EBT Card "technical problems" withdrawing cash - Bank of America ATM not working at 5:45 AM

This actually happens pretty regularly with EBT cash benefits, especially early in the morning on benefit deposit days. The system gets overloaded. A few things to try: 1. Wait until after 9am when their system maintenance is typically complete 2. Try a non-Bank of America ATM (you might pay a fee but it often works) 3. Make a small purchase at a grocery store and get cash back instead of using an ATM Also worth noting - if you're trying to withdraw CalFresh benefits as cash, that's not possible. CalFresh (food stamps) can only be used for food purchases. If you have both CalWorks/cash aid and CalFresh on the same card, make sure you're selecting the cash account when withdrawing.

i had this happen last month!!!! so annoying. called ebt they said nothing wrong with my account but couldnt get money for 2 days!!! try walmart they let me get cash back with only 50cent fee

There's actually a known issue with Bank of America ATMs processing EBT cash transactions during their daily system updates, which typically happen between 2am-6am. This has been ongoing for months and affects mainly cash aid recipients. I recommend: 1. Using a different bank's ATM after 7am 2. Getting cash back at a store like Walmart or grocery stores 3. Keeping track of which days your benefits deposit and planning withdrawals for later in the day If this happens repeatedly, you can file a formal complaint with the California Department of Social Services. They track these technical issues and can sometimes expedite fixes when enough people report the same problem.

You might try Claimyr if you need to reach someone at the county office about this. I had a similar issue last month and couldn't get through the regular line. Used this service at claimyr.com and they got me connected to a real person at the county office in like 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours or getting disconnected. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 The worker I spoke with said these ATM issues are happening more frequently and they can document it in your case notes if you're having ongoing problems. Might help with getting it resolved faster.

The problem you're experiencing is partly due to the 2025 EBT system upgrade that's been rolling out. Bank of America ATMs specifically have been having compatibility issues during their maintenance windows (usually 1am-6am). You mentioned you're trying to access your money for rent - just as a reminder, if you're receiving Housing Support funds through CalWorks, those can be directly applied to your rent rather than withdrawn as cash. Might be worth checking with your caseworker if that's an option to avoid these ATM issues in the future. Also, there's a new feature in the BenefitsCal mobile app that lets you check if there are reported ATM outages in your area. Might save you some trips to non-functioning machines.

OMG this happens to me EVERY SINGLE MONTH!!! I'm so sick of Bank of America and their stupid ATMs! They NEVER work right with EBT cards! And then when you call, you get that stupid recording that doesn't help AT ALL. I've started just going to the grocery store and buying a pack of gum or something cheap and getting cash back. It's ridiculous we have to jump through these hoops just to access OUR OWN MONEY!!!! The county needs to switch to a different bank already!!!!

does anyone know if the atms at the target stores work with ebt? theres one by my house but i never tried it

UPDATE: Was able to get my money around 10am! Seems like it was just the early morning system issue like some of you mentioned. Thanks everyone for the tips about cash back at stores - will definitely use that next time instead of wasting gas driving to multiple ATMs. Really appreciate all the help!

This is such a common problem! I've been dealing with the same EBT/Bank of America ATM issues for months now. What I've learned is that their system maintenance window is unpredictable - sometimes it's 2-6am, sometimes it extends longer. A few additional tips that have saved me: - CVS and Walgreens usually allow cash back with EBT purchases (like buying a candy bar for $1 and getting $40 cash back) - Credit union ATMs often work better than big bank ATMs, even with the fee - Keep the EBT customer service number (1-877-328-9677) saved in your phone - they can tell you if there are known system outages The worst part is when you need the money urgently like for rent. I started keeping a small emergency cash stash at home specifically because of these technical issues. It's frustrating that we have to plan around their system failures just to access our own benefits!

I work at a grocery store and see this EBT ATM issue constantly! From what I've observed, it's definitely worse on the 1st-3rd of each month when benefits get loaded. Our store manager told us that Bank of America's EBT system gets overloaded during peak times. Pro tip from someone who processes these transactions daily: if you're getting cash back at a store, try to keep it under $40-50 at once. Some stores have daily limits on EBT cash back that are separate from ATM limits. Also, gas stations like Shell and Chevron often have working ATMs when the Bank of America ones are down - just expect a $2-3 fee. The good news is I've heard rumors that California is considering switching EBT providers when the contract is up in 2026. Hopefully we'll get a more reliable system!

I'm new to this community but dealing with the same frustrating EBT ATM issues! Just wanted to add that 7-Eleven stores are another good option for cash back - they usually charge around $1.50 fee which is better than most ATMs. Also, if you have a smartphone, there's actually a "Find ATM" feature in the EBT Edge mobile app that shows you nearby ATMs and sometimes indicates if they're having issues (though it's not always updated in real time). One thing that's helped me is keeping a list on my phone of all the places near me that do cash back - grocery stores, pharmacies, even some dollar stores. That way when the ATMs are acting up, I don't have to drive around randomly hoping to find one that works. It's ridiculous that we need all these workarounds, but at least we can help each other navigate this broken system!

Just wanted to jump in and say thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and tips! I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now - tried to get cash from my EBT card this morning around 6 AM and got the dreaded "technical problems" message. It's so frustrating when you need access to your own money and the system just doesn't work. I'm definitely going to try some of the suggestions here like waiting until after 9 AM and using cash back at stores instead of ATMs. The tip about CVS and Walgreens allowing cash back is especially helpful since there's one right by my apartment. It's honestly ridiculous that we have to have all these workarounds just to access our benefits, but I'm grateful this community exists to help each other navigate these problems. Has anyone noticed if the issues are worse on certain days of the week or just randomly throughout the month?

I'm new to CalFresh and just got my EBT card last week - had no idea these ATM issues were so common! This thread is incredibly helpful. I was getting worried that something was wrong with my account when I couldn't withdraw cash yesterday morning. Quick question for everyone - do the cash back limits at stores count against your daily ATM withdrawal limit, or are they separate? I tried to get $60 cash back at Walmart after failing at the ATM, but it got declined even though I should have had plenty left on my daily limit. Want to make sure I understand how this all works before I run into issues again. Thanks to everyone for sharing all these workarounds - definitely saving this thread for future reference!

I've been dealing with these EBT ATM issues for over a year now and wanted to share what I've learned from trial and error. The Bank of America system problems are definitely real and incredibly frustrating, especially when you need access to your cash benefits urgently. Here's what's worked best for me: - Avoid trying to withdraw cash between 2-8 AM - that seems to be when their system is most unreliable - Dollar General stores often allow cash back with minimal fees (usually $1-2) - If you're near a casino, their ATMs sometimes work when others don't (though they charge higher fees) - Keep receipts from failed ATM attempts - if it becomes a recurring problem, your caseworker can document it The most important thing I learned is to always have a backup plan. I keep a small list in my wallet of nearby stores that offer cash back, along with their limits and fees. It's saved me so much stress and wasted gas driving around to broken ATMs. Hoping they fix this system soon, but until then, we just have to work around it. Stay strong everyone - you're not alone in dealing with this nonsense!

I'm so glad I found this thread! Just went through the exact same thing this morning - tried to get cash from my EBT card around 6 AM and got hit with the "technical problems" message at two different Bank of America ATMs. I was starting to panic thinking there was something wrong with my benefits. Reading through everyone's experiences and tips has been incredibly helpful. I had no idea about the system maintenance windows or that this was such a widespread issue. The suggestions about using cash back at stores instead of ATMs is genius - I'm definitely going to try CVS or Walgreens next time rather than driving around to multiple broken ATMs. It's really frustrating that we have to deal with these technical issues just to access our own money, but I'm grateful this community exists to help each other navigate these problems. Thanks to everyone for sharing your workarounds and experiences - this has saved me a lot of stress and confusion!

I'm new to this community and just got my EBT card two weeks ago - had no idea these ATM issues were so widespread! I tried to get cash yesterday morning around 7 AM and got the same "technical problems" message. After reading through all these comments, it's clear this is a systemic issue with Bank of America's EBT system rather than individual account problems. The tips about using cash back at stores like CVS, Walgreens, and even Dollar General are incredibly helpful. I'm definitely going to make a list of nearby options like others suggested. It's frustrating that we need all these workarounds just to access our benefits, but I'm so grateful for communities like this where people share their hard-earned knowledge. One question - has anyone tried using the ATMs inside grocery stores like Safeway or Kroger? Are those more reliable than the standalone Bank of America ATMs, or do they have the same issues since they're all connected to the same system? Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions - this has been a lifesaver!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Tried to get cash from my EBT card at 6:30 AM this morning and got the "technical problems" message at three different Bank of America ATMs. I was getting really worried that something was wrong with my account until I found this thread. It's such a relief to know this is a widespread system issue and not just me. The tips about waiting until after 9 AM and using cash back at stores instead of ATMs are game-changers - I had no idea about the system maintenance windows. I'm definitely going to try CVS or Walmart for cash back next time instead of wasting gas driving around to broken ATMs. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and workarounds. It's frustrating that we have to become experts at navigating around a broken system just to access our own benefits, but I'm so grateful for this community helping each other out. Going to save this thread for future reference!

I'm so sorry you had to deal with this stress this morning! I've been dealing with these exact same Bank of America EBT ATM issues for months now and it's incredibly frustrating. The "technical problems" message seems to pop up most often during their system maintenance hours, which unfortunately can extend well past 6 AM sometimes. A few things that have saved me from this headache: - Try using the ATM locator in the EBT Edge mobile app - it sometimes shows which ATMs are having issues (though not always in real time) - 7-Eleven stores usually do cash back for around $1.50 fee, which is way cheaper than most ATM fees - If you're desperate, some 24-hour gas stations like Shell have ATMs that work when the BoA ones don't (expect $2-3 fee though) I've also started keeping a small emergency cash fund at home specifically because of these system failures - it's not ideal having to tie up money that way, but it's saved me multiple times when I needed cash urgently and the ATMs were down. It's honestly ridiculous that we have to work around their broken system just to access our own benefits. Hoping California really does switch EBT providers in 2026 like some people mentioned - this current system is way too unreliable!