# benefitstransfer.com

> The plain-language guide to what happens to your Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, unemployment, and TANF benefits when you move to another state — verified against official state agencies.

Independent guide — not affiliated with any government agency. Every fact page cites the
official state or federal source it was verified against and shows a per-state
last-verified date. Corrections: hello@billyreiner.com.

## Programs (each hub links all 51 state pages and all 2,550 state-to-state guides)

- [Medicaid](https://benefitstransfer.com/medicaid/): does NOT transfer between states — close the old case, reapply in the new state.
- [SNAP](https://benefitstransfer.com/snap/): does NOT transfer between states — close the old case, reapply in the new state.
- [WIC](https://benefitstransfer.com/wic/): certification TRANSFERS via the federally mandated VOC card (7 CFR 246.7).
- [Unemployment](https://benefitstransfer.com/unemployment/): the claim STAYS with the liable state (where wages were earned) and keeps paying after a move.
- [TANF](https://benefitstransfer.com/tanf/): does NOT transfer between states — close the old case, reapply in the new state.

## URL patterns

- Pair guide: https://benefitstransfer.com/{program}/{from-state}-to-{to-state}/ (e.g. https://benefitstransfer.com/medicaid/california-to-texas/)
- State page: https://benefitstransfer.com/{program}/{state}/
- Interactive tool: https://benefitstransfer.com/tools/relocation-checklist/

## Key facts

- Non-expansion Medicaid states (adults need a category; as of 2026-08-08): Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, Wyoming. Moving from an expansion state to one of these can end an adult's Medicaid eligibility entirely.
- Medicaid has NO residency waiting period in any state; retroactive coverage can reach up to 3 months before the application in most states.
- SNAP: no household may receive benefits from two states in the same month; EBT balances remain spendable nationwide after a move.
- SNAP states at the standard 130% FPL gross limit (no BBCE raise; as of 2026-08-08): Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Wyoming. All other states allow up to 200% FPL under BBCE.
- WIC: income limit is 185% FPL in every state; the VOC (Verification of Certification) card must be accepted by every state agency, carrying the certification across the move without a new income screening.
- Unemployment: moving states never transfers or cancels a claim — the liable state keeps paying at its own rate. Wages in multiple states can be merged via a Combined Wage Claim (20 CFR 616).
- TANF: the federal 60-month lifetime limit follows the person across states; months used anywhere count everywhere. Benefit amounts differ sharply by state.

## Glossary

- [Verification of Certification (VOC)](https://benefitstransfer.com/glossary/voc-card/)
- [Liable state](https://benefitstransfer.com/glossary/liable-state/)
- [Combined Wage Claim (CWC)](https://benefitstransfer.com/glossary/combined-wage-claim/)
- [Base period](https://benefitstransfer.com/glossary/base-period/)
- [Federal poverty level (FPL)](https://benefitstransfer.com/glossary/federal-poverty-level/)
- [Medicaid expansion](https://benefitstransfer.com/glossary/medicaid-expansion/)
- [Retroactive Medicaid coverage](https://benefitstransfer.com/glossary/retroactive-coverage/)
- [Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE)](https://benefitstransfer.com/glossary/bbce/)
- [Expedited SNAP](https://benefitstransfer.com/glossary/expedited-snap/)
- [EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer)](https://benefitstransfer.com/glossary/ebt/)
- [Certification period](https://benefitstransfer.com/glossary/certification-period/)
- [TANF 60-month lifetime limit](https://benefitstransfer.com/glossary/tanf-lifetime-limit/)

## About

- [Methodology](https://benefitstransfer.com/methodology/)
- [Editorial standards](https://benefitstransfer.com/editorial-standards/)
- [All sources](https://benefitstransfer.com/sources/)
- [Contact](https://benefitstransfer.com/contact/)