CalFresh benefits dropped to $23 after Social Security increase - seniors struggling with California costs

Unfortunately, CalFresh calculations can be frustrating, especially for seniors with fixed incomes. The Social Security COLA increases often hurt benefit amounts because they increase your income without accounting for the actual cost increase in your area. Here are some factors that might be affecting your benefit calculation: 1. Standard deduction: For a 1-person household in 2025, this is about $200 2. Shelter deduction: This includes your mortgage, property taxes, and homeowners insurance minus half your adjusted income 3. Medical expense deduction: As a senior, you're entitled to deduct medical expenses that exceed $35/month The KEY thing I notice missing from your post - did you provide proof of your medical expenses? Many seniors don't realize that out-of-pocket medical costs (prescriptions, Medicare premiums, doctor visits, even transportation to medical appointments) can significantly increase your CalFresh benefits if they exceed $35 monthly.

same happened to my mom!!!! social security goes up like $20 but they cut her calfresh from $80 down to like $30!!! makes NO SENSE when groceries went up wayyy more than that stupid cola increase. the whole system is rigged against seniors imo

You have to submit EVERYTHING - they won't tell you what might help your case. I'm 68 and got my CalFresh up to $175/month by making sure to include all possible deductions. Medical expenses are huge for us seniors and they ADD UP. Did you submit your Medicare premium? Prescription costs? Eyeglasses? Transportation to doctors? Even non-prescription items your doctor recommends can sometimes count!

I can explain exactly why your benefits dropped to $23, and it's all about the math in their formula. CalFresh uses something called the "Thrifty Food Plan" as a baseline. For a single person in 2025, the maximum benefit is around $315. But then they expect you to spend 30% of your "net income" on food, so they subtract that amount. Here's where seniors get hit: Social Security is counted as income, but your expenses need to be high enough to offset it. Since you have a low mortgage (which is great financially otherwise!), your shelter deduction is probably smaller than many renters in California. As others mentioned, medical expense deduction is CRITICAL for seniors. Without it, even a small Social Security increase can drastically cut benefits because of how the 30% rule works in their formula.

Update: I called my county office this morning after reading all your helpful comments. I was on hold for 45 minutes but finally got through to a worker who confirmed I can submit my medical expenses without going through another appeal! She's sending me a form to complete and return with copies of my Medicare premium statement, insurance bills, pharmacy receipts, etc. She also explained that I've been getting the minimum CalFresh benefit amount of $23 (apparently that's the floor for seniors), and with my medical expenses documented, I might qualify for significantly more. Thank you all for pointing this out - I had no idea the medical deduction was so important!

I feel your pain!! I'm 72 and spent HOURS getting my benefits straightened out after the Social Security adjustment. My advice - CALL THE OFFICE rather than mail anything. That was my mistake at first. And definitely add ALL your medical expenses like others said. When the calculator shows something called 'excess shelter deduction' that's a big factor. If your mortgage+utilities+property tax+insurance is more than half your income after deductions, you get more benefits. A lot of seniors miss claiming this properly!! Also, did they enroll you in something called 'simplified reporting' for elderly/disabled? That can help prevent benefit reductions after small income changes like the COLA adjustment.

My experience with CalFresh as a senior has been AWFUL. I submitted medical expenses 3 times and they kept "losing" them. When I finally got through to a supervisor, my benefits went from $23 to $157 overnight. The system is designed to frustrate us into giving up!! One trick I learned - if you have any special diet needs recommended by your doctor (low sodium, diabetic, etc), get a doctor's note. Those special dietary needs can sometimes help your case because they recognize those foods cost more.

As someone who's been helping seniors navigate CalFresh for years, I want to emphasize something crucial that might not be obvious: ALWAYS submit medical expenses with your initial application, not just during appeals. The county workers often don't proactively ask about medical deductions, but they can make a huge difference. For seniors specifically, here's what counts as medical expenses: - Medicare Part B and Part D premiums - Supplemental insurance premiums - Prescription copays and deductibles - Over-the-counter medications prescribed by your doctor - Medical equipment (glasses, hearing aids, etc.) - Transportation costs to medical appointments - Dental and vision expenses not covered by insurance The key is documenting EVERYTHING over $35/month. Keep receipts, get statements from your insurance companies, and don't assume "small" expenses don't matter - they add up quickly and can significantly increase your benefits. Also, make sure to ask about the "elderly simplified reporting" option that @Mateo Sanchez mentioned. This protects seniors from benefit reductions due to small income changes like COLA adjustments.