Do CalFresh recipients need to file taxes with no income? Will it affect my benefits?

The short answer is: if you have no income, you generally aren't required to file taxes. Your CalFresh benefits are not directly tied to whether you file taxes or not - they're tied to your income (or lack thereof), household composition, and expenses. However, there's a bit more nuance here: 1. For 2025 tax filing (for 2024 income), if you had NO income, you're not required to file a tax return. 2. CalFresh eligibility is based on your household's income and resources, not whether you file taxes. 3. When you do your CalFresh recertification or submit your SAR7, you'll need to verify your income status (or lack of income), but providing tax returns is just one way to do that. So your friend is closer to being correct in this case. Your uncle might be confusing this with other benefits that do have tax filing requirements.

not having a job doesnt mean u have no income tho. do u get financial aid? scholarships? anybody giving u money regularly? those could count as income and might mean u need to file. but ya calfresh doesnt care if u file taxes or not they just care about ur actual $$$

When I was a student on CalFresh in 2023, I got confused about this exact same thing! Your uncle is mixing up requirements. For CalFresh, you don't need to FILE taxes, but you do need to REPORT any income changes on your SAR7 (that's the Semi-Annual Report form). BUT - and this is really important for students - some types of financial aid DO count as income and some DON'T. Grants and loans that go toward educational expenses (tuition, books, supplies) don't count as income for CalFresh. However, if you have money left over that you use for living expenses, THAT part might count. I almost got in trouble because I didn't realize my work-study job counted as income for CalFresh reporting (even though it was under the tax filing threshold). Make sure you're reporting everything correctly on your SAR7 and recertification!

I SWEAR the county workers tell everyone different things!!! Last year they told me I HAD to file taxes even with no income or they'd cut my calfresh. I spent $120 at H&R Block for NOTHING!!! Then my worker said oh actually you didn't need to do that. THEY NEED TO GET THEIR STORIES STRAIGHT!!!

Just to clarify some misunderstandings I'm seeing in this thread: 1. Tax filing requirements are completely separate from CalFresh eligibility requirements. They are different systems governed by different agencies (IRS vs. CDSS). 2. For CalFresh as a student, you must meet student eligibility criteria (working 20 hours/week, work-study, having dependents, etc.) regardless of your income reporting or tax filing status. 3. Your SAR7 and recertification are what matter for CalFresh. On these forms, you must accurately report your household composition, income (or lack thereof), and expenses. 4. For financial aid: grants, scholarships, and loans used for qualified educational expenses are excluded from both CalFresh income calculations AND tax reporting. However, portions used for living expenses might count for CalFresh. If you have zero income, you'll simply verify that on your SAR7/recertification. You may need to complete a "Zero Income Affidavit" explaining how you pay for your living expenses. This is normal and routine for the county office.

Have you tried calling your county CalFresh office directly to ask? I had a similar question last year and spent FOUR DAYS trying to get through on their phone line. Always busy or disconnected after waiting forever. Finally I tried this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that holds your place in line and calls you back when a real person is available. Totally worth it because the worker I spoke with was able to look at my specific case and confirm I didn't need to file taxes to keep my benefits. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 - saved me so much stress!

just wondering but if you dont have a job how do u qualify for calfresh as a student? i thought students had to work 20hrs/week to get it?

Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! I feel so much better now. To summarize what I learned: 1. I don't need to file taxes to keep my CalFresh (they're separate systems) 2. What matters is reporting accurately on my SAR7 and recertification 3. Since my financial aid only goes to educational expenses, I'm correctly reporting $0 income 4. I still qualify as a student through the EOP exemption I appreciate all the help! This community is amazing.

Great summary! Just wanted to add one more tip for your recertification - if they do ask for a zero income affidavit, be specific about how you meet your basic needs (family support, food pantries, etc.). The more detailed you are, the smoother the process usually goes. Also, keep copies of everything you submit because sometimes documents get "lost" in the system and you'll need to resubmit. You've got this!