Hi Demi! I just want to echo what everyone else is saying - you're definitely overthinking this and your situation is totally eligible for CalFresh. I work with families in similar housing situations all the time through my job at a community nonprofit. One thing I'd add is to make sure you bring documentation of ALL your monthly expenses when you apply - rent receipts to your mom, any utility bills in your name, childcare costs, medical expenses, etc. This helps establish that you're managing your own household budget separate from your mom's finances. Also, since you mentioned you're in LA, I wanted to let you know that LA County has been really good lately about processing emergency CalFresh applications quickly, especially for families with children. Don't be afraid to follow up if you don't hear back within 3 days - you have the right to those expedited benefits. You're doing everything right by seeking help for your family. Your kids are lucky to have a mom who's working so hard to make sure they're fed. Apply tonight and don't look back! 💪

I just wanted to add my support and let you know that you're absolutely doing the right thing by applying! I've been helping families navigate CalFresh applications for years, and your situation is really straightforward - you're a household of 3 paying rent to a family member who doesn't live with you. A few quick tips that might help: - When you submit online, save screenshots of every page in case you need them later - For the emergency application, make sure to answer YES to the expedited services question - Keep copies of any rent payments you've made to your mom (even Venmo/Zelle records work) - If they schedule a phone interview, don't stress - just stick to the facts about your living situation The most important thing is getting that application submitted tonight so the clock starts ticking on your 3-day emergency processing. Everything else can be sorted out with documentation later if needed. Your kids shouldn't have to wait because of paperwork anxiety! Sending you strength and hoping you have benefits loaded on your card very soon! 🙏

This thread has been such a lifesaver! As a freelance web developer who's been on CalFresh for about 4 months, I was making this way more complicated than it needed to be. I've been tracking every single deposit and panicking whenever my bank balance looked high, not realizing that I should be doing the calculation monthly with the 40% deduction first. Reading through everyone's experiences here finally made it click - it's about NET income after the business expense deduction, not gross deposits. The organizational tips are fantastic too. I'm definitely setting up that monthly phone reminder and creating a simple tracking spreadsheet. Having everything documented will be huge for peace of mind. One thing I'll add for other freelancers - I've found it helpful to take screenshots of my online banking summary at the end of each month before doing the IRT calculation. That way I have a clear record of what income I included in my calculation if questions come up later. @Mei Lin your original questions were exactly what I needed to see answered! This community is incredible for getting real-world advice from people who actually understand the freelancer struggle with CalFresh reporting.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! As someone who just started freelancing and got approved for CalFresh last month, I was completely overwhelmed by all the reporting requirements. Reading through everyone's experiences has been like getting a masterclass in how to actually navigate this system as a gig worker. The biggest revelation for me was understanding that the 40% business expense deduction happens BEFORE you compare to your IRT threshold. I've been calculating it backwards this whole time and stressing myself out unnecessarily! I'm definitely going to implement the organizational strategies everyone has shared - especially the monthly reminder to calculate income and the spreadsheet tracking system. Having everything documented seems crucial for avoiding headaches down the road. One question for the experienced folks here: when you do your monthly IRT calculation, do you include pending payments that haven't cleared yet, or only count income that's actually hit your account by month-end? I do a lot of work where payment timing can be unpredictable. Thanks to everyone for sharing such practical, real-world advice. This community is an amazing resource for those of us trying to figure out the intersection of freelance work and benefits!

Thanks for the update! This is exactly why I always recommend people check their BenefitsCal account online regularly, even if everything seems fine. Sometimes you can catch these "pending review" statuses before your benefits get suspended. Also, definitely sign up for electronic notifications like Darcy mentioned - I switched to paperless notices after missing an important letter that got delivered to the wrong apartment in my building. It's saved me so much stress since then. Hope you get your documents submitted quickly and your benefits restored!

Wow, this whole thread is such a perfect example of how broken the CalFresh system is! @Gael Robinson I'm so glad you got it figured out, but it's absolutely ridiculous that they can just suspend benefits because a letter "might" have been sent. I've been dealing with similar issues for months - they keep requesting the same documents over and over, even after I've submitted them multiple times. The worst part is how they make it seem like it's OUR fault when THEIR system doesn't work properly. I'm definitely going to look into that Claimyr service and sign up for electronic notifications. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it helps to know we're not alone in this struggle!

This thread has been incredibly educational! I'm a CalFresh recipient who thought I understood my benefits, but reading all these detailed explanations made me realize I probably don't know nearly as much as I should about my own case. The utility allowance discussion especially opened my eyes - I pay for electricity and heating separately from my rent but I have no idea if they applied the full $490 standard utility allowance or just some smaller amount. What really struck me is how many people mentioned getting different explanations from different caseworkers. That's exactly what happened to me when I first applied - I called twice with the same question and got completely different answers both times. It made me feel like I was doing something wrong, but now I see it's actually a widespread problem with inconsistent information. I'm definitely going to request that benefit calculation worksheet that several people mentioned. I had no idea we could even ask for that! It seems like having the actual breakdown would help so much with understanding what deductions they applied and whether everything is calculated correctly. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their knowledge and experiences here. This kind of detailed, practical information is exactly what people need when trying to navigate these complex systems. I feel much more empowered to advocate for myself now!

This thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm relatively new to CalFresh and have been struggling with the same issues everyone's describing. My benefits seemed to randomly decrease by $38 last month and when I called to ask why, the worker just said "system adjustment" without any real explanation. After reading through all these detailed explanations, I think I finally understand what might have happened - probably that October COLA adjustment everyone mentioned. But what really concerns me is the utility allowance discussion. I live in a studio apartment and pay my own electric bill (about $45/month), but I have no idea if they applied the standard $490 allowance or just counted my actual bill amount. If they're only using my actual $45 instead of the full standard allowance, that could be costing me a lot in benefits! I'm definitely calling tomorrow to request that benefit calculation worksheet. The formula breakdown that several people provided makes so much more sense than anything I've heard from county workers. It's honestly pretty sad that we have to crowdsource this information instead of getting clear explanations from the people administering the program. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences - this is exactly the kind of community support that makes dealing with these complicated systems manageable!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience because I went through almost exactly what you're describing. Last year, my partner was injured in a construction accident and we ended up staying with his sister while he recovered. She was also worried about government connections affecting her rental situation. Here's what worked for us: I got a PO Box at the local post office (cost about $50 for 6 months) and applied online selecting "homeless/temporary housing" as our living situation. During the phone interview, I explained we were staying temporarily with family but bought all our own food separately. The caseworker was completely understanding - she said they handle situations like this every single day. We qualified for expedited processing because of zero income and got approved within a week for the maximum benefit amount. The key was being totally honest about our circumstances while keeping the mail issue completely separate from our host's address. Don't let your friend's concerns stop you from getting help your family desperately needs. You're not doing anything that would affect her situation - you're just accessing temporary food assistance during a legitimate crisis. With your husband's workplace injury and a baby, this is exactly what CalFresh is designed for. Apply tonight and emphasize the emergency nature of your situation. Your family is going to get through this difficult time, and getting food assistance will be one less thing to worry about while your husband recovers.

I'm new to this community but wanted to reach out because your situation really hits close to home. My family went through something very similar when my husband was hurt on the job and we had to stay with relatives temporarily. The advice everyone has given here is spot-on - you absolutely can get CalFresh while staying with someone temporarily, and getting a PO Box or using a community center address completely solves the mail issue. What I wanted to add is that you shouldn't feel guilty about needing this help. Workplace accidents happen to good, hardworking families all the time, and that's exactly why these safety net programs exist. One thing that really helped me during our application process was calling ahead to a few local food pantries to let them know we might need emergency food while waiting for benefits to process. Most were incredibly understanding and some even offered to help with other resources like baby supplies and referrals to utility assistance programs. Also, don't underestimate how much the maximum CalFresh benefit for a family of three will help - it was truly life-changing for us during those difficult months. With zero income, you'll qualify for the full amount, which should significantly reduce your grocery expenses and help stretch your remaining savings for other necessities. Apply tonight, get that PO Box tomorrow, and trust that you're doing exactly the right thing for your family. Your baby needs food security, and accessing these programs during a genuine crisis shows you're being responsible parents, not taking advantage of anything. You're going to get through this challenging time!