Got mystery check from Sacramento Finance Dept labeled 'IRS refund' - CalFresh related?

same thing happend to me last month! i got a check for like $420 and was so confused. turned out it was the state earned income tax credit that i qualified for bc of my low income. if you worked last year even part time you might have qualified. its legit dont worry

This is likely the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) or the Young Child Tax Credit if you have children under 6. These are legitimate tax credits the state provides to low-income workers. Here's what you should know: 1. It does NOT count as income for CalFresh eligibility 2. You do NOT need to report it on your SAR7 form 3. Tax refunds/credits are exempt resources for 12 months after receipt You can cash it without worrying about your benefits. If you're concerned, you can call your county office and ask them to verify, but these tax credits are designed to help the same population that receives CalFresh without affecting those benefits.

be careful!!! my cousin got a check like that and it was FAKE!! some scammers are sending fake checks that look real but when u cash them the bank comes after YOU for the money!!

This is probably related to tax credits, not CalFresh directly. I work at a tax preparation nonprofit and we see this all the time. California has several credits for low-income residents that get processed separately from regular tax refunds. Look at the memo line of the check - does it specifically mention CalEITC or YCTC? Those are the California Earned Income Tax Credit and Young Child Tax Credit. It's completely separate from your CalFresh benefits and doesn't need to be reported as income for benefit calculations. Tax refunds and credits are exempt from resource considerations for 12 months after you receive them. If you want to verify it's legitimate, call the State Controller's Office directly at their official number (find it on the .gov website, not from the check).

I GOT ONE TOO!!!! But mine was different amount ($289) and it came right after I did my taxes. The stupid thing is I called CalFresh office about it and they had NO IDEA what I was talking about and transferred me 3 times before hanging up on me. Typical government BS. I ended up just cashing it and nothing bad happened. That was 2 months ago.

You might want to check if you filed taxes last year and if you claimed the Earned Income Credit. If your income was low enough to qualify for CalFresh, you probably qualified for the California version of the EIC too. They sometimes process these separately from regular tax refunds. I'm wondering though - did you use a tax preparation service? Sometimes they identify credits people miss and file amendments. The state might be sending you money from an amended return you didn't even know about! Check the date on the check too - sometimes these can take FOREVER to process.

wait does this mean i might get a check too???? im on calfresh and worked part time last yr!!!

btw this is totally seprate from calfresh funds. its a tax thing not a benefit thing. different pots of money. thats why calfresh ppl had no idea what u were talking about when u called

Update: I called the number on the CA State Controller's website this morning and after 45 minutes on hold (ugh), they confirmed it's legit! It's from the CalEITC like many of you said. Thanks everyone for your help! Going to treat my kid to new shoes with part of it since his old ones are falling apart.