Texas EBT Card Balance: Everything to Know about Lone Star Card

Many Texans struggle to make ends meet every month. There’s still nothing left after paying for rent, utilities, transportation, and child care to buy healthy food.

Texas EBT Card Balance

But that shouldn’t be the way it is. Every month, hundreds of thousands of families across the state turn to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC).

For help in feeding their families through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ( SNAP).

The Texas Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) network uses the Lone Star Card to provide access to food benefits and cash benefits of the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program ( SNAP)

And Temporary Assistance for Vulnerable Families (TANF).

The Lone Star Card is used along the same lines as every other debit card. Swipe your Lone Star Card through the store’s machine and insert your Personal Identification Number ( PIN)

To pay for accepted SNAP or TANF products.

The purchase amount is deducted from your Lone Star Card account.

If you apply and are eligible for TANF or SNAP benefits, you will receive a Lone Star Card from the benefits office or by mail from your local Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC).

So, if you have a Texas EBT card and you need to check your account balance, we’ve listed everything you need to know about your Texas EBT card and how to test your balance in this article.

What’s the Lone Star Card?

  • The Lone Star Card is Texas’s EBT card.
  • EBT = electronic benefits transfer.
  • EBT card = a card that looks and works like a debit or credit card but is loaded with food stamps and/or cash benefits. You can use it at stores that accept EBT.
  • Lone Star Card = HHSC gives Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash help payments through the Lone Star Card. It’s a plastic card that’s used like a debit card to pay for items.
  • You’ll get the Lone Star Card once you’re approved for benefits.
  • Texas’s EBT customer service number is 1-800-777-7328.

About Lone Star Card  

SNAP is a federally sponsored initiative that allows families with low incomes to purchase healthy food from local grocery stores.

SNAP assistance is available for eligible households, the disabled, and single adults. Applicants must reside in Texas and have to apply to the county they reside in.

Eligibility

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) establishes all eligibility and certification policies. Your eligibility for benefits will depend on your situation on the following criteria:

  1. Residence
  2. Citizenship
  3. Employment Services
  4. Work Requirement (for individuals aged 18-50)
  5. Resources
  6. Income
  7. Social Security Numbers

Although Benefits.gov has the ability to pre-screen your eligibility at a high level, you must work with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) office in your local county to confirm your eligibility.

You will need to apply for benefits to do this, and participate in an interview in person / by phone.

Program Requirements

Program Requirements

To qualify for this benefit program, you must be a Texas resident and fall into one of two groups:

(1) those with a current bank balance (savings and checks combined) below $2,001, or

(2) those with a current bank balance (savings and checks combined) below $3,001 who share their household with a person or persons 60 years of age or over.

Or with a person with a disability (a person with a disability)

To qualify, you must have an annual household income that is less than or equal to the following amounts (before taxes):

Annual Household Income Limits (before taxes)
Household Size*Maximum Income Level (Per Year)
1$16,237
2$21,983
3$27,729
4$33,475
5$39,221
6$44,967
7$50,713
8$56,459

*For households with more than eight people, add $5,746 per additional person. Always check with the appropriate managing agency to ensure the most accurate guidelines.

Texas EBT Payment Schedule

The Texas EBT Card holds the food assistance benefits assigned to you each month. Your benefits will be deposited onto your EBT card according to the schedule below:

If the Last digit of your EDG Number isBenefits are deposited on the
01st of the month
13rd of the month
25th of the month
36th of the month
47th of the month
59th of the month
611th of the month
712th of the month
813th of the month
915th of the month

Once your benefits are deposited into your account, you can begin using them with your Texas EBT card to purchase eligible food items.

Stores that Take EBT Online for Delivery

As you may be aware, a pilot program (Online Purchasing Pilot) has been launched by the United States Department of Agriculture.

To allow select grocery stores to start accepting online EBT cards for grocery shopping, including delivery to your doorway.

The grocery stores listed below have been approved for the pilot which will give EBT cardholders the opportunity to buy food for delivery online.

  • Amazon
  • Dash’s Market
  • FreshDirect
  • Hart’s Local Grocers
  • Hy-Vee, Inc.
  • Safeway
  • ShopRite
  • Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
  • Wright’s Markets, Inc

What Can I Buy with EBT?

Program Requirements

Food stamps may be used to purchase foods, snacks, and seeds or plants that grow food. You can not use food stamps to purchase alcohol.

Tobacco products, supplements, live animals, frozen foods, or other household things that are not foods.

WIC food packages (Women, Girls & Girls) usually contain rice, coffee, eggs, milk, peanut butter, dried and canned beans, tofu, fruits and vegetables, and whole wheat bread.

WIC packages include canned fish and cheese for breastfeeding moms, as well as baby food. For a full list of foodstuffs approved see the  Food Stamps Eligible Food List here.

Tips for Using your Card

  • Take your card to each WIC appointment so staff can reload your food benefits. Use your Texas WIC card at most grocery stores.
  • Ask your WIC staff which stores accept the Texas WIC card.
  • Use all of your benefits before the end of the month. Any food benefits left on your WIC card don’t roll over to the next month.
  • If your Texas WIC card doesn’t work, call your local WIC staff or take it to the clinic.
  • If your card is lost or stolen, call and report it to 800-942-3678 so we can protect your benefits by canceling your card. It can take up to six business days to replace your card at the WIC clinic.

How to Check your Texas EBT Card Balance

There are three options for checking your Lone Star Card balance. Here they are:

Option 1 – Last Purchase Receipt 

If you maintained the last receipt for payment, you will look at the bottom of your receipt and find the latest balance on your EBT account.

That is one of the best ways to get your card’s most up-to-date balance. In addition, you can also get used to having your EBT purchase receipts in the same location to make potential transactions easier.

That way, you can reference your last payment receipt if you’re confused about your card balance.

Option 2 – Call Customer Service 

You also have the right to call customer service line Texas EBT Card and get your card balance. Telephone number is 1-800-777-7328.

Option 3 – Check Your Balance at the Store

You can even test your balance at a store before buying anything if you’re approved to do so by the shop.

To do so, show your card to the cashier and ask if they are in a position to test your card’s balance before making a purchase.

Disagreeing with the Balance

If you think the balance is incorrect, you’ll need to contact the HHSC to provide the department with as much detail as possible to check it.

HHSC will send a letter to your home reminding you of the results after the analysis ends. You should always keep the most recent receipt with your Lone Star Card to avoid any disputing balances.

Conclusion

Through your online account at YourTexasBenefits.com, you can view recent card activity and check the balance of your Lone Star Card. When visiting YourTexasBenefits.com, click “Log In” and then “Create a new account” if you don’t already have one.

We hope this article has been helpful to you! Please let us know in the comments section below if you have any additional questions about the Texas EBT card or need help finding your EBT balance.

If this article has been considered helpful, please share it with us using the “Share this” icon.

Frequently Asked Questions

The ConnectEBT app is the fast and easy way to monitor your EBT Card’s available balance, deposits, and transaction activity. ConnectEBT.com is always available 24-hours a day. The ConnectEBT App is available for download in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

You can check your Lone Star Card balance and view recent card activity through your online account at YourTexasBenefits.com . If you do not have an account, you can set one up by going to YourTexasBenefits.com , clicking “Log In” and then “Create a new account.”

Governor Abbott, HHSC Announce Extension Of Emergency SNAP Benefits For December 2022. Governor Greg Abbott today announced the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is providing more than $341.4 million in emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits for the month of December.

If you have a Your Texas Benefits account, you can also check the status of your case online: Log in to your account. Click Manage.

SNAP recipients will also receive another payment in December which includes the 12.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) approved for fiscal year 2023. The COLA for 2023 began on Oct. 1, 2022 and will run through Sept. 30, 2023, which will help SNAP recipients offset rising food costs.

Governor Abbott, HHSC Announce Extension Of Emergency SNAP Benefits For August 2022. Governor Greg Abbott today announced the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is providing more than $305.5 million in emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits for the month of August.

AUSTIN, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — Officials with the office of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Friday that the food benefits for the emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, have been extended through December.

Governor Abbott, HHSC Announce Extension Of Emergency SNAP Benefits For April 2022. Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is providing more than $318 million in emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits for the month of April 2022.

This additional emergency allotment should appear in recipients’ accounts by Nov. 30. The emergency November allotments are in addition to the more than $8.7 billion in benefits previously provided to Texans since April 2020.

In coordination with the Texas Department of Agriculture and the Texas Education Agency, HHSC received federal approval to operate the P-EBT program for Summer 2022 to provide eligible Texas families with P-EBT payments.

Your benefit card will not work without your PIN. If you forget your PIN or want to change your PIN at any time, call 1-888-328-6399. You will be asked to provide certain information for security purposes. You may also change your PIN at most Social Services Offices, Job Centers and SNAP Centers.

If you submitted an online application, you can Check Your Status online. If you mailed your application or supporting documentation contact the SNAP Retailer Service Center at 1-877-823-4369 to find out the status of your application.

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