Can I claim CalFresh benefits on my taxes? Confused about EBT and tax filing
So I'm trying to file my taxes for the first time since getting CalFresh benefits, and I'm super confused! Do I need to report my CalFresh/EBT benefits as income on my taxes? Will it affect my refund? The tax software I'm using keeps asking about 'government benefits' and I don't know what to put. I got approved last August and have been receiving about $250/month for me and my daughter. Also, is there any special tax credit I can claim because I'm on CalFresh? Sorry if this is a dumb question, but taxes are stressing me out!!
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Dmitry Popov
CalFresh benefits are NOT taxable income, so you don't need to report them on your tax return at all. The IRS doesn't consider food assistance as income. However, if you're getting other benefits like CalWORKs, those might have different rules. You should look into the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) since you have a child. Being on CalFresh often means you might qualify for EITC which could give you a bigger refund. Also check if you qualify for the Child Tax Credit. Just make sure you're reporting all your actual income from jobs or other sources, but your CalFresh benefits shouldn't appear anywhere on your tax forms.
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Sofia Ramirez
•Thank you so much! That's a huge relief. The tax program kept asking about 'government benefits' so I got worried. I'll definitely look into that EITC thing you mentioned!
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Ava Rodriguez
OMG I was TERRIFIED about this my first year on calfresh too!!! The tax websites are so confusing the way they word things. But yeah calfresh is not considered income and you DONT report it on taxes. its basically invisible to the IRS.
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Miguel Ortiz
•same, i almost reported mine 2 years ago but my sister told me not too. the government doesnt need to no about your benefits twice lol
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Zainab Khalil
When the tax software asks about government benefits, they're probably referring to things like unemployment, disability payments, or Social Security. CalFresh (SNAP benefits) aren't taxable. Just make sure you're reporting your work income accurately because that's what your CalFresh eligibility is based on.
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QuantumQuest
•This is correct information. I'd also add that if you received the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) last year, that's also not considered taxable income for your federal return. Many CalFresh recipients qualify for both the federal EITC and the CalEITC, which can really boost your refund. Since you have a child, make sure to claim the Child Tax Credit as well. If you're still confused about tax filing and have a low income, you may qualify for free tax preparation services through VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance). Many community organizations and libraries host VITA sites where IRS-certified volunteers will help prepare your return for free.
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Connor Murphy
im on calfresh and i never reported it on my taxes and nobody has ever said anything to me lol. been 3 years now
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Yara Haddad
While trying to reach my County office about a similar tax question last month, I kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Someone on another forum recommended Claimyr (claimyr.com) - they got me connected to a real CalFresh worker in about 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 The worker confirmed CalFresh benefits are non-taxable and don't need to be reported as income. She also helped me understand which tax credits I qualified for because of my low income. Much better than trying to figure it out myself!
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Miguel Ortiz
•does that actually work? i hate calling those offices its like they dont want you to talk to a human
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Yara Haddad
•Yeah, it really did work for me. I was shocked honestly because I had tried calling the regular line like 5 times before and kept getting disconnected. This way I actually got to talk to someone who could answer my questions.
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QuantumQuest
I want to clarify a few important tax points for CalFresh recipients: 1) CalFresh benefits are NOT taxable and don't need to be reported anywhere on your tax return 2) For a single parent with one child in 2025, you may qualify for: - Earned Income Tax Credit (up to $4,200 depending on income) - Child Tax Credit (up to $2,000 per qualifying child) - Head of Household filing status (better tax rates than filing Single) 3) If your income is under $62,000, you can use the IRS Free File program to file for free 4) Your CalFresh benefits have no impact on your tax refund amount Hope this helps clarify things! The tax system and benefit system often confuse people because they operate independently.
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Sofia Ramirez
•This is so helpful! I didn't know about the free filing option either. I was about to pay $40 for the basic tax software version. And those tax credits sound amazing - definitely going to claim those!
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Zainab Khalil
did u get a 1099 form from the calfresh office? if not then u don't report it.
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Dmitry Popov
•CalFresh offices don't issue 1099 forms because the benefits aren't taxable income. That's actually a good rule of thumb for most government benefits - if you didn't receive a tax form for it, it's probably not taxable (though there are exceptions).
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Ava Rodriguez
OK slightly off topic but since ur filing taxes with a kid, MAKE SURE you claim head of household status and not single!!! I made that mistake my first year as a single mom and missed out on like $1200!!!!! Also the earned income credit the others mentioned is HUGE for us single parents. My tax refund last year was almost $5000 because of these credits and I only made like $27k at my job!
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Sofia Ramirez
•Oh wow that's a big difference! I was definitely just going to put 'single' because that's my marital status. Thanks for the heads up!
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Miguel Ortiz
lol i was worrying about this too. taxes are so confusing.
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