Confused about CalFresh benefits - got full amount instead of prorated April payment. Will I still get May benefits?

Congrats on getting approved! What probably happened is they gave you both the prorated April amount AND May's benefits all at once. The system sometimes does this for new approvals. You can check your EBT transaction history online or call the number on the back of your card - it should show two separate deposits if that's the case.

This is actually pretty common with new CalFresh approvals. The county often issues the prorated month and the next full month simultaneously for new cases. Check your EBT account statement or the app - you should see two separate deposits. One would be the prorated amount for April and the other would be your full May allotment. If your approval date was after the 15th, your prorated amount might be small, making it look like just one payment. I would still call your worker to confirm so you can budget properly. Make note of the exact balance now, and if nothing new appears on June 1st, then you'll know for sure that May's benefits were already issued.

u might wanna call 2 make sure. sometimes they combine multiple months if ur approval took a long time. my cousin got 3 months at once cuz his case was delayed. just check with ur caseworker so u don't spend thinking more is coming next month lol

I went through EXACTLY THIS last year!! They gave me both March (prorated) and April benefits all at once. I spent too much thinking I'd get more in April and then had to stretch my budget. Definitely double-check with your worker before spending. Also - save your approval letter! It should say exactly what months were included in the initial issuance.

Just FYI - the maximum benefit for a household of 5 for 2025 is $1,155, not $1,040. So if you got $1,040, that might actually be the prorated amount for April plus part of May's benefits, not the full maximum. Check your Notice of Action letter - it should break down exactly what you're eligible for and when benefits will be issued.

i had this same question when I first got approved!!! Good news - they probably gave you BOTH April (partial) and May (full) benefits at once. But DON'T SPEND IT ALL thinking you'll get more on May 1st! You probably won't get another deposit until June. Call to confirm but this is exactly what happened to me.

Have you tried calling to ask? I always have SUCH a hard time getting through to my county office. I found this service called Claimyr that will wait on hold with CalFresh for you and call you back when a real person answers. Saved me hours of hold time last month when I had a similar issue with unexpected benefit amounts. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Totally worth it instead of waiting on hold forever.

BTW if ur getting max benefits u should also check if ur eligible for emergency allotment. my sister got extra $ the first 3 months after approval

UPDATE: Just got off the phone with my caseworker after a LONG wait. She confirmed that I received both April (prorated) and May benefits in one lump sum. My regular issuance date going forward will be the 11th of each month, so my next benefits will come on June 11th. Thanks everyone for your help!

Great to hear you got it all cleared up! This is such a common confusion for new CalFresh recipients. For anyone else reading this thread - this double deposit situation happens frequently with new approvals, especially when you're approved mid-month. The system tries to get you caught up quickly so you don't have to wait too long for your first benefits. Always check your transaction history in the EBT app or online portal - it'll show you exactly what each deposit was for. And definitely save that approval letter and any notices they send you, they have all the important dates and amounts spelled out!

This thread is so helpful! I'm in the exact same situation - just got approved and was worried about the same thing. It's really reassuring to see that this double deposit for new approvals is totally normal. I was panicking thinking I'd have to pay something back or that there was a mistake. The EBT app transaction history tip is gold - I never would have thought to check that. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, especially Paolo for asking the question and following up with the resolution!