New Evidence on the Cycle in the Women, Infants, and Children Program: What Happens When Benefits Expire

Marianne Bitler, Jason Cook, Seojung Oh and Paige Rowberry

National Tax Journal, 2024, vol. 77, issue 1, 175 - 197

Abstract: We provide evidence of a benefit redemption cycle in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Using novel administrative data on item-level redemptions, we show that unlike SNAP, WIC redemptions peak at both the beginning and the end of the month. Beginning-of-the-month excess redemptions are concentrated among more fully redeemed items such as infant formula, while end-of-the-month excess redemptions are concentrated among less fully redeemed items such as infant meats. We document that a substantial share of beneficiaries go at least one month without redeeming anything and discuss how administrative burdens may drive the WIC cycle.

Date: 2024
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