CalFresh recertification denied - can my mom still use leftover EBT balance?

She can absolutely use whatever balance is currently on the EBT card! That money was already issued to her for previous months and belongs to her regardless of the recertification denial. The county doesn't remove funds once they've been added to the card. Just make sure she understands that no new benefits will be added until the appeal is resolved in her favor.

My recertification got denied in February and i was still able to use my remaining balance. but they WONT add any new $$ until your mom gets approved again. tell her to appeal RIGHT AWAY though!!!! she only has 90 days from the notice date to file the appeal!!!

To be very clear about this situation: Any balance currently on your mother's EBT card is legally hers to spend. When CalFresh benefits are issued, they belong to the recipient even if their case is subsequently closed or denied for recertification. However, there are two important points to understand: 1. She should file her appeal within 90 days of receiving the denial notice if she believes the decision was incorrect. If she appeals within 10 days of the notice, she may be able to request continued benefits during the appeal process. 2. If she's planning to appeal, she should gather documentation showing her actual income from all employers during the period in question. Income verification is one of the most common reasons for recertification denials. Benefit access during appeals can be confusing, so don't hesitate to contact her county office for clarification on her specific case.

just wondering but why was your mom denied? was it because she makes too much money now or just because of paperwork issues? my recert is coming up next month and im nervous about it

When I had a similar issue last year, I spent THREE DAYS trying to reach my caseworker to explain the income discrepancy. Kept getting disconnected or stuck on hold forever! I finally used Claimyr.com to get through to a real person and it saved me so much time. Their system calls the county office for you and gets you connected to a live worker without the wait. They even have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Seriously worth it for appeal situations where you need to explain things directly to a person.

DONT WORRY the EBT money is YOURS once its on the card. they cant take it back. i had over $500 on mine when i got cut off last year. used every penny of it lol. but ur mom should defintely appeal tho!!! they make mistakes ALL THE TIME with the income stuff. happened to me twice.

Just want to add that if your mother is technically over the income limit due to that one-time bonus, she should specifically mention on her appeal form that it was a "non-recurring lump sum payment" which is how CalFresh classifies one-time bonuses or gifts. These are NOT supposed to be counted as regular income for eligibility purposes. Having the proper terminology might help her case move forward more smoothly.

my aunt had the same thing happen she just reapplied instead of doing the appeal thing cuz its faster sometimes

you can reapply right away but the problem is you might not get benefits backdated to when you were cut off. with an appeal you can get all the missed benefits if you win. that's why i always say APPEAL dont just reapply!!

I went through something similar with my grandmother last year when her recertification got messed up due to Social Security income reporting issues. The $340 on her EBT card is absolutely safe to use - that money was already issued for previous months and legally belongs to her. The key thing is getting that appeal filed ASAP since she's already at 2 weeks. I'd also suggest having her contact the family who gave her the holiday bonus to get some kind of written confirmation that it was a one-time payment, not regular income. Even a simple email or note on letterhead would help her case tremendously. Good luck to your mom!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! My recertification is pending and I've been so worried about what happens if there's any issues. Reading everyone's responses here is really helpful - I didn't know that existing EBT balances stay on the card even after denial. Also the tip about "non-recurring lump sum payment" terminology is gold! I screenshot that for my own files. Hope your mom's appeal goes smoothly and she gets her benefits restored quickly. The fact that it was just a holiday bonus should definitely work in her favor since that's clearly not regular income.