October brings changes to two of the most important benefit programs for millions of Latino families. As of October 1, new SNAP changes have taken effect: maximum food assistance benefits have seen a slight increase because of inflation. Meanwhile, Social Security is just days away from receiving the inflation data that will determine how much benefits will increase in 2027.

Why it matters: if you receive SNAP, Social Security, or SSI, these changes will affect how much money you have available for food and other expenses in the coming months.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) adjusts SNAP amounts annually based on food costs. The new amounts are in effect from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027. These are the maximum monthly amounts in the 48 contiguous states and D.C.:

The minimum SNAP benefits increase for households of one or two people increases from $24 to $25. In Alaska, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the amounts also increase. In Hawaii, they decrease: the maximum for four people drops from $1,689 to $1,655.

Important note: these are maximum amounts. What each household receives depends on its income and expenses. Other annual limits include a standard deduction of $217 for households of one to three people and an asset limit of $3,000, or $4,750 if the household includes someone age 60 or older or a person with a disability.

The tax and spending law signed in July 2025, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill, changed several SNAP rules that are being implemented gradually:

What to do: if you need to recertify, respond promptly to notices from your state SNAP office and have documentation of your income, work activity, and immigration status ready.

The annual Social Security increase, known as the COLA, or cost-of-living adjustment, is calculated using inflation from July through September, measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics' CPI-W index.

Social Security compares the average CPI-W from July through September this year with the same period in 2025, when the average was 317.265. With official July data at 327.104 and August at 328.481, the average of those two months is 3.3% higher than that base. In August alone, the index was 3.5% higher than in August 2025.

If September continues that trend, the increase would be higher than this year's 2.8% COLA and the 2.7% estimate in the Social Security trustees' intermediate projection. The official figure, however, will not be known until Social Security publishes it.

Important note: the Medicare Part B premium is deducted from many Social Security payments, so the actual net increase will also depend on the 2027 premium.

Sources: USDA, SNAP maximum amounts and deductions for fiscal year 2027; USDA, implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill law in SNAP; Federal Register, proposed rule on SNAP administrative costs (June 24, 2026); Social Security, CPI-W data and COLA estimates; Social Security, COLA summary; BLS, consumer price index publication schedule. Data consulted on October 6, 2026.