My benefits only went down about $30/month after reporting the extra income. They let me deduct some of my craft supplies as business expenses, which helped. The worker said as long as I was reporting it now and hadn't gone over my IRT, they weren't concerned about the past months. Just be upfront at your recertification and you should be fine.

Thanks everyone for the advice! I feel much better about my upcoming recertification now. I'll be honest about the side income and bring documentation of when it started. And I'll try that Claimyr service if I can't get through on the phone tomorrow to ask any follow-up questions. Appreciate all the help!

Is anyone else seeing a HUGE increase in EBT theft this year??? My sister got her benefits stolen in January, my coworker in March, and now me last week! I think something bigger is going on. The county offices should be taking this more seriously instead of making it so hard to report!!!

UPDATE: I finally got through! For anyone else dealing with this issue, here's what worked: I went to my county office in person this morning with my EBT card, ID, and screenshots of the transactions. The worker helped me fill out the EBT-2259 form and said I should receive provisional credits within 10 days while they investigate. She also mentioned they're now requiring police reports for claims over $500, so I'll need to file one online and send them the report number. Thank you everyone for your help! The in-person visit was definitely the way to go.

One more thing to know - if you're approved for D-CalFresh, the benefits will be added to your existing EBT card, but they might show up as a separate deposit. So check your EBT account online or call the EBT customer service line to see your balance and transaction history. The D-CalFresh benefits would typically appear within 72 hours of approval with a different transaction name than your regular monthly benefits.

I went through this last year during the coastal flooding disaster. The D-CalFresh benefit was substantial for my family of 5 ($1,100+) but the application process was STRICT. They denied my neighbor because she couldn't prove income loss - it wasn't enough that she had expenses. Make sure you document EVERYTHING and be very specific about dates. Also, the benefit amount is based on household size, not your income or regular CalFresh amount. And heads up - they will ask if you received any other disaster assistance (like FEMA) because that might affect your eligibility. Good luck!

This is kinda off topic but speaking of the BenefitsCal website... does anyone know why it always logs me out after like 2 minutes? I'll be in the middle of uploading verification docs and suddenly I'm logged out and have to start over. So frustrating!

@OP glad you got your font issue resolved! For anyone else experiencing display problems with BenefitsCal or other government websites, I recommend checking these settings: 1. Browser zoom (Ctrl+ or Ctrl- to adjust) 2. Font settings in your browser (usually in Settings > Appearance) 3. Extensions or add-ons that might modify web content 4. Windows/Mac accessibility settings that override website fonts 5. Check if your browser needs updating Also, the BenefitsCal mobile app sometimes works better than the website for basic tasks like checking your balance or uploading verification documents.

did u get a notice about recertification or SAR7 recently? sometimes they cut off benefits if u miss those deadlines and dont even tell u till after

While you're waiting for the replacement benefits, check with local food banks! 211.org can tell you where emergency food assistance is available in your area. Also ask the county worker about emergency expedited benefits - sometimes they can issue a small emergency allotment on a temporary card while investigating theft claims.