Can't reach California CalFresh? Claimyr connects you to a live DSS agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the DSS
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the DSS drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
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!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
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!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
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.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
The IRT isn't a form - it's a specific income amount that's calculated for your household. If your monthly income ever exceeds that amount, you must report it within 10 days, even if it's not time for your SAR7 yet. It should be clearly stated on your approval notice, usually in bold or highlighted. For a household of 2 in 2025, it's typically around 130% of the Federal Poverty Level, which would be approximately $2,450/month. But your specific IRT might be different based on your situation.
Got it, thank you! So even if I'm not due to submit my SAR7, if my income goes above whatever my IRT is, I need to report it right away. I'll definitely check my approval notice for that number.
This is such great information everyone is sharing! I'm new to CalFresh too and had no idea about all these reporting requirements. @Melody Miles - it sounds like you're in good hands with all this advice. One thing I'd add is to keep copies of everything - your application, approval notice, any correspondence from the county. I learned that the hard way when I had a question about my benefits and couldn't remember what my original application said. Also, if you do call the county office, try calling right when they open at 8am - that's usually when the wait times are shortest!
Join the conversation
I'm still calling to confirm. Too many times the system screws up and WE pay the price. Last year they overpaid me by $120 and I didn't even realize it until they started taking money OUT of my benefits six months later! The whole system is designed to confuse us!!!
It's always a good idea to verify if you're concerned. If you call, ask specifically about the "2025 Thrifty Food Plan adjustment" - using those exact words will help the worker understand what you're asking about. But the previous posters are correct that this is an expected adjustment being applied to all eligible households.
Just wanted to add - I got the same thing! Extra $425 showed up yesterday and I was panicking thinking they'd claw it back. After reading all these responses I feel so much better. It's crazy they don't send better notices about stuff like this - would save everyone so much stress! Thanks to everyone who explained what's happening, especially about the Thrifty Food Plan thing. Really appreciate this community helping each other out when the system doesn't communicate clearly.
Join the conversation
This is such great news! I'm so happy for you that you found your Notice of Action and confirmed the $640 is your correct ongoing benefit amount. It's really frustrating how the system works - they should have been calculating your rent and utilities properly from the beginning instead of just giving you the pandemic minimum. But at least now you're getting what you're actually entitled to! Make sure to keep that notice somewhere safe in case you ever need to reference it, and definitely don't forget about your SAR7 deadlines. Enjoy being able to buy more groceries for you and your family!
Congratulations on getting this sorted out! It's really eye-opening to see how many people have had similar experiences with the benefit calculation issues. I'm new to CalFresh myself and had no idea about the utility allowance and shelter deductions making such a big difference. This whole thread has been super helpful for understanding how the system actually works. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it gives me hope that if I ever have issues, there are people here who can help explain what's going on!
This is such a helpful thread! As someone who just applied for CalFresh last month, I had no idea about all these calculation complexities with utility allowances and shelter deductions. It's really encouraging to see that the system eventually gets things right, even if it takes a while. I'm still waiting for my initial determination, but now I know to pay close attention to my Notice of Action when it comes and make sure they're factoring in my rent and utilities correctly from the start. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's so valuable to learn from people who have actually been through this process!
Join the conversation
I'm so sorry this happened to you! $800 is devastating to lose. I went through something similar about 6 months ago - my card got skimmed at a gas station and I lost $400 before I caught it. The good news is that your benefits will absolutely still deposit on time even with the card frozen. I actually learned to love keeping my card frozen between uses after my theft. One tip that really helped me: take photos of your card transactions right after you make them, especially the receipt showing your remaining balance. It makes it easier to spot unauthorized activity quickly when you check your balance later. Also, if you haven't already, download the ebtEDGE mobile app - the transaction alerts are a lifesaver for catching theft early. Stay strong - the system has gotten much better about replacing stolen benefits since the federal changes. You should see that $800 back within a couple weeks!
Thank you so much for the encouragement and practical tips! Taking photos of receipts is such a smart idea - I never thought of that but it makes perfect sense for tracking. I just downloaded the ebtEDGE app and set up all the alerts. It's crazy how much better the security features are now compared to even a year ago. Really appreciate you sharing your experience - it helps to know I'm not alone in dealing with this and that there's light at the end of the tunnel!
I'm really sorry to hear about your card being stolen - that's such a violation and $800 is a huge loss! But I can reassure you that your benefits will definitely still deposit on schedule even with the card frozen. The freeze only stops transactions from going through, not deposits coming in. I actually keep my card frozen all the time now except when I'm actively shopping - it's become second nature to unfreeze it right before checkout and freeze it again afterward. Takes literally 10 seconds in the app and gives me so much peace of mind. For your theft claim, definitely keep following up if you don't hear back within 2 weeks. And if you need to call the county office again (hopefully you won't!), try calling right when they open - that's usually when you have the best chance of getting through without waiting forever. You're doing all the right things by reporting it quickly and getting a new card. Hope you get those stolen benefits replaced soon!
Olivia Garcia
This thread is so helpful! I had no idea that CalFresh could be used at places like Mother's Market - I've been limiting myself to just the big chain grocery stores. And the tip about screenshotting promotions is brilliant. I'm going to start doing that for any store deals I want to try. It's really encouraging to see how everyone came together to help solve this issue and share knowledge about navigating EBT with different retailers and promotions.
0 coins
Mateo Rodriguez
•I'm so glad this thread exists too! I'm also new to CalFresh and had no idea about all these different stores and strategies. It's really overwhelming at first trying to figure out where you can shop and how to make your benefits stretch the furthest. Reading everyone's experiences and tips makes me feel less alone in navigating all of this. The community support here is amazing - thanks to everyone for sharing their knowledge!
0 coins
Elijah Brown
This whole thread has been such an eye-opener! I've been on CalFresh for about 6 months now and I had no idea that health food stores like Mother's Market even accepted EBT, let alone had promotions we could use. I've been shopping at the same Walmart and Safeway this whole time because I thought those were my only options. Now I'm realizing I should explore more stores in my area - maybe I can find better deals and healthier options than I thought possible. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge here, especially about advocating for yourself when stores mess up the promotions. This community is such a valuable resource!
0 coins