CalFresh benefit amount suddenly tiny in March 2025 - normal or error?

omg yes!!! mine dropped from $543 to only $172 for me & my 2 kids!! i called the number on the back of my ebt card but after waiting 45 min the call just disconnected. no notice or anything about why it changed :/

This is likely due to the end of the Emergency Allotment supplements that were providing maximum benefits to all households regardless of income calculation. Starting this month, CalFresh returned to the normal calculation formula where your income and expenses determine your benefit amount. Check your most recent Notice of Action - there should have been a letter explaining the change. If your income went up or expenses went down (even slightly), this can dramatically affect your benefit calculation. Also verify that all your deductions are being counted correctly (rent/mortgage, utilities, medical expenses for seniors/disabled, childcare costs).

THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!! I've been on CalFresh for 4 years and EVERY SINGLE TIME there's some kind of adjustment or recalculation they MESS IT UP! My worker told me last year they're using some new automated system for calculating benefits in 2025 and guess what? IT'S GARBAGE!! You need to call your county office IMMEDIATELY and demand to speak to a worker about this. Don't accept the automated system's answers. They probably made a mistake on your income calculation. The squeaky wheel gets the grease with these people!!!

This could be because of the new COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) for 2025. If your income stayed the same but is now closer to the eligibility threshold due to updated federal poverty level guidelines, your benefit amount might decrease. Also, check if your utility allowance changed. During certain months, they switch between the standard utility allowance and the limited utility allowance which can impact your benefit amount by $100+ easily. Finally, make sure all your actual expenses are being counted! Many people don't know you can deduct things like: - Full rent/mortgage amount - Utility costs (or the standard allowance) - Medical expenses over $35 for elderly/disabled - Child support payments - Childcare costs related to work/education If you can prove higher expenses, your benefit amount should increase.

my cousin works for social services and she said theres a glitch in the system affecting benefits this month that they're trying to fix. lots of people got wrong amounts.

Based on the timing, I suspect this is related to your SAR7 processing. Even if you reported no changes, sometimes the information is interpreted differently or a verification document was missed. Here's what you should do: 1. Locate your most recent Notice of Action - it must legally explain any benefit changes 2. Check your mail carefully for any requests for verification you might have missed 3. Call your county office and specifically ask: - Was my SAR7 processed completely? - Are all my deductions being counted? - Has my income been calculated correctly? - Why specifically did my benefit amount change? Also, 2025 had some changes to the benefit calculation formula, but nothing that should cause such a dramatic decrease without some other factor involved. This sounds like either a missing deduction or an income calculation error.

EXACTLY THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME LAST MONTH!!! Turned out they "estimated" my income based on one higher-than-normal paycheck even though I provided ALL my check stubs. They somehow counted my income as 30% higher than it actually was!!! When I finally got through to a worker (took 3 days of calling), they fixed it and issued a supplement for the missing amount within 48 hours. FIGHT THIS!!

does anyone know if we get less benefits if we have money in savings? i deposited my tax refund last month (about $1200) and now im worried that made my benefits go down

UPDATE: I finally got through to my county office this morning! Turns out there were TWO problems: 1. They miscalculated my income based on that one week I worked extra hours (they thought that was my regular pay) 2. Somehow my utility deduction got removed during my SAR7 processing The worker fixed both issues and said I should get the correct amount (plus back benefits for this month) within 10 days. She also updated my case notes to prevent this from happening again. For anyone else with suddenly lower benefits, definitely call and speak to a real person! The worker told me several people have had similar issues this month because of changes to their processing system.