Do CalFresh EBT benefits need to be reported on income taxes?

Good news! CalFresh benefits (food stamps/EBT) are NOT taxable income and do NOT need to be reported on your tax return. The IRS specifically excludes them as non-taxable government assistance. You won't receive any tax forms for CalFresh and you don't need to mention it anywhere on your return. Your cousin might be thinking of other benefits like unemployment which ARE taxable. Hope that helps!

nope dont report it. its not income its food assistance. ive been on calfresh 6 yrs never reported it

I was literally JUST wondering this same thing!!!! I got so confused because my tax preparer asked me about "government benefits" and I wasn't sure what counted. Thanks for asking this question.

I think your cousin is confusing CalFresh with unemployment benefits or maybe SSI? Unemployment benefits are definitely taxable (got hit with a big tax bill last year because of this). But CalFresh/EBT/SNAP benefits are specifically excluded from taxable income by the IRS. You absolutely do not need to report it anywhere on your tax returns.

Tax professional here. Everyone giving you correct information. CalFresh/SNAP benefits are considered non-taxable income and are NOT reported on your tax return. This is different from some other government benefits like unemployment, disability, or social security which may be partially or fully taxable depending on your situation. The IRS publication that covers this is Publication 525, which states that welfare benefits, including SNAP (CalFresh), are not taxable. You can rest easy on this one!

I actually made this mistake my first year on calfresh! I reported it as income and then had to file an amended return because my tax lady caught it later. Don't be like me lol. CalFresh is NOT taxable and doesn't go anywhere on your tax forms.

On a kinda related note, if you get Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) with your tax refund, that refund money ALSO doesn't count as income for your CalFresh! I was so worried last year when I got a big tax refund that they'd cut my benefits, but the worker told me tax refunds don't affect CalFresh eligibility or benefit amounts.

By the way, if you're having trouble reaching someone at the county office to ask tax-related questions about your benefits, I recently discovered a service called Claimyr that can help you get through. Instead of waiting on hold forever, they call and wait for you, then call you when a real person picks up. Saved me hours when I needed to reach my CalFresh worker about verification documents. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 and their website is claimyr.com. It's been super helpful with all the phone issues lately.

my friend said u need to report the cash aid part if u get calworks too but not the calfresh part

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who's been on CalFresh for 3 years and does my own taxes - you definitely don't report it! I use TurboTax and there's actually a section that specifically asks about government benefits, but when you click on CalFresh/SNAP it literally says "not taxable - do not report." Made me feel so much better the first time I saw that. Also, if you're doing your taxes yourself, most of the free tax software will walk you through what benefits are taxable vs not. CalFresh is always in the "not taxable" category along with things like WIC and other food assistance programs.

Just to add some reassurance to everyone's great answers - I've been receiving CalFresh for about 2 years now and have never had any issues with my taxes. The IRS is very clear that SNAP/CalFresh benefits are excluded from taxable income, and you won't even receive any tax documents (like a 1099) for these benefits because they're not considered income at all. One thing that helped me understand this better is that CalFresh is classified as a "means-tested public assistance benefit" which is specifically excluded from federal income tax. This is different from programs like Social Security or unemployment where you do receive tax forms and may owe taxes depending on your total income. So you can definitely breathe easy on this one - your $4,890 in CalFresh benefits stays completely off your tax return!

As someone who works in tax preparation, I can confirm what everyone else is saying - CalFresh benefits are 100% non-taxable and should never be reported on your tax return. The confusion often comes from the fact that some government benefits ARE taxable (like unemployment or certain disability payments), but food assistance programs like CalFresh/SNAP are specifically exempt. One helpful way to remember this: if you didn't receive a tax document (like a 1099 or W-2) for it, and it's a needs-based assistance program, it's almost certainly not taxable. The IRS wants to help people meet basic needs like food and shelter, not tax them on that assistance. You're doing the right thing by asking though - it's always better to double-check than make assumptions with taxes!

I went through this exact same worry last year! I'm a single mom with two kids and was receiving about $350/month in CalFresh benefits. I was so stressed about tax time because I kept hearing conflicting information from friends and family. Some people told me ALL government benefits were taxable, others said none were. What really helped me was calling the IRS directly (yeah, I actually got through!) and they confirmed that CalFresh/SNAP benefits are completely non-taxable and don't need to be reported anywhere on your tax return. They explained that food assistance programs are considered "welfare benefits" under tax law and are specifically excluded from income. I also want to add that if you're using a tax preparer, make sure they understand this too! My first tax preparer actually tried to include my CalFresh as income until I questioned it and we looked it up together. Now I always double-check with any tax professional I work with to make sure they know the rules about food assistance programs. You're being really responsible by asking this question before filing - that shows you're taking your taxes seriously. But you can definitely relax about the CalFresh benefits!

I'm so glad you asked this question! As someone who just started receiving CalFresh benefits a few months ago, I was worried about the same thing. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. It's really comforting to see so many people confirming that CalFresh benefits are not taxable income and don't need to be reported on tax returns. What I found particularly useful was learning about the distinction between different types of government benefits - like how unemployment IS taxable but food assistance programs like CalFresh are specifically exempt. I also appreciate the tip about looking for tax documents (like 1099s) as a general indicator of whether something needs to be reported. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and expertise here. This is exactly the kind of community support that makes navigating these systems so much easier for newcomers like us!

This is such an important question and I'm really glad you asked! I was in a similar situation last year - first time doing taxes while receiving CalFresh and I was so nervous about making a mistake. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring. What really helped me understand this better is that CalFresh is designed to help people afford food, and the government doesn't want to turn around and tax that assistance - it would defeat the purpose! The IRS specifically excludes these benefits because they recognize that food assistance programs are essential support for basic needs. I also want to echo what others have said about keeping good records of your other income sources. While CalFresh doesn't need to be reported, you'll still want to make sure you have all your W-2s, 1099s, and other tax documents organized. And if you're eligible for programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit, that can actually help increase your refund! Thanks again for asking this question - it's helping so many of us feel more confident about tax season while receiving benefits.

Just wanted to add my perspective as someone who's been receiving CalFresh for about a year now. I had the exact same worry when tax season rolled around! What really helped me was calling the IRS taxpayer assistance line (1-800-829-1040) and they confirmed directly that CalFresh/SNAP benefits are completely non-taxable. I also learned that this applies to all the related food assistance programs - so if you received any emergency food benefits during COVID or WIC benefits, those are also not reportable on your taxes. The key thing to remember is that these are all considered "nutritional assistance" programs rather than income, which is why they're treated differently from things like unemployment benefits. One more tip that helped me: I keep a simple folder with all my benefit letters throughout the year, not for tax purposes but just to stay organized. It's been really helpful when I need to reference benefit amounts or dates for other things. But again, none of that CalFresh paperwork needs to touch your tax return! You're being really smart by asking this question ahead of time rather than stressing about it later. Hope this helps ease your mind about tax season!

I'm so relieved to see all these responses confirming that CalFresh benefits aren't taxable! I just started receiving benefits a few months ago and have been dreading tax season because I wasn't sure what I needed to report. It's incredibly helpful to hear from so many people who've been through this already. The explanation about CalFresh being "nutritional assistance" rather than income really helps me understand why it's treated differently from other government benefits. I feel so much more confident about doing my taxes now - thank you everyone for sharing your knowledge and experiences!

I'm so grateful for this thread! I've been receiving CalFresh for about 8 months now and was getting really anxious about tax season. My mom kept telling me that "all government money is taxable" which had me worried I was going to owe a huge tax bill. Reading everyone's responses has been such a relief - especially hearing from the tax professional who cited IRS Publication 525. It's really reassuring to know that CalFresh is specifically designed to help with basic needs and the government doesn't want to tax that assistance. I also appreciate all the tips about keeping organized records and the reminder that tax refunds don't affect CalFresh eligibility either. This community has been so helpful in clearing up the confusion. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and knowledge!