • Grenada
  • Venezuela

Oceanian Nations (3 Countries)

  • Fiji
  • Tonga
  • Vanuatu

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Next-Generation Retirement Planning: Managing Longevity Risk and Variable Income Streams

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1 week ago

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August 7, 2026

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Retirement planning strategies are evolving in 2026 to address increased life expectancies, shifting dynamic market conditions, and the transition away from traditional defined-benefit pensions. Individual investors and financial advisors are abandoning rigid retirement models in favor of flexible, multi-asset strategies designed to mitigate longevity risk and preserve purchasing power over multi-decade retirement horizons.

Mitigating Longevity Risk with Dynamic Asset Allocation
As average life expectancies extend past eighty-five years, one of the primary financial risks facing retirees is outliving their accumulated wealth. Traditional fixed income allocations—such as the standard 60/40 equity-to-bond portfolio—are being reevaluated to ensure portfolios generate sufficient capital growth alongside reliable income.

Financial planners recommend maintaining a meaningful equity allocation throughout retirement to offset long-term inflation erosion. High-dividend equity funds, global real estate investment trusts (REITs), and inflation-indexed Treasuries are combined to create diversified portfolios that deliver both growth and income stability.

The Transition to Dynamic Withdrawal Strategies
The classic “4% safe withdrawal rule” is increasingly replaced by dynamic withdrawal strategies that adapt annually based on market performance. Under a dynamic withdrawal framework, retirees adjust their annual distribution rates within pre-set caps and floors:
– Market Upside: During strong market returns, retirees can increase discretionary spending or fund family legacy gifts.
– Market Downturns: During market pullbacks, spending distributions are temporarily reduced to prevent sequence-of-returns risk and preserve core investment principal.

Guaranteed Lifetime Income Options and Deferred Annuities
To establish a guaranteed baseline for essential living expenses, individuals are incorporating modern fixed-indexed and deferred longevity annuities into their broader retirement architectures. Modern annuity structures offer competitive return caps, transparent fee schedules, and inflation-adjustment options.

By funding essential expenses—such as housing, healthcare, and insurance—with guaranteed income streams from Social Security, pensions, and annuities, retirees can manage discretionary investment portfolios with greater flexibility and lower emotional stress during market volatility.

Actionable Steps for Future Retirees
1. Calculate Baseline Retirement Expenses: Determine fixed living costs and map guaranteed income sources to cover essential expenditures.
2. Adopt Flexible Withdrawal Rules: Implement dynamic spending rules to protect investment principal against market downturns.
3. Incorporate Inflation-Protected Assets: Maintain exposure to dividend-growing equities and inflation-indexed bonds to safeguard long-term purchasing power.

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Building Generational Wealth: Family Governance, Estate Tax Optimization, and Asset Protection

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2 weeks ago

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August 1, 2026

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As the largest intergenerational transfer of wealth in history accelerates, high-net-worth families, entrepreneurs, and individual investors are placing heightened emphasis on comprehensive estate planning, family governance, and asset protection. Preserving capital across generations requires a balanced approach combining tax-efficient legal structures with open family communication and financial literacy education.

Optimizing Estate Tax Exemptions and Trust Structures
With potential modifications to federal estate tax exemption thresholds on the horizon, proactive estate planning is essential for high-net-worth households. Estate planning attorneys and wealth advisors are establishing multi-generational trust structures to transfer wealth efficiently while minimizing estate and gift tax exposure.

Popular structural strategies include:
– Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs): Utilizing life insurance proceeds to provide liquidity for estate tax obligations without expanding the taxable estate.
– Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs): Transferring rapidly appreciating assets to beneficiaries with minimal gift tax consequences.
– Dynasty Trusts: Preserving wealth across multiple generations while providing long-term asset protection from creditor claims and legal liabilities.

Establishing Family Governance and Financial Education
Legal and financial structures alone cannot guarantee long-term wealth preservation without effective family governance. Financial advisors report that a significant percentage of multi-generational wealth dissipation stems from lack of communication and inadequate financial preparation among heir generations.

Families are establishing formal family governance frameworks, including periodic family meetings, written mission statements, and structured philanthropic foundations. Involving younger family members in charitable grant-making and investment discussions fosters financial stewardship and prepares heirs to manage family assets responsibly.

Digital Asset Custody and Legacy Planning
In today’s modern economy, estate planning must extend beyond physical real estate and traditional brokerage accounts to encompass digital assets. Comprehensive estate plans now include detailed inventories and legal access protocols for corporate domain names, intellectual property, digital media rights, and cryptocurrency holdings.

Fiduciaries and estate executors should be provided with secure, encrypted access mechanisms and clear legal authority to manage and transfer digital holdings in accordance with the owner’s estate directions.

Practical Steps for Legacy Planning
1. Review and Update Estate Documents: Ensure wills, revocable trusts, and power-of-attorney designations accurately reflect current family structures.
2. Establish Structured Trusts: Utilize irrevocable trusts to protect assets from creditors and minimize future estate tax liabilities.
3. Create a Digital Estate Inventory: Document access protocols and legal permissions for all online accounts, intellectual property, and digital assets.

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