Got awarded $20.01 per YEAR on CalFresh EBT - do I need to pay this back??

That's the minimum benefit amount for CalFresh in 2025, but it should be $20.01 per MONTH, not per year. There's definitely a mistake somewhere. When you say "for the entire year" - do you mean they specifically told you that's all you'll get for 12 months, or did you just receive $20.01 as your first payment? The minimum monthly benefit for a qualifying household is $20.01, and they don't expect you to pay it back unless there was fraud or an overpayment.

same thing happnd to me in February!! turned out they accidently checked the wrong box on my case that said "annual benefit" instead of monthly. had to go in person to get it fixed tho. check ur paperwork closely

This is 100% a processing error. CalFresh benefits are ALWAYS issued monthly, not annually. The $20.01 is indeed the minimum monthly benefit amount for households that technically qualify but are at the higher end of the income range. You should be receiving this amount each month throughout your certification period. Check your Notice of Action carefully - it should indicate a monthly benefit amount, not an annual one. Call your county office and specifically ask to speak with a CalFresh eligibility worker about a benefit calculation error. And no, you do NOT need to repay properly issued CalFresh benefits unless there's an overpayment later determined.

If you're having trouble getting through to an actual person at the county office, I'd recommend using Claimyr. I was in a similar situation where I kept getting disconnected or stuck in those automated phone trees. Claimyr got me through to a real person in about 15 minutes when I'd been trying for days. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Definitely worth it for issues like this where you need to talk to an actual worker about your benefits.

THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! They do this on purpose to discourage people from getting benefits!! They hope you'll just give up because $20 isn't worth the hassle. I've been dealing with CalFresh for THREE YEARS and they're constantly making "mistakes" that somehow always benefit THEM and not US. It's ridiculous that you have to fight for every penny even when you've been APPROVED. Call them every day until they fix it!!

To update your original question about whether benefits need to be paid back: properly issued CalFresh benefits are not loans and don't need to be repaid, even if you stop qualifying in the future. You only have to pay back benefits if you received more than you were eligible for (an overpayment) or if there was fraud involved. In your case, once they fix this obvious error and start issuing your monthly benefits correctly, those benefits are yours to use for eligible food purchases.

One important thing to add: Document everything while you're trying to get this fixed. Note the date and time of your calls, take screenshots of your EBT account balance, and keep all your paperwork organized. If you need to request a state hearing later (hopefully it won't come to that), having detailed records will help your case. Also, while the minimum benefit is $20.01 currently, remember that your actual eligibility is recalculated yearly at recertification and can change if your income or household size changes. Make sure you're submitting your SAR7 (Semi-Annual Report) on time to avoid any benefit interruptions.

So glad you got it sorted out! That's exactly what I was hoping to hear. It's frustrating how these processing errors happen, but at least the system worked once you got through to an actual person. Definitely keep that notebook going - it's saved me so many headaches with various benefit programs over the years. And hey, even though $20.01 might seem small, every bit helps with grocery costs these days. Hope your monthly benefits start loading smoothly from here on out!