The short answer
Once you receive benefits, you must tell each program about certain changes, such as a new job, a raise, a move, someone joining or leaving the household, or money coming in. Reporting on time keeps payments correct and avoids overpayments you would later have to repay. The deadlines differ by program. SSI recipients should report most changes by the 10th day of the month after they happen, and wages by the 6th. SNAP rules depend on the state: under simplified reporting, many households report between renewals only if gross monthly income rises above 130 percent of the poverty line, while under change reporting most changes must be reported within 10 days. Medicaid, Marketplace coverage, unemployment and housing assistance each set their own rules. Reporting to one agency does not report to any other, so tell every program that pays you, and keep proof of when and how you reported.
Why this matters
Most benefit amounts depend on income and household size, so when those change, the right amount changes too. A change that is not reported can lead to an overpayment, a demand to repay months of benefits, or in serious cases a penalty or a fraud finding. A change that would raise your benefit, such as a drop in income, is worth reporting quickly for the opposite reason. This guide sets out what to report, the deadlines for the main programs, and what to do if an overpayment notice arrives.
Which changes usually have to be reported?
- A new job, a change in pay or hours, or a job that ends.
- Other income starting or stopping, such as unemployment, child support, Social Security or a pension.
- Someone moving in or out, a birth, a marriage, a divorce or a death.
- A change of address, including a move within the same area.
- Savings or other resources going above a program's limit, such as an inheritance or a large tax refund kept for months.
- For SSI and Social Security, leaving the United States for 30 days or more, or entering a hospital, nursing home or jail.
What counts differs by program, so a change one office needs may not matter to another. Your approval or renewal notice lists what your program wants to hear about; keep it where you can find it.
SSI and Social Security
Social Security asks SSI recipients to report changes by the 10th day of the month after they happen, so a September change is due by October 10, and to report wages by the 6th day of the following month. You can report by phone at 1-800-772-1213, at a local office, or for wages through Social Security's mobile app, online wage reporting or phone wage reporting. Late or missing reports can lead to an overpayment and to a penalty deducted from benefits.
People receiving Social Security retirement, disability or survivor benefits must also report certain changes, including work while under full retirement age or on disability, a move, marriage or divorce for some benefits, and leaving the country. Our guides to SSI and working while on SSDI explain how those changes affect payments.
SNAP
Each state chooses how its SNAP households report. Under simplified reporting, used for most households, you report at certification and at a periodic check-in or renewal, plus one main exception: if your household's gross monthly income rises above 130 percent of the poverty line for its size, you must report it, usually within about 10 days after the end of that month. Some states use the 10th of the following month. Adults subject to SNAP's time limit must also report when their work hours fall below 20 a week, averaged monthly.
Example (hypothetical): when a raise must be reported
A family of four on simplified reporting earns $3,200 a month. In fiscal year 2026 its reporting threshold is $3,483. When a raise lifts its income to $3,600 in March, it must report the change by the deadline in April. A raise to $3,400 would not need to be reported until the next check-in.
Households under change reporting must report listed changes within 10 days of learning about them. Your certification notice says which rule applies. Reporting a drop in income is always allowed and can raise your benefit; see our SNAP guide.
Medicaid, Marketplace coverage and other programs
Medicaid agencies set their own deadlines for reporting changes in income, household and address, and many check data on their own and send renewal forms. Respond to every request by the date on it, since a missed response is one of the most common reasons coverage ends. For Marketplace coverage, report income and household changes within 30 days so your premium tax credit is adjusted.
Unemployment insurance requires you to report any earnings in each weekly certification. Housing assistance and TANF have their own rules, often with short deadlines, written into the lease or notices. When a program gives a deadline in writing, that is the rule for your case.
Changes worth reporting because they can raise your benefit
Reporting is not only about avoiding overpayments. Several changes can increase what you receive, and most programs adjust only from the month you report them:
- A drop in income, such as lost hours or a job that ends.
- A new baby or another person joining the household who has little income.
- Higher rent or utility costs, which can raise SNAP's shelter deduction.
- New child care costs, or for an older or disabled SNAP member, new medical costs.
- A move into a home where you pay your own utilities.
If you are overpaid
If an agency decides you were paid too much, it sends a notice explaining the amount and why. Read it carefully. You can usually:
- Ask for reconsideration or a hearing if you think the amount or the decision is wrong; see our guide to appealing a benefit decision.
- Ask for a waiver if the overpayment was not your fault and repaying would cause hardship or be unfair; for Social Security programs this is done with Form SSA-632.
- Agree to a repayment plan, often through a small deduction from future benefits, if you owe it and cannot pay at once.
Ask for a waiver or appeal quickly. Acting within the time stated on the notice can stop or limit collection while the request is decided.
How to report, and prove that you did
Use the method each agency offers, whether an online account, a phone line, a form or a visit. Note the date, the name of the person you spoke to and what you said, and keep any confirmation number, receipt or copy. If you report by mail, keep a copy and, if you can, send it with tracking. For online reports, save the confirmation page or a screenshot.
Do not assume agencies share information. Telling Social Security about a move does not update your SNAP case, and reporting a raise to the SNAP office does not update Medicaid. Report to each program that pays you. If you are moving out of state, see our guide to moving to another state with benefits.
Common mistakes
- Assuming one agency passes information to the others.
- Reporting a raise by phone without noting the date and the worker's name.
- Ignoring an overpayment notice instead of asking for a waiver or appeal on time.
- Not reporting a drop in income that would have raised the benefit.
Common questions
When do I have to report a change to SSI?
By the 10th day of the month after the change. Wages are due by the 6th day of the following month.
Do I have to report a small change in SNAP income?
It depends on your state. Under simplified reporting, a household usually reports between renewals only when gross monthly income rises above 130 percent of the poverty line; other states require most changes within 10 days.
What happens if I report late?
You may be paid too much and have to repay it, and SSI can apply a penalty that reduces benefits. Reporting as soon as you know about a change is the safest course.
Can I get an overpayment forgiven?
Sometimes. If it was not your fault and repaying would cause hardship or be unfair, you can ask for a waiver. Social Security programs use Form SSA-632.
What this does not tell you
Deadlines and the list of reportable changes are set by each program and, for SNAP and Medicaid, by each state. Your own notices control over this general summary.
This site does not receive reports, and nothing entered in our calculators is sent to any agency.
Official sources
What you can do next
Find the latest notice from each program that pays you, note its reporting deadline, and report any recent change today. If your income has dropped, estimate your SNAP benefit to see whether reporting could raise it.
