CalFresh EBT deposit day delayed? First-time recipient confused about payment schedule

CalFresh benefits are issued on a schedule based on the last digit of your case number, not necessarily exactly one month from your first deposit. Check your BenefitsCal account or your approval letter - there should be a chart showing which day of the month you'll get benefits. Benefits are issued between the 1st and 10th of each month in California. If your deposit day was the 22nd last month, that sounds unusual, might have been a mid-month adjustment or special first-time issue.

the 1st deposit is always weird timing, but after that it follows the regular schedule. dont worry tho it should come soon! my bf got his first one on like the 19th but now he always gets it on the 3rd

Initial deposits often don't follow the normal schedule, but all subsequent months will be consistent. Your monthly deposit date is determined by the last digit of your case number: 0 or 1 = 1st day of month 2 = 2nd day of month 3 = 3rd day of month Etc. And yes, if your case number ends in 7, you'll get your benefits on the 7th of each month going forward. This could mean waiting a bit longer for your first regular deposit, but then you'll be on a predictable schedule forever after.

I HAD THIS EXACT PROBLEM when I first got CalFresh!! The system is SO confusing and nobody explains it properly!! My first deposit came on the 18th and I thought I'd get paid on the 18th every month but then nothing came the next month and I was PANICKING. Called the county and waited forever only to be told I need to look at the last digit of my case number. Mine's a 4 so I get paid on the 4th. Check yours!

If you're having trouble reaching someone to confirm your situation, I'd recommend trying Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation last month - couldn't get through to a real person at the county office after multiple attempts. Claimyr helped me get through to a live person in about 15 minutes instead of waiting for hours. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Saved me a lot of stress when I needed to sort out why my benefits were less than expected.

sometimes they skip a month too... happened to me once.. they said i didn't turn in my SAR7 form but i did!! then they fixed it but i had to wait another week. make sure you didn't miss any paperwork they sent you

Update: Just wanted to let everyone know that I got through to someone at the county office yesterday and they confirmed what you all said - my regular deposit date is the 7th based on my case number. The worker explained that the first deposit often comes at odd times because they're processing initial approvals throughout the month. Thanks everyone for your help!

For anyone else who finds this thread with a similar question: It's important to note that there are three key dates with CalFresh you should be aware of: 1. Your issuance date (1st-10th of month based on case number) 2. Your SAR7 due date (typically 5th of your reporting month) 3. Your recertification month (every 12 months) Keep track of all three to avoid any benefit interruptions. And remember, your EBT balance carries over from month to month - you don't lose unspent benefits when the new month starts.