Can I apply for CalFresh for just me and my baby without including boyfriend's income?

Unfortunately, CalFresh considers everyone who purchases and prepares food together as one household, regardless of whether you're married or not. If you live together and share meals, they'll count his income. The technical term is "mandatory household members." If he's buying and preparing food with you, or contributing to food expenses, they'll count his income against your eligibility limit. If you were to move out and live separately, then you could apply as your own household with just you and your baby. That would be a completely legitimate way to qualify if you're truly living separately.

hey have u looked into WIC? its diffrent from calfresh and has special formula benefits for babies. i think the income limits r higher too. my cousin got it even tho she didnt qualify for calfresh.

I was LITERALLY in your exact situation 2 years ago!!!! The system is RIGGED against unmarried couples. My boyfriend made too much for me to qualify with my twins, but not enough for us to actually live comfortably. I ended up "moving in" with my mom on paper - I still stayed with my boyfriend most nights but I used my mom's address for all my benefits applications and got mail there. They never checked or visited. I got $470/month for me and my twins which saved us!!! The county workers don't have time to investigate everyone's living situation.

I'm a benefits counselor, and I'd like to clarify a few things. For CalFresh, the household rules are specific: if you purchase and prepare food together, you're considered one household regardless of relationship status. However, there are some exceptions and strategies worth considering: 1. If your boyfriend is not the biological/adoptive/step parent of your child, you MAY be able to apply as a separate household IF you can show you buy and prepare food separately (separate food storage, preparation, etc.) 2. Look into your boyfriend applying for an "excluded member" status - in some cases, the income of certain household members can be partially excluded. 3. Make sure you're claiming all possible deductions: childcare expenses, excess shelter costs (rent over 50% of income), child support payments, and medical expenses for certain household members. Before making a major move just for benefits, I'd recommend scheduling an appointment with a county eligibility worker to explore ALL options. Your situation is common, and they might have suggestions specific to your case.

I spent THREE DAYS trying to reach someone at the county office about a similar household composition issue. Kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours! Finally I found a service called Claimyr that got me through to a real person in about 10 minutes. They connect you directly to a CalFresh worker and bypass all the hold times. Totally worth it when you have specific questions like yours that need a real answer from a county worker. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8

everyone is giving good advice but also consider this - if u move out just for benefits, ur total situation might be worse. like if ur boyfriend helps with rent and bills now, but u move to ur sisters, ud have to pay ur own way there too right? or ud be dependent on family. plus moving costs money. maybe try applying with his income first and see what happens? sometimes u can still get something even if its not the full amount. And make sure u put ALL ur expenses on the application - rent, utilities, childcare, etc.

My cousin had baby last year and she said WIC gives more formula now in 2025 than before. Maybe check if you're getting the full amount you qualify for? Also did you know CalFresh is going up again in October? The income limits are higher now too so maybe you'd qualify even with boyfriend's income.

THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!!! I was in your situation and had to CHOOSE between staying with my partner or feeding my kids properly. What kind of choice is that??? And then they wonder why single parenthood is so common. The government literally incentivizes couples to split up or lie about their living situation. It makes me SO ANGRY!!!

One more thing to consider - if your boyfriend isn't the father of your child and you're not married, but you do share food expenses, you might qualify as a separate household IF you can demonstrate that you purchase and prepare food separately. This would require some documentation and explanation during your interview, but it is a legitimate option under CalFresh rules in certain circumstances. And make sure you're also applying for all other benefits you might qualify for - CalWORKs can provide cash aid for you and your baby even if CalFresh is limited. There's also childcare assistance programs that have higher income limits than CalFresh.

As someone who works with families navigating benefits, I wanted to add that you should also check if your county has any emergency food assistance programs while you're sorting out the CalFresh situation. Many counties have food banks or emergency aid that doesn't have the same household composition rules. Also, if you do decide to try the separate food purchasing approach, keep receipts and documentation showing you're buying your own groceries - this can help during your eligibility interview. The county worker will want to see proof that you're truly maintaining separate food budgets. Good luck, and don't give up! There are often more options than people realize.

I'm a case worker and want to clarify something important about the separate household option that several people mentioned. While it's true that unmarried couples can sometimes qualify as separate households, the key factor is whether you "purchase and prepare food together." This isn't just about having separate shelves - you need to truly maintain separate food budgets, shop separately, cook separately, and eat separately most of the time. The county will ask detailed questions about your food arrangements during the interview. If you share meals regularly or split grocery costs, they'll likely count you as one household. That said, with your rent being $2,100 and his income at $3,800, you might still qualify for some CalFresh benefits even as a combined household due to the high shelter deduction. I'd recommend calling your county office to discuss your specific situation before making any major living changes.

I'm actually going through something very similar right now! My boyfriend and I have been together for 2 years and we have a 6-month-old together. We live in a studio apartment and his income puts us just over the limit when combined, but like you said, after rent and bills we're barely scraping by. What I ended up doing was applying anyway and being completely honest about our situation during the phone interview. I explained that while we live together, I handle all the baby's food expenses separately and we split other household costs proportionally. The caseworker was actually really understanding and helped me calculate all our deductions properly - childcare costs, the fact that over 50% of our income goes to rent, etc. We ended up qualifying for $180/month which isn't huge but definitely helps with baby food and formula costs. I'd definitely recommend trying the application first before moving out, especially since you already have WIC. The worst they can say is no, but you might be surprised! And definitely mention that you're responsible for all the baby's food costs separately.

I'm a CalFresh recipient and mom of two, and I want to echo what others have said about trying the application first before making any big moves. When I applied, I was shocked at how much the shelter deduction helped - with your rent being $2,100 out of $3,800 income, that's over 55% which is huge for CalFresh calculations. Also, make sure you're claiming any childcare expenses if you're working or looking for work, and any medical expenses over $35/month. One thing I learned is that even getting a small amount like $50-100/month can make a real difference when you're buying formula and baby food. The county workers have seen every situation imaginable, so don't be afraid to explain exactly how you handle the baby's food expenses versus household groceries. And if they do deny you initially, you can always appeal - sometimes a different worker will see your case differently. Hang in there mama, you're doing great advocating for your little one!

I'm a new member here but wanted to share what I learned when I was in a similar situation last year. One thing that really helped me was keeping a detailed log for about 2 weeks before applying - I wrote down every food purchase, who bought it, who ate it, and how we split costs. This documentation really helped during my eligibility interview because I could show the caseworker exactly how we handled food expenses. Even though we lived together, I was able to demonstrate that I purchased all baby-related food items separately and that we had different eating patterns (I ate a lot of quick meals while caring for the baby, while my partner had regular meal times). The caseworker appreciated the documentation and it helped make the case that we maintained some level of separate food budgets even while sharing a home. Just a thought if you decide to go the separate household route - having that paper trail beforehand can really strengthen your case!

I just wanted to add something that might help - if you do end up applying as a combined household, make sure to ask about the "Standard Utility Allowance" during your interview. If you're paying for heating/cooling separately from rent (which most people are), you can claim the full utility deduction even if your actual utility bills are lower. With your high rent of $2,100, this extra deduction could make the difference between qualifying and not qualifying. Also, California has been increasing CalFresh benefits throughout 2025, so the amounts are higher than they were even 6 months ago. I've seen families with similar income situations to yours get approved for $150-250/month once all the deductions are properly calculated. Don't give up before trying - the application process has gotten more streamlined and the workers are generally pretty helpful if you're honest about your situation. Good luck mama!

I'm a single mom and I've been through the CalFresh application process twice - once when I lived with my ex and once on my own. From what I've learned, the key is being completely transparent about your living situation during the interview. Since you're not married and your boyfriend isn't your baby's father, you do have some options that married couples don't. The caseworkers I've dealt with have been pretty reasonable when you explain that you're handling all the baby's food costs separately. Keep receipts for formula, baby food, and any groceries you buy specifically for yourself and the baby. Also, with your rent being so high compared to income, you'll likely get a significant shelter deduction that could help you qualify even as a combined household. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier - apply for everything at once! CalFresh, CalWORKs, childcare assistance, and make sure you're getting the full WIC benefits available. Sometimes what you can't get from one program, you can get from another. The income limits and benefit amounts have all gone up this year, so you might be surprised at what you qualify for. Don't let the fear of being denied stop you from trying - the worst they can say is no, but you might get the help you and your baby need.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that might help! I was in a very similar situation - living with my partner, new baby, his income putting us just over the limit. What really made the difference for me was working with a local benefits navigator at our community center. They helped me understand all the deductions I could claim and even came with me to the county office for my interview. Many community centers and nonprofits have these free services specifically for new parents navigating benefits. They know all the ins and outs of the system and can help you present your case in the best way possible. The navigator I worked with actually suggested documenting how I handle baby expenses separately (like others have mentioned here) and helped me calculate our shelter costs properly. Also, don't forget about programs like the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) through food banks - they don't have the same household rules as CalFresh and can help bridge the gap while you're figuring out your long-term benefits situation. You're doing an amazing job advocating for your baby, and there are people out there whose job it is to help families like yours navigate these systems. Don't hesitate to ask for that support!

I'm a new community member and just wanted to say how helpful this thread has been! I'm not in the exact same situation, but I'm also a new mom trying to navigate the benefits system and feeling pretty overwhelmed by all the rules and requirements. Reading everyone's experiences and advice has really opened my eyes to how many options there actually are - I had no idea about things like benefits navigators at community centers, the Standard Utility Allowance, or programs like TEFAP. Anastasia, it sounds like you've gotten some really solid advice here about trying the application first before making any major living changes. The documentation approach that several people mentioned (keeping receipts for baby expenses, tracking food purchases separately) seems like a smart way to prepare for the eligibility interview. And with your high rent costs, you might be surprised at how much the shelter deduction helps even if you apply as a combined household. I'm definitely going to look into some of these resources for my own situation. It's so reassuring to see a community where people share real, practical advice based on their actual experiences. Thank you all for being so generous with your knowledge - it makes such a difference for those of us just starting to figure out how to get the support our babies need!

I'm a new member here but wanted to add something that might be helpful based on my experience working with CalFresh applications. One thing I've noticed is that many people don't realize you can actually request a phone interview instead of going into the county office, which can be much easier with a baby. Also, if you do get approved for CalFresh, make sure to ask about the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) if it's available in your county - it allows certain CalFresh recipients to use benefits at participating restaurants, which can be a lifesaver when you're exhausted from caring for a newborn and don't have energy to cook. Another tip - if you're breastfeeding, make sure to mention any additional food needs during your interview. Breastfeeding mothers can sometimes qualify for higher benefit amounts. And definitely keep track of any formula costs even if WIC covers some of it - any out-of-pocket baby food expenses can potentially be factored into your case. From everything I've read in this thread, it sounds like you have a really strong case for getting some level of benefits given your high shelter costs and the fact that you're handling baby food expenses separately. Don't get discouraged if the first person you talk to doesn't seem helpful - sometimes it takes talking to a different caseworker to get someone who really understands your situation. You're being such a good advocate for your baby!