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just fyi you should look into the 'compromised claims' option if your appeal doesn't work. sometimes they'll settle for a lower amount especially if u can prove financial hardship. my sister had a $5k overpayment and they reduced it to like $2k because she had medical bills and stuff.
This is correct advice. CalFresh overpayment claims can be compromised (reduced) based on financial hardship. You can request this after the overpayment amount is finalized, even if your appeal of the household composition is unsuccessful. Generally, you would need to provide documentation of your financial situation showing repayment would cause significant hardship.
I'm dealing with something similar right now! My ex gets mail at my place for our daughter's school stuff and now they're saying he's part of my household even though he lives 20 minutes away with his girlfriend. The frustrating part is I reported him as the father on my application but clearly stated he doesn't live with us. It feels like they're just looking for reasons to claw back benefits. I'm definitely going to file an appeal after reading all this advice. Has anyone had success showing that co-parenting arrangements don't equal living together? I have our custody agreement that shows we have separate addresses.
Your custody agreement should be really strong evidence! That's exactly the kind of documentation that proves separate households. The fact that you already reported him as the father but specified he doesn't live with you shows you were being transparent from the start. Co-parenting definitely doesn't equal cohabitation - courts wouldn't issue custody agreements with separate addresses if parents lived together! Make sure to include any other evidence of his separate residence like his lease with his girlfriend, and maybe even get a statement from the school confirming they know he has a different address but uses yours for convenience. The county really shouldn't be penalizing people for responsible co-parenting arrangements.
Yes! I had a very similar situation and the custody agreement was key to winning my appeal. I also included documentation showing his separate utility bills and bank statements with his actual address. The hearing officer specifically asked about our parenting plan and when I showed the court-ordered custody schedule with different pickup/dropoff addresses, it was clear we maintained separate households. One tip - if you have any text messages or emails between you two that reference "your place" and "my place" or discuss meeting up (rather than him just being there), those can help show you're coordinating between two separate homes. The school mail thing is super common for divorced parents and shouldn't count against you at all.
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Just wanted to add that some gas stations and convenience stores like 7-Eleven, Circle K, and Wawa also accept EBT if you need to grab something quick and can't get to a full grocery store. They usually have a limited selection of eligible food items but it's good to know as a backup option while traveling. Also, if you're staying somewhere with a kitchen, buying basic staples like bread, peanut butter, milk, etc. at these smaller stores can help you get by until you can make it to a larger grocery store for a full shopping trip.
This is super helpful! I didn't know convenience stores accepted EBT too. There's actually a 7-Eleven right down the street from where I'm staying, so that could be perfect for grabbing basics until I can get to the Walmart. Thanks for the practical tips - exactly what I needed to know for this week!
Just wanted to share another option that might help - if you have Amazon Prime, you can also use your EBT card for Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods delivery in many areas. This could be really convenient since you're dealing with a family emergency and might not have time to go shopping in person. You'd need to add your EBT card to your Amazon account first, but it's pretty straightforward. They also offer free delivery on EBT orders over $35. Might be worth checking if they deliver to where you're staying!
Oh wow, I completely forgot about Amazon delivery! That's actually perfect since I'm dealing with a lot right now with the family situation and don't really have much time to go store hunting. I do have Prime so I'll definitely look into adding my EBT card to my account. The free delivery over $35 sounds great too - I can probably get everything I need for the week in one order. Thanks for thinking of that option!
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This thread has been so helpful! I'm in a similar situation - just got my tax refund of $1,600 and was panicking about whether I needed to report it. Reading everyone's experiences really puts my mind at ease. It's frustrating how the system makes us all so anxious about potentially losing benefits when we're just trying to follow the rules and take care of our families. I'm definitely saving this thread for future reference. Does anyone know if there's an official CalFresh handbook or resource that clearly lists all these income exclusions? It would be nice to have something official to reference instead of having to stress and guess every time something like this comes up.
Hey Javier! You can find the official CalFresh handbook on the California Department of Social Services website - it's called the "CalFresh Handbook" and it has all the detailed income exclusions listed out. There's also a really helpful "Income and Eligibility" section that breaks down what counts and what doesn't. I wish they made it easier to find though! Another good resource is the CalFresh Income Guidelines document that gets updated yearly. Having these official sources really helped me feel more confident about understanding the rules instead of just worrying all the time.
I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm a single mom with three kids and just received my tax refund of $2,400. I was literally losing sleep over whether this would mess up our CalFresh benefits. Reading everyone's experiences has been such a huge relief - it sounds like tax refunds really don't count as income for CalFresh purposes. I've been on benefits for about 8 months now and I'm still learning all the rules. It's scary when you depend on these benefits to feed your children and you're constantly worried about making a mistake that could jeopardize everything. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences. This community is such a lifesaver for people like us who are just trying to navigate the system and do right by our families!
Madison, I totally understand that anxiety! As a fellow newcomer to this community, I've been amazed by how supportive and knowledgeable everyone is here. It's such a relief to find people who actually understand the stress of navigating these systems while trying to care for our families. I'm also still learning all the rules and it can feel overwhelming, but threads like this really help build confidence. It sounds like you can breathe easy about your tax refund - the consensus from everyone's experiences seems pretty clear that it won't affect your CalFresh benefits. Welcome to the community!
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Thank you all so much for the great advice! I'm definitely going to try the Market Match program. One last question - does anyone know if the doubled amount counts against your monthly CalFresh limit? Like if I get $20 matched, does that take $20 off my monthly benefits?
Great question! No, the Market Match funds are completely separate and don't count against your CalFresh benefits at all. They're bonus money provided by a non-profit organization, not from your EBT allocation. So when you get that match, it's truly free additional money for fruits and vegetables. Your regular monthly benefit amount stays exactly the same.
This is such valuable information! I'm new to CalFresh too and had no idea about Market Match. Just wanted to add that I called the Sacramento Central Farmers Market this morning and they confirmed they do participate - they're open Saturday mornings from 8am-noon under the freeway at 8th & W streets. The staff person I talked to was really helpful and said they usually have match funds available through the whole season, but it's first-come-first-served each market day. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is amazing!
Thanks for calling ahead and confirming! That's such a smart tip about it being first-come-first-served each market day. I was wondering about timing - is it better to go early in the morning when they first open to make sure the match funds are still available? Also really appreciate you sharing the exact location and hours, that's super helpful for planning my first visit!
Andre Rousseau
Just wanted to share another tip - if you have a smartphone, you can also check your EBT balance before going to the ATM by calling the customer service number on the back of your card or using the ebtEDGE mobile app. This way you know exactly how much you can withdraw and don't get surprised at the ATM. Also, some grocery stores like Walmart and Target let you get cash back when you make a purchase with your CalWORKs benefits, which might be more convenient than finding a specific bank's ATM.
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Zara Mirza
•Thanks for mentioning the ebtEDGE app! I had no idea that existed. Just downloaded it and it's so much easier than calling that automated number. The cash back option at stores is smart too - I always forget to ask for that when I'm shopping. Definitely gonna try that next time instead of making a separate ATM trip.
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Zainab Ibrahim
Just a heads up for everyone - if you're dealing with CalWORKs cash aid, make sure you understand the reporting requirements! If you get a large sum like $1,360 and don't spend it right away, you might need to report it as an asset on your next SAR7 form. Cash assets over certain limits can affect your eligibility. I learned this the hard way when I saved some of my cash aid for an emergency and almost got in trouble for not reporting it. The rules are confusing but it's better to ask your worker about asset limits than risk losing benefits.
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Alejandro Castro
•This is such important info that I wish they explained better when you first apply! I had no idea about the asset reporting rules and almost got myself in trouble too. It's crazy how they expect you to spend your benefits right away but then don't clearly tell you that saving money could mess up your eligibility. Do you know what the exact asset limit is? I tried looking it up online but got different answers from different websites.
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