CalFresh reduced my benefits after income reporting mistake - how to fix it?

omg this EXACT thing happened to my cousin last year! the county is always messing stuff up. did they at least tell u how to fix it? they should be able to adjust it for next month if u bring ur paystubs ASAP

I'm a eligibility worker (not for your county) but I can tell you this is unfortunately common. The SAR7 form is confusing about income reporting. For fastest resolution: 1. Bring ALL paystubs from the income reporting period they're questioning 2. Ask specifically for an "immediate need" recalculation due to significant benefit reduction 3. Request an "expedited correction" since this was a county processing error if you can prove you reported correctly By law, they should correct this within 10 days if it was their error. If it takes longer, you can request a state hearing.

i swear the whole system is designed to confuse people!!! i've been on calfresh for 5 years and STILL get confused about what income to report where. like why can't they just make it simple? and then they punish US when we make honest mistakes?? smh

Have you tried using Claimyr to reach them by phone? I wasted 2 hours on hold last month for a similar issue, then found this service where they actually wait on hold FOR YOU and call you back when a worker picks up. It saved me hours of frustration. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Might be worth it for something this urgent where you really need to talk to someone before going in person.

I had a similar problem last year and found out you can request what's called an "Expedited Mid-Period Action" if your benefits were reduced in error. I brought my paystubs showing my actual income and they fixed it within 3 days and even gave me the difference for the current month. Make sure to be very firm that your family can't make it through the month on the reduced amount. Use the phrase "immediate need due to benefit calculation error" - those exact words seemed to help my case.

u know whats crazy tho? u can report LESS income and they take FOREVER to increase ur benefits but report MORE income by accident and they cut ur benefits instantly 🙄 the whole system is rigged

last time I had trouble with my benifets I just reapplied completley instead of trying to fix the old case. it was faster for me. maybe try that?

UPDATE: I went to the office this morning and brought all my paystubs. Asked for an "immediate need recalculation" like you all suggested. The first worker said I'd have to wait, but I asked to speak to a supervisor and mentioned the "expedited mid-period action" that someone here recommended. The supervisor was actually super helpful! They reviewed my case right there and saw I had consistently reported my NET income correctly on previous reports. They're correcting the error and issuing the rest of my benefits within 3 business days!! Thank you all SO MUCH for your advice. It really made a difference knowing exactly what to ask for!

This is such a perfect example of why we need better advocacy resources! Maya, I'm so glad you got this resolved quickly thanks to everyone's advice here. It's really sad that you have to know the "magic words" like "expedited mid-period action" to get proper help, but this thread shows how powerful community knowledge sharing can be. For anyone else dealing with similar issues - screenshot Maya's update and the specific terms that worked! Having that language ready can make all the difference when you're stressed and trying to advocate for yourself at the county office.