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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
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Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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Can someone explain what counts as an overissuance? I just got a raise last week and havent reported it yet cuz my SAR7 isnt due until next month. Am I gonna get in trouble now??
You're fine! You have 10 days to report income changes that put you over the Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) listed on your last approval notice. If your new income doesn't exceed that IRT, you can just report it on your next SAR7 as you planned. Overissuances typically happen when you don't report income that puts you over your IRT within 10 days, or if you provide incorrect information that results in getting more benefits than you were eligible for.
Omg thank you!! Just checked and my IRT is $3,450 and even with the raise Im only at about $2,800 so sounds like Im ok to wait for the SAR7. Phew!
Just wanted to add that you should also keep all your paperwork related to the overissuance! I kept copies of the original notice, the repayment agreement, and I screenshot my EBT balance each month showing the reduced amount. This helped me when I had questions later about how much I'd already paid back. Also, if you're struggling with the reduced benefits, some food banks have extra resources for people dealing with benefit reductions - might be worth checking out while you're waiting for it to go back to normal.
This is such great advice! I wish I had thought to screenshot my EBT balance each month - I'm definitely going to start doing that now. And thanks for mentioning food banks, I didn't think about that option. Do you know if there are any specific food banks that help people with CalFresh reductions, or should I just call around to local ones?
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Hi Isabella! I'm new to this community but just went through this exact same experience with my son's P-EBT card last week. Got that same terrifying "Can't access your account" message right after setting up the PIN, and I was convinced I'd have to start all over. But I tried using the card at Kroger the next morning with the PIN I had created, and it worked perfectly! Reading through all these responses, it's clear this is a super common glitch with California's P-EBT system - the PIN actually gets saved despite that scary error message. It's so frustrating that they haven't fixed this technical issue when it's obviously happening to tons of people. But at least now I know for future reference (and can warn other parents in my area) that the error doesn't mean the PIN setup failed. Thanks for starting this thread - it's going to be so helpful for other families dealing with this same confusing situation!
Welcome to the community QuantumQueen! I'm also pretty new here but this thread has been such a lifesaver. It's amazing how many of us have had this exact same experience with that scary error message. I just went through this with my daughter's P-EBT card a couple days ago and was panicking until I found this discussion. You're absolutely right that California really needs to fix this glitch - it's causing so much unnecessary stress for families who are already dealing with enough challenges. But I'm so glad we can all share our experiences here and help reassure each other that the PIN setup actually works despite the error. This community is such a great resource for navigating all these confusing government systems!
Hi Isabella! I'm new to this community but just had to chime in because I literally went through this exact same thing with my daughter's P-EBT card just three days ago! I got that same "Can't access your account" error right after setting up the PIN and was absolutely panicking that I'd messed something up. After reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm so relieved to see this is clearly a widespread system glitch and not user error. I ended up trying the card at Walmart yesterday with the PIN I had originally set up, and it worked perfectly! It's honestly ridiculous that California's P-EBT system has such a consistent technical issue with the confirmation process, but at least the actual PIN setup goes through despite that scary error message. Thanks so much for starting this thread - it's going to save so many other families the stress and confusion of wondering if they need to start the whole process over. This community is such a valuable resource for navigating these government benefit systems!
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This is such a common issue lately! I'm a case worker and I've been hearing about this app freezing bug from multiple clients over the past few weeks. The EBT Edge app's freeze/unfreeze feature has definitely been unreliable since the February update. For future reference, if you ever can't get through to the EBT customer service line right away, you can also try calling early in the morning (around 7-8 AM) when call volumes are typically lower. Also, some counties have local EBT coordinators who can help with these technical issues - worth asking your caseworker if that's available in your area. Really glad to see from the comments that you got it resolved quickly! It's frustrating when technology fails us when we need it most, especially with something as essential as food benefits.
Thank you for the insight from a case worker perspective! It's really helpful to know this is a widespread issue and not just isolated incidents. I'll definitely keep the tip about calling early in the morning in mind - that's smart thinking about when call volumes would be lower. I had no idea some counties have local EBT coordinators, so I'll ask my caseworker about that at my next appointment. It's reassuring to have backup options when the technology fails. Really appreciate all the practical advice from everyone in this thread!
Just wanted to chime in as someone who's dealt with similar EBT app issues! I've learned to screenshot everything when using any of the CalFresh/EBT digital features - confirmation screens, error messages, everything. It's saved me so much hassle when calling customer service because I can tell them exactly what error I'm getting. Also, if you're ever in this situation again and need groceries urgently while waiting for tech issues to be resolved, some food banks and community pantries can provide emergency food assistance even if you're already receiving CalFresh. Just a backup option to keep in mind! Really glad everyone was able to help you get this sorted out quickly.
That's such great advice about taking screenshots! I wish I had thought of that when I was getting the error messages. Definitely going to start doing that with any government app interactions. And thank you for mentioning the food banks - I had no idea they could still help even when you're already on CalFresh. That's really good to know as a backup option. This whole thread has been so helpful, it's amazing how much practical knowledge everyone has shared!
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Update: My mom got the cake yesterday with no problems! It was $26.99 and she used her EBT card without any issues. They did make her pay separately for the candles and a small decoration we added. Thanks everyone for your help! 🎂
That's great! Hope your daughter has a wonderful birthday! 🎉
So glad it worked out smoothly! And happy 8th birthday to Sophia! 🎂 It's really nice that your mom was able to help make her day special. Thanks for updating us - it'll definitely help other parents who have the same question in the future!
That's wonderful news about the cake working out! Just wanted to add for anyone else reading this thread - if you're ever unsure about what's EBT-eligible, most stores have customer service desks that can check items beforehand so you don't have to worry about embarrassment at checkout. Also, Sam's Club and Costco both have pretty clear signage in their bakery sections about EBT eligibility, which is super helpful. Hope Sophia had an amazing 8th birthday party! 🎉
That's such a helpful tip about checking with customer service first! I wish I had known that when I first started using EBT - would have saved me so much anxiety about what I could and couldn't buy. It's really reassuring to know that stores like Sam's Club are making an effort to clearly mark what's eligible. And yes, happy belated birthday to Sophia! 🎂 It sounds like everything worked out perfectly for her special day.
Jay Lincoln
I went through this exact same situation with my daughter who has cerebral palsy! The key thing that helped us was requesting a "disability determination" for CalFresh purposes, even though she doesn't receive SSI. You can ask your county worker to evaluate whether your children meet the disability criteria based on their medical conditions and functional limitations. Also, don't forget about these often-overlooked medical expenses that count toward your deduction: - Special foods/supplements if medically necessary - Assistive technology or adaptive equipment - Physical/occupational therapy copays - Behavioral therapy sessions - Special transportation costs (like wheelchair-accessible vehicles) When I appealed, I submitted a detailed monthly budget showing ALL disability-related expenses, and it made the difference between denial and approval. The appeal process took about 6 weeks for us, but we received retroactive benefits back to our original application date. Definitely worth fighting for!
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Paloma Clark
•This is incredibly helpful! I never thought about some of those expenses like special foods or assistive technology. My youngest son needs sensory toys recommended by his occupational therapist that we buy monthly, and we also have to buy specific protein shakes that his doctor recommended because of his eating difficulties. Those costs add up but I didn't realize they could count as medical expenses for CalFresh. How detailed should I be when documenting these types of expenses? Do I need a prescription for the special foods to have them count?
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Sean Kelly
I'm going through something very similar right now! My daughter has autism and ADHD, and we were also initially denied CalFresh. What I've learned from this thread and my own experience is that you really need to be persistent about getting those medical expenses counted. One thing that helped me was creating a monthly expense tracker specifically for disability-related costs. I included everything - copays, gas to appointments, special dietary needs, even the sensory tools her therapist recommended. It's shocking how much it all adds up to when you actually document it properly. Also, don't give up if the first worker you talk to doesn't seem knowledgeable about disability deductions. I had to speak with three different people before I found someone who really understood the medical expense rules. Some workers just aren't trained well on these special circumstances. The appeal is definitely worth it - I wish I had done it sooner instead of just accepting the initial denial. Your $800+ in monthly medical expenses should make a huge difference in your eligibility calculation. Keep pushing for your family!
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Miguel Ortiz
•Thank you for sharing your experience! It's so frustrating that we have to become experts in these rules just to get the help our families need. I'm definitely going to create that monthly expense tracker - that's a brilliant idea. Did you include things like the extra laundry costs from sensory issues or replacement costs for items they break during meltdowns? My kids go through so much stuff and I never thought those indirect costs might count too. Also, when you say you had to talk to three different workers, were those all at the same county office or did you have to escalate to supervisors?
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