Do I need to report my teenage daughter's part-time job income to CalFresh? Will it affect our benefits?

yes u have to report it. any change in household income over $100 needs 2 be reported within 10 days. but dont worry too much, my son started working last year and our benefits only went down like $30

You definitely need to report this income change. Any household member's income counts toward your total household income. But there's good news - in 2025, California has special rules for student income. If your daughter is under 18 and attending school at least half-time, only a portion of her income counts toward your CalFresh budget. They disregard a lot of student earned income. You should report this on your next SAR7 (Semi-Annual Report), or if the change puts you over the Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) listed on your last approval notice, you need to report within 10 days. When you report, make sure to note that she's a student - this is important for the income calculation.

when my kid got a job they cut our benefits ALOT so just be prepared. the system sucks for working families!!!

Yes, you need to report this income. Here's how it works: 1. Your teenage daughter's income is considered part of the household income since she's under 18 and living with you. 2. You need to report this change on your next SAR7 (Semi-Annual Report) UNLESS the new total income puts you over your IRT (Income Reporting Threshold), which would require reporting within 10 days. 3. There is a 20% earned income deduction that applies to all earned income, so not all of her earnings will count against your benefits. 4. Your benefits will likely be reduced somewhat, but probably not eliminated entirely if your other circumstances haven't changed. When reporting, make sure to include her paystubs or a letter from her employer stating her hours and rate of pay. This helps the eligibility worker calculate things correctly.

In my experience, trying to get through to CalFresh to ask these kinds of questions is a nightmare - I spent hours on hold last month trying to report a change. I finally discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a real person in about 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Regarding your question, you definitely need to report it, but from what I understand, they prorate the reduction based on the amount earned. My nephew started working part-time and our benefits only went down by about $30-40.

The regulations state that ALL income from ALL household members must be reported, regardless of age. Since your daughter is part of your CalFresh household, her income is countable. The only income that's exempt is very specific types listed in MPP Section 63-502.2. For those saying the reduction won't be much - that depends entirely on the household's current circumstances. The benefit calculation is: [Maximum Allotment for Household Size] - [30% of Net Income after Deductions]. So for every additional $100 in countable income, benefits typically reduce by about $30. And to be clear - yes, you must report this on your next SAR7, but if it puts you over your IRT (Income Reporting Threshold), you must report within 10 days of the change.

wait i just remembered something important - ur supposed to report if anyone starts or stops a job too, not just if u go over the IRT. i think thats on the SAR7 instructions

my daughter started working and i didnt report it and got in big trouble later. they said i had an OVERPAYMNET and now i have to pay back like $800!!! just report it trust me

this whole system is rigged against working families i swear!! my kid wants to help out and gets punished for it by taking away our food money. what kind of message does that send to teenagers?? so frustrating

I went through this exact situation last year! My 17-year-old started working at Target and I was so worried about reporting it. Here's what I learned: yes, you absolutely have to report it, but it's not as scary as it seems. Since you said your IRT is $4,050 and she's only making around $400-500/month, you can wait until your next SAR7 to report it - no need to stress about the 10-day rule. When you do report, make sure you emphasize that she's a full-time student and include her school enrollment verification along with her paystubs. Also, don't forget about the earned income deduction! They automatically deduct 20% of her gross earnings before calculating your new benefit amount. So if she makes $500, only $400 counts toward your household income, and then they only reduce your benefits by about 30% of that amount. In our case, my son was making about $600/month and our benefits went down by roughly $180. It hurt at first, but honestly, having him contribute to his own school supplies and clothes actually freed up some of our food budget. Plus he felt so proud being able to help out! Just make sure to keep good records of everything for when you submit your SAR7.

I just wanted to add something that might help ease your worries a bit - I work for a nonprofit that helps families navigate CalFresh, and teenage employment is actually pretty common. The key thing to remember is that the system is designed to gradually reduce benefits as income increases, not cut you off entirely unless you're way over the limits. Since your daughter is only working 15-20 hours at minimum wage, we're talking about maybe $400-600 per month gross income. After the 20% earned income deduction, that's more like $320-480 counting toward your household income. Your benefits will probably drop by around $100-150 per month, which I know still feels like a lot when every dollar counts. But here's what I tell families: encourage your daughter to take over some of her own expenses that you're currently covering with your food budget or other money. Things like her school lunch, snacks, maybe some basic toiletries. This can actually help balance out the benefit reduction. Plus, it's great preparation for when she's an adult and has to manage her own budget. The most important thing is to report it honestly and on time. Keep copies of everything you submit, and don't hesitate to ask the eligibility worker to explain the calculation if the reduction seems wrong. Good luck!