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Show Changes in Food Stamp Program be allowed up to $3,000 in assets. The result will be more food stamps for the working poor, fewer stamps for those better off, and no stamps for those above the federal poverty level. (In the next issue, find out how food stamp benefits are computed com-puted and why more people will be able to participate in , the new program.) Someone has described the upcoming changes in the food stamp program as the "Robin Hood" rules. The U.S. Department of Agriculture won't rob the rich to pay the poor, but many higher income food stamp users will be dropped from the program. And for the first time, many poorer clients-- the elderly, the handicapped ' and working poor families-will families-will be able to get food stamps. Changes will take place in two phases. On January 1, the requirement that households purchase a monthly allotment of stamps will be scrapped. This move is expected to add as many as 3 million new clients to the program. Many of these people were eligible before, but they couldn't afford to purchase an entire allotment, allot-ment, which entitled them to . ;i number of free stamps. Now they can simply file an application and received the bonus stamps without paying anything. On March 1, stricter income in-come ceilings will be imposed. im-posed. If the monthly net income of a family of four exceeds the $542 limit, they will no longer be eligible. The number of deductions a household can claim will also be slashed in March. Instead of eight possible itemized deductions, households will be limited to a standard deduction of $65 per month, a 20 percent earned income deduction, and a combined deduction of $80 for child care expenses and excess shelter costs. The resource limit for persons under 60 years of age will be raised from $1,500 to $1,750 in liquid assets. But if the family car , exceeds $4,500 in value, the amount over that limit will be added in determining total assets. Households of two or more persons having one member over 60 will still |