CalFresh benefits affected by outdated direct deposit information - help!

this happened to me before!! dont worry they will mail u a physical ebt card if the direct deposit bounces back. make sure ur mailing address is updated tho. sometimes takes like an extra week to get the card

There seems to be some confusion here. CalFresh benefits are always loaded onto an EBT card, not direct deposited into a bank account. You're mixing up CalFresh (food benefits) with perhaps CalWORKs (cash aid) or a tax refund/stimulus payment. For CalFresh, your benefits are loaded onto your EBT card on the same day each month based on the last digit of your case number. If you've lost your EBT card, you need to call the EBT Customer Service line at 1-877-328-9677 to report it lost and request a replacement. They'll deactivate the old card and mail you a new one within 7-10 business days. You can also contact your county office to update your information, but specifically for a replacement EBT card, the customer service line is faster.

i never understand why they make these benefits SO COMPLICATED!!! like why can't everything just go on one card or to your bank directly?? the whole system is designed to confuse ppl i swear

For your CalWORKs direct deposit issue, you need to submit a new direct deposit form as soon as possible. You can download the form from the BenefitsCal website or pick one up from your county office. The form is called "Direct Deposit Authorization" or sometimes "Direct Deposit Enrollment Form." If the payment is attempted to a closed account, it will bounce back to the county, but this process can take 5-10 business days. The county will then either try to contact you for updated information or issue you a paper check. However, this can delay your benefits by 2-3 weeks. I recommend calling your county office immediately to notify them of the situation. They can put a note in your file to stop the direct deposit attempt and issue a paper check for this month while you get the new direct deposit form processed for future months.

If you're having trouble getting through to your county worker, you might want to try Claimyr. I was in a similar situation last month - kept getting disconnected after waiting for hours. Someone recommended Claimyr (claimyr.com) to me - they basically call and wait on hold for you, then call you once they get a real person on the line. Saved me SO much frustration! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 I was skeptical at first but it actually worked. I had my direct deposit issue resolved the same day instead of stressing for weeks.

Just want to point out that you should also check your BenefitsCal account online (if you have one set up). Sometimes you can update your direct deposit info there without having to submit a paper form. But def still call to make sure they stop the current month's payment from going to the closed account.

Just to clarify a key point for you and others who might read this later: For CalWORKs, when a direct deposit fails because an account is closed, the county is required to issue a paper check to your address on file within 5 business days of receiving the returned funds from the bank. However, this whole process can take 2-3 weeks total. For immediate help, I recommend both calling your worker AND going into your local county office in person if you can. In-person requests for expedited checks due to failed direct deposits are typically processed faster than phone requests. Bring ID and your case information. Also, for the future, you have the option to receive your CalWORKs on your EBT card instead of direct deposit (the cash side of the card). This can simplify things if you're concerned about changing bank accounts again.

why doesn't anyone talk about how the county workers NEVER answer their phones???? the whole system is broken!!!

UPDATE: I went to the county office in person today instead of calling. Had to wait almost 3 hours but finally spoke with someone. They said my CalWORKs payment had already been processed to my old bank account yesterday but will bounce back. They've noted my file to issue a paper check once that happens, AND I completed a form to get future payments on my EBT card instead of direct deposit. They said the paper check should come in about 10 days. Thanks everyone for your help!