End of COVID CalFresh Emergency Allotments - what will my family of 3 get in 2025?

Unfortunately the COVID emergency allotments ended completely back in April 2023, so if you're still seeing them on your EBT in 2025, that would be unusual. Most households went back to their regular benefit amount which is based on income, household size, and expenses. If you only qualified for $20 before, that's likely what you'd go back to unless your circumstances changed (income decreased, more dependents, higher housing costs, etc). Have you had your annual recertification recently?

omg the same exact thing happened to my sister!! she was getting the extra money for like 6 months after they said it ended and then suddenly they sent her an overpayment notice for like $2400!!! she had to setup a repayment plan where they take like $75 from her benefits every month now. you should call RIGHT AWAY and ask whats going on!!

I think there might be some confusion here. The COVID emergency allotments definitely ended nationwide in 2023, but there have been other changes that might explain what you're seeing: 1. The regular SNAP/CalFresh maximum benefit amounts increased by about 12.5% in October 2022, and there have been additional smaller increases since then. 2. California has a state supplemental nutrition program that provides additional benefits for some households (though it's not as much as the COVID allotments were). 3. If your income decreased or your expenses increased at your recertification, your benefit amount would have been recalculated and potentially increased. 4. If you have school-age children, you might be receiving Summer EBT benefits during school breaks, which are separate from regular CalFresh. I'd recommend checking your last approval notice to see exactly what benefits you're eligible for. You can also check the BenefitsCal website to review your current benefit information.

yeh they never tell u nothing!!!! i had the same problem and i tried calling the county for DAYS but nobody ansers!!!!! its such bs how they treat us

If you're confused about your benefit amount, you really need to speak with your actual caseworker. The general EBT customer service line usually can't explain these details. I was in a similar situation last year and spent 3 days trying to get through to my county office. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a real person in about 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold forever. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Once I got through, my worker explained exactly what was happening with my benefits. In my case, I qualified for a deduction I didn't know about which was giving me more than my original amount but less than the COVID emergency amount.

I'm a family of 3 also, and after the COVID emergency allotments ended, I was surprised to see my regular benefit amount had actually increased a bit compared to what it was pre-pandemic. Not as much as the emergency amount obviously, but more than I expected. Did your income or expenses change recently? Things that can boost your benefits: - Child care expenses - Medical expenses for seniors/disabled family members over $35/month - Shelter costs over 50% of your net income - Utility costs (using the standard allowance) Make sure ALL these deductions are counted at your next recertification or on your next SAR7 form. Many caseworkers don't automatically ask about all possible deductions.

Yes, you absolutely need to provide verification of your childcare expenses! That could make a significant difference in your benefit calculation. For $250/month in childcare expenses, you could potentially see an increase of $75-100 in monthly benefits depending on your other circumstances. For the 60% rent burden, that's also important - make sure you're providing current rent receipts or a lease agreement at recertification. I strongly suspect one or both of these factors might explain the higher amount you're receiving. It's probably NOT an error or overpayment based on what you've shared.

MY FRIEND SAID theres gonna be another increase in october 2025!!!! she works for the county so she knows, but she said its only like 2% so not that much really

This whole system is a JOKE. I'm a single mom with 2 kids and they gave me $23 a month. TWENTY THREE DOLLARS. What am I supposed to do with that??? The worker told me it was because I make "too much money" at my job. I make $17.50 an hour!!! HOW IS THAT TOO MUCH??? Meanwhile my neighbor doesn't work AT ALL and gets $600+ every month. Make it make sense!!!