just want to add that freee tax prep can get really busy right before the filing deadline so try to go in february if u can... i waited until april last year and had to wait 3 hours even WITH an appointment cause they were so backed up

To address your original question more specifically - the tax refund itself won't affect your CalFresh benefits the month you receive it. Tax refunds are considered non-recurring lump-sum payments, which means they don't count as income for CalFresh. However, if you keep the money and it puts you over the resource limit ($4,250 for most households with someone who is elderly or disabled, $2,750 for others), it could potentially affect your eligibility in future months. Most people spend their refunds relatively quickly on necessities though, so this rarely becomes an issue. Just make sure you're tracking and reporting any actual earned income properly on your SAR7 forms throughout the year.

I just went through this whole process because our school opted out too. So frustrating! If your child has Medi-Cal, you should get it automatically, but there have been system matching issues. I had to call FOUR TIMES before getting through to a person who could help me. The cards are definitely going out in batches, but they're behind schedule. The income limits depend on household size - for a family of 4 it's about $59,000 annual income. If you're close to the threshold, apply anyway! Sometimes they don't count certain income or there are deductions that help you qualify. Also, check if your child gets any other benefits that might qualify them automatically. Even certain reduced fee programs through the county can sometimes help establish eligibility.

did u call the sun bucks number yet? i had to call 3 times before gettin anyone but they fixed it right away when i finally got thru

Glad to hear you got through! For anyone else facing this issue, remember that under California regulations, the county office must provide \

wait is that true about good cause?? my benefits got cut off last year cuz they said i didnt turn in some form but i couldnt reach anyone to tell them i never got the form in the first place

anybody else notice how the rich ppl banks got chip cards like 8yrs ago but somehow its "too hard" to protect our benfits?? Makes me so mad!! They said identity theft is a "high priority" but we still waiting YEARS for basic protection??

I'm still tracking your case - any updates? Were you able to reach your county worker or get emergency benefits issued? The fraud investigation will still take time, but you should be able to get at least partial replacement benefits while waiting.

Update: I called my county office this morning and finally got through! The representative confirmed that my daughter IS eligible for P-EBT since we're already on CalFresh. They're sending cards for our county starting next week, and we should receive it within 10-15 business days. Thanks everyone for your help clearing up my confusion!

Just to give everyone the most current information: The 2025 P-EBT benefit amount in California is $138 per eligible child per month. This is slightly higher than last year due to inflation adjustments. The benefits are typically loaded retroactively, so when you receive your card, you may get several months' worth of benefits at once. The distribution schedule by county is available on the CDSS website, though they don't provide exact mailing dates. If your card doesn't arrive within the expected timeframe for your county, you can request a replacement through the P-EBT helpline at 877-328-9677, but be prepared for long wait times.