Financial Wellness Education, Tools & Resources

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Tincidunt tortor aliquam nulla facilisi. Vel quam elementum pulvinar etiam non quam. Placerat orci nulla pellentesque dignissim enim sit amet. 

COMING SOON

SNAP Tackles Pop: States Ban Food Stamp Purchases of Soda and Candy

by | January 30, 2026 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

There have always been restrictions on what you can buy with food stamps, now dubbed the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP (a godsend to sub-editors everywhere). The simple, if perhaps occasionally dubious, pleasures that alcoholic beverages provide...
Read More

2026’s 1619(b) Thresholds Are Out!

by | January 23, 2026 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Unlike many annual changes in the benefits world, which are announced on a fairly rigid schedule, recent history has shown that we can never quite be sure when the new thresholds for 1619(b) are going to be announced. Fortunately, this year there hasn’t been much of a...
Read More

Health Check: Changes to Medicaid in Maryland

by | January 16, 2026 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

The new year is an obvious time to make changes if that’s what you’re going to do and it might seem that if things are going to be different for Medicaid beneficiaries now would be the time to learn what’s new. Oddly enough, even though there are changes afoot,...
Read More

What’s New? Update on 2026 Benefits Changes

by | January 9, 2026 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Now that we have to admit that the holidays are truly over and we're embedded in the new year, for better or for worse, it's worth having a quick look over the new annual figures that will affect those of us who receive federal benefits. By now everyone who receives...
Read More

Happy Holidays from MDBCN to You!

by | December 19, 2025 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Another year comes to another close and although we can hardly look back on 12 months of love, peace, and harmony we can always hope for that in the future. Whatever may come to pass, we at the Maryland Benefits Counseling Network will continue to endeavor to keep you...
Read More

Getting Better: ABLE Changes for 2026

by | December 12, 2025 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Back in 2022 Congress passed a bill that is about to go into effect. The ABLE Age Adjustment Act decreed that as of January 2026 the age threshold for Achieving Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts would increase from 26 to 46. The ABLE Act has been around for more...
Read More

A Bitter Pill: Medicare Costs in 2026

by | December 4, 2025 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced the 2026 premium and deductible figures. It’s a familiar story, as those costs are up again. The standard Medicare Part B premium will raise eyebrows and blood pressure as it increases by $17.90 a...
Read More

From the Horse’s Mouth: SSA Commissioner Delivers 2025 Fiscal Report

by | November 21, 2025 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Gues what? It’s all good. On November 20 Frank Bisignano, Social Security’s Commissioner, published his letter to Congress detailing the agency’s achievements in 2025. The letter, which you can read in full here (Commissioner Letter to Congress: Year in Review) begins...
Read More

SNAP’s Back: Federal Food Stamp Payments to Resume

by | November 14, 2025 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

After the longest shutdown in its 249-year history the US government officially re-opened on Wednesday when its president signed a bill allowing funding until January 30 next year. While this would certainly appear to be only a temporary easing of the situation it...
Read More

Forking Out: SNAP Updates and Maryland’s Response

by | November 7, 2025 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments

It is now widely known that it is forty-two million Americans who receive SNAP benefits, still also known as food stamps. They remain at the mercy of a government, which has remained shut down for thirty-seven days at the time of writing, and shows no sign of opening...
Read More