OneOrMultipleUnits specifies the method for dividing a household into food stamp units. If OneOrMultipleUnits is set to 0, then the entire household is treated as a single food stamp unit. The only members excluded from the unit are SSI recipients in cash-out states (who are excluded from the unit regardless of the value for OneOrMultipleUnits). The remaining options for OneOrMultipleUnits allow certain households to split into multiple units, subject to the constraint that married couples must file together and children must file with their parents. These options include:

1. A CPS household may be divided into one or more food stamp units, but children aged 18 or younger who are not married and do not have children of their own must file with their parents.
2. Any CPS household containing at least one TANF recipient may be divided into one or more food stamp units, but children aged 21 or younger (and their spouses and children) must file with their parents.
3. Any CPS household containing at least one TANF recipient may be divided into one or more food stamp units, but children aged 21 or younger who are not married and do not have children of their own must file with their parents.
4. Any CPS household containing at least one TANF recipient, or CPS household that reports unallocated receipt of food stamps and reports that not everyone in the household receives food stamps, may be divided into one or more food stamp units. Children aged 21 or younger (and their spouses and children) must file with their parents. "Other-relative" related subfamilies (i.e. neither head nor spouse is a child of the householder) must file with the householder if the head or spouse is under 18. Foster children who do not have a family of their own (i.e. they are unrelated individuals) must file with the householder.

If a household is to be split, a test is made as to whether it should just be split into broad units based on relationship (i.e. persons related to each other are treated as separate units, with unrelated individuals being treated as one-person units), or whether it can be further split by treating related subfamilies (and older children and relatives) as separate units. To be eligible for the subfamily-based split, a household must contain at least one family that meets the following criteria (for the purpose of these criteria, related subfamilies are considered as part of the primary family):

• At least one member must be a child or relative under 18 and not also a head or spouse of a related subfamily (Note: if OneOrMultipleUnits is set to 4, this criteria is ignored).
• At least one member must be a child or relative 18 or older and not also a head or spouse of a related subfamily OR the family must contain a related subfamily.

• OneOrMultipleUnits = 1 & 3: All related subfamilies become separate units.
• OneOrMultipleUnits = 2 & 4: All related subfamilies except those considered to be "young families" become separate units. A related subfamily is considered "young" if the head or spouse is a child of the householder and is 21 or younger (Note: if OneOrMultipleUnits is set to 4, a related subfamily where neither the head nor spouse is a child of the householder is considered "young" if either of them is under 18).

• 1: Over 18
• 2 & 3: Over 21
• 4: Over 21, or over 17 if the person is not a child of the family