Does CalFresh require proof of childcare expenses or just self-reporting?

They can count your childcare costs as a deduction which helps increase your CalFresh amount, but they do need verification. Since you pay your sister cash, you'll need to create a simple statement that both you and your sister sign. It should include: - Your sister's name and contact info - How much you pay her monthly - Names and ages of your children - Days/hours she provides care - Both your signatures I went through this last year during recertification. The county accepted a handwritten statement from my neighbor who watches my son. Make sure you both sign it, though! Without verification, they won't apply the deduction.

when i applied they just took my word for it but that was back in 2023 maybe the rules changed??

I HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM last month!!! My aunt watches my kids and I pay her $400/mo. The worker REFUSED to count it because I didn't have receipts. I called the office SIX TIMES trying to get it fixed and kept getting stuck in their stupid phone system. FINALLY I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to a real person at the county in like 5 mins. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 When I finally talked to a supervisor, she told me I just needed a signed statement from my aunt with the info about childcare. They accepted it and recalculated my benefits! The system is so frustrating!!!!

my cousin got denied for this exact reason last year it's so frustrating when they make everything so complicated

I'm going through CalFresh recertification right now and just dealt with this. For childcare costs, they initially asked for receipts, but when I explained I pay my mother-in-law cash, they accepted a statement we both signed. The worker said they need SOME form of verification, but it can be pretty simple. What really matters is that the information is consistent. Like, don't say you pay $650 on the application then have a statement showing $850. They look for discrepancies. Also, the amount needs to be reasonable based on your income - if you claim $2000 in childcare but only make $2500 a month, they'll question how you afford rent and other expenses. In 2025, they're being more careful about verifications in general because there was apparently a lot of benefit fraud during COVID.

For everyone's reference, here's what the official CDSS CalFresh regulations say about childcare verification: Childcare expenses can be verified through: 1. Billing statements 2. Receipts 3. Cancelled checks 4. Written statement from the provider 5. Collateral contact with the provider If verification cannot be obtained, a client's sworn statement can be accepted if reasonable. So yes, they do need some verification, but a simple signed statement is usually sufficient for informal care arrangements like family members watching children.

I work at a community organization that helps ppl with benefits (not a county worker tho). From what I've seen, different counties handle this differently. Some counties are super strict and want formal receipts, others will take a statement. One thing that can help - if your sister has a phone number, put that on the statement. Sometimes they'll call to verify. Also, if your sister lives at a different address than you, include that too. Makes it more "official" looking even though it's just a personal statement. They're mainly trying to prevent people from making up fake childcare costs to increase benefits. That's why they want SOME kind of proof. And FYI this verification is only required once a year or when you report a change, not every month.

Does anyone know if they verify the person watching your kids has a license or something??? My mom watches my daughter but she doesn't have any kind of daycare license.

my friend just writes herself receipts for her mom watching her kids lol the county never checks

I went through this same situation about 6 months ago with my niece watching my kids. What worked for me was creating a simple childcare agreement that included: - Both our names and addresses - My kids' names and ages - The monthly payment amount ($650 in your case) - Schedule/hours of care - Both signatures and the date I also included a brief note explaining it was an informal family arrangement paid in cash. The county worker accepted it without any issues and applied the deduction to my benefits. Don't stress too much - they understand that many families have informal childcare arrangements, especially with relatives. The key is just showing that it's a real expense and not made up. Good luck with your verification!

I just went through CalFresh recertification in December and had a similar childcare verification issue. My mom watches my twin boys and I pay her $500/month in cash. The worker initially said they needed "official documentation" but when I explained it was my mother providing care, they walked me through what they actually needed. I ended up submitting a one-page statement that included: - My mom's full name, phone, and address - My boys' names and birthdates - Care schedule (Monday-Friday, 7am-3pm) - Monthly payment amount ($500) - Statement that payment is made in cash - Both our signatures and date They accepted it within a week and backdated my benefits to include the childcare deduction. The key thing the worker told me was that they need to verify the expense is legitimate, not necessarily that it's through a licensed provider. Don't let them intimidate you into thinking you need receipts for family childcare! A signed statement is perfectly acceptable verification according to their own policies.

I just dealt with this exact situation last month! My brother watches my 3-year-old daughter while I work, and I pay him $575/month in cash. When my CalFresh worker asked for verification, I panicked because I had zero receipts or formal documentation. What saved me was creating a simple childcare statement that both my brother and I signed. I included: - His full name, phone number, and address - My daughter's name and age - Days and hours of care (Monday-Thursday, 8am-5pm) - Monthly payment amount ($575) - Note that payment is made in cash weekly - Both our signatures and the date The worker accepted it right away and said informal family arrangements are totally normal. She mentioned they just need to verify it's a real expense, not necessarily that you have formal receipts. Since you already told them $650/month in your interview, make sure your statement matches that exact amount. The consistency is what they're looking for. You've got this - don't stress too much about it!

I'm currently going through my first CalFresh application and this thread is incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation where my mom watches my 18-month-old son while I work part-time, and I pay her $400/month in cash. My interview is scheduled for next week and I was getting really nervous about the whole verification process. Reading everyone's experiences with signed statements makes me feel so much more prepared. I'm going to create a simple agreement ahead of time with my mom that includes all the details you all mentioned - her contact info, my son's info, the care schedule, payment amount, and both our signatures. One quick question though - should I bring this statement WITH me to the interview, or wait to see if they ask for verification first? I don't want to seem like I'm overcomplicating things, but I also want to be prepared. Thanks again to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community is amazing!

I went through this exact same verification process about 3 months ago with my aunt watching my two kids. The worker initially seemed skeptical when I mentioned paying $600/month in cash, but they accepted a simple signed statement without any issues. Here's what I included in my statement: - My aunt's full name, phone number, and home address - My children's names and ages (important for them to verify household composition) - Specific days and hours of care (Mon-Fri, 7:30am-4:30pm) - Monthly payment amount ($600) - Note that payment is made in cash every Friday - Both of our signatures with the date The key thing my worker emphasized was that the information needed to be consistent with what I reported in my interview. Since you already told them $650/month, make sure that's exactly what you put on the statement - don't round it or change it even slightly. They processed my verification within 5 business days and applied the childcare deduction retroactively to the start of my benefit period. The deduction made a significant difference in my monthly benefit amount, so it's definitely worth taking the time to get the verification right. Don't let them make you feel like family childcare arrangements are somehow less valid than formal daycare!

I just wanted to add my experience since I see so many people going through this same verification issue! I had my CalFresh recertification in January and faced the exact same situation with my grandmother watching my 4-year-old daughter. I pay her $525/month in cash. When the worker asked for childcare verification, I was initially stressed because I had no formal receipts. But after reading experiences online (similar to this thread!), I created a simple statement that included: - My grandmother's name, phone, and address - My daughter's name and birthdate - Care schedule (Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm) - Monthly payment of $525 (paid weekly in cash) - Both our signatures and date The worker accepted it immediately and said family childcare arrangements are very common. She mentioned they just need to verify it's a legitimate expense, not that you have commercial daycare receipts. One tip I learned: if your childcare provider (your sister in this case) is willing to answer a phone call from the county to confirm the arrangement, mention that in your statement. It shows you're being completely transparent about the situation. The childcare deduction made a huge difference in my benefit amount - went from $194/month to $281/month. Definitely worth the effort to get the verification submitted properly!

I'm currently dealing with this exact situation for my CalFresh renewal! My neighbor watches my 5-year-old son and I pay her $575/month in cash. When my worker asked for verification, I was panicking because I had zero formal documentation. Based on what I'm reading here, it sounds like a signed statement is the way to go. I'm planning to create something that includes: - My neighbor's full name, phone, and address - My son's name and age - Care schedule (Mon-Fri, 7am-4pm) - Monthly payment amount ($575) - Note about cash payments made weekly - Both our signatures and date Has anyone had issues with the county actually calling the childcare provider to verify? My neighbor is fine with answering questions if they call, but I'm wondering how often they actually do that step. Also, for those who got approved - did you submit the statement in person, by mail, or online? I want to make sure I use whatever method gets processed fastest since I'm getting close to my deadline. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - this thread is incredibly helpful for navigating what feels like a really confusing process!

I'm a CalFresh case worker and want to clarify something important for everyone reading this thread. While signed statements are absolutely acceptable verification for informal childcare arrangements, there are a few key things to keep in mind: 1. The childcare expense must be necessary for work, training, or education - not just convenience 2. The amount should be reasonable for your area and income level 3. The provider doesn't need to be licensed, but they can't be receiving CalFresh themselves as part of your household 4. We may do a collateral contact (phone call) to verify, especially for higher amounts For your $650/month arrangement with your sister, that sounds completely reasonable. Create that signed statement with all the details others mentioned, and make sure your sister isn't listed as part of your CalFresh household. The verification process isn't meant to be a barrier - we just need to confirm it's a legitimate expense that helps you maintain employment. Don't be discouraged if your worker seemed hesitant initially. Some of us are more familiar with these informal arrangements than others. If you run into continued issues, ask to speak with a supervisor who can clarify the verification policies.

I just went through this same verification process a few weeks ago! My mother-in-law watches my twin toddlers and I pay her $700/month in cash. When my CalFresh worker asked for documentation, I was really worried because I had no receipts or formal agreements. What worked for me was creating a simple childcare statement that included: - My mother-in-law's full name, phone number, and address - My twins' names and birthdates - Care schedule (Monday-Friday, 6:30am-5:00pm) - Monthly payment amount ($700, paid weekly in cash) - A note explaining it's an informal family arrangement - Both our signatures and the date I submitted it by fax (got a confirmation receipt) and they accepted it within 3 business days. The childcare deduction increased my monthly benefits from $234 to $342, which made a huge difference for my family. The key thing is making sure all the information matches exactly what you told them in your interview. Since you said $650/month, stick with that exact amount on your statement. Don't overthink it - family childcare arrangements are super common and they understand not everyone has formal daycare receipts. You've got this!