CalFresh income limits for family of 5 in 2025 - Exceeded the threshold?

For 2025, the gross monthly income limit for a household of 5 is $5,392 for CalFresh. You mentioned $4,950, so you should still be under the threshold for a family of 5. However, the bigger question is whether your mother-in-law counts as part of your household or separate. For CalFresh, household members are counted together if they purchase and prepare food together. If your MIL truly buys and prepares all her meals separately, she could apply as her own household of 1, and you would apply as 5. But if you share any meals regularly, the county will likely count all 6 of you together (which would actually give you a higher income limit of $6,146).

when i had my mom living with us they counted us all as one houshold even tho she bought her own stuff but maybe the rules r different now this was back in 2023

I just went through this EXACT SAME SITUATION with my brother moving in!!! The income limits depend on if your mother-in-law is considered part of your "CalFresh household" - which is NOT the same as just living together. Here's what the eligibility worker told me: 1. If she buys AND prepares her food completely separately = separate households 2. If you buy food with separate money but cook together = ONE household 3. If she's over 60 OR disabled AND can't purchase/prepare her own meals = she can be separate And they will ASK A TON of questions about this at recertification!!! Be prepared to explain the exact arrangement in detail. They might even ask for statements from both you and your MIL.

Just gonna throw this out there - if you're having trouble reaching someone at the county office about this (which I ALWAYS did), try Claimyr. It's this service that gets you through to a live person at CalFresh without waiting on hold forever. Saved me hours of frustration when I had a similar household question. You can see how it works at claimyr.com or watch their demo video here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8

i think the 2025 income limits for calfresh went up a little bit from last year. not sure of exact number but my worker told me there was like a 3% increase in january

One more thing to consider - even if your household is right at the income limit, make sure you're reporting all your deductions at recertification. Things that can help your eligibility: - Child care expenses - Medical expenses for elderly/disabled household members over $35/month - Child support payments - Shelter costs (rent/mortgage, utilities) All of these can be deducted when calculating your net income, which is what ultimately determines your benefit amount. Especially with 6 people, if you have high rent, that deduction could make a big difference in maintaining eligibility.

I remember when I applied they asked me a bunch of questions about who eats together. The worker said something about it being a "mandatory household member" situation if you eat together. So if you share ANY meals, technically everyone needs to be on one application. But honestly, I think it depends which worker you get... some are more strict about this than others.

Just to provide accurate information since there's some confusion in the comments: For CalFresh in California 2025, the income limits are: Household size 5: $5,392/month gross income Household size 6: $6,146/month gross income But these are GROSS income limits (before deductions). After your deductions, your NET income has to be below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level. With your rent and childcare costs, you should easily qualify with your current income even as a household of 6. Regarding the household composition - the LEGAL rule is that people who purchase and prepare food together must apply together. If your MIL is over 60, she COULD potentially be a separate household IF she purchases and prepares food separately, even living under the same roof. But in practice, most eligibility workers will count everyone together unless there's a very clear separation (separate cooking facilities, clear documentation of separate food buying).

make sure u bring all ur paystubs too!!! they always ask me for the last 30 days of income proof even when i already sent it online

I went through something similar when my elderly father moved in with us last year. One thing I learned that might help you - even if you end up being counted as a household of 6, you're actually in a better position than you think! At $4,950 income with $2,400 rent + $650 childcare, your net income after deductions will be WAY below the limit. Also, pro tip: if your MIL receives Social Security, make sure they don't accidentally count her income toward your household if she does end up being considered separate. I had to correct this mistake twice with my worker because they kept adding my dad's SS to our household income even though he was applying separately. Good luck with your recertification - sounds like you should be fine either way the household gets counted!

I'm new to CalFresh but going through a similar situation with my grandmother who moved in with us recently. From what I've been reading online and talking to other families, it seems like the key thing is being really clear about the meal sharing situation when you talk to your worker. One thing I learned that might help - if you're worried about the household size determination, you could ask your eligibility worker to walk through the specific CalFresh household rules with you during your recertification appointment. They're supposed to explain exactly how they're counting your household and why. Also, based on what everyone is saying about your income and deductions, it sounds like you'll be fine either way! With that much in rent and childcare costs, those deductions should really help your case. Good luck with your recertification!