Haven't received CalFresh benefits after reporting child support income - help needed!

child support shouldnt effect ur calfresh at all its not counted as income for food stamps. sounds like maybe they didnt process ur SAR7 in time or something. did u get any notice in the mail about missing verification?

You're right that child support income is exempt for CalFresh eligibility purposes. It sounds like there might be a processing delay or system error rather than an eligibility issue. Here are a few things to check: 1. Log into your BenefitsCal account and check if there are any pending verification requests or notices 2. Check if your certification period might have ended (this happens every 12 months and requires a full recertification, not just a SAR7) 3. Verify that the county has your current address on file If you can't resolve it through your online account, I recommend trying to reach your county worker directly. The phone system is definitely frustrating, but if you call right when they open (usually 8am), you might have better luck getting through.

this JUST happened to my sister!!!! her benefits didnt load and she went to the office and they said there was a "system flag" on her case because the computer thought she had unreported income but it was actually just her child support which doesnt count!!! the worker fixed it right there and her benefits loaded the next day. def go in person if u can!!

I had a similar issue with my CalFresh benefits not loading after I submitted my SAR7. Spent DAYS trying to reach someone on the phone with no luck. I was getting so frustrated with the constant disconnects and hour-long holds. Then I tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) and it was a game changer. They called the CalFresh office for me, navigated the phone tree, waited on hold, and then called me when a real person was on the line. Saved me hours of frustration. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Turns out there was a system error flagging child support as countable income when it shouldn't be. The worker fixed it immediately once I actually got to speak with someone.

THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!!! This happened to me THREE TIMES in the past year. They keep "updating" their computer systems and it CONSTANTLY flags child support incorrectly!! I've had to go to the office in person EVERY TIME to get it fixed because NO ONE ANSWERS THE DAMN PHONES!!! Bring all your paperwork proving the child support amounts. And ask them to put NOTES in your file that this is EXEMPT income so it doesn't happen again!!!

Just to clarify a technical point here: Child support received is 100% exempt for CalFresh purposes under current regulations. This hasn't changed in 2025. However, there is a known glitch in the CalFresh eligibility system where income from child support sometimes gets incorrectly coded as countable income instead of exempt income. When you go to the office, specifically mention that you believe there may be an "income classification error" on your case where exempt child support income is being incorrectly counted. Request that they check the "income type code" in the system. This precise language will help the worker understand exactly what to look for. And yes, once resolved, your benefits should be issued within 24-48 hours, including any retroactive benefits you were entitled to.

wait did u report the child support on ur SAR7? u actually dont need to report it cuz it dont count for calfresh but if u DID report it sometimes that confuses them and they count it wrong

This happened to my cousin and it turned out the system flagged her account for fraud investigation because she was receiving child support through the state collection system AND reporting it on her SAR7. The worker told her the system thought she was double reporting or something? Once they manually reviewed it everything was fixed and she got back benefits. But it took like 3 weeks 😬

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress! As a single mom who's been through similar issues, I totally understand how scary it is when benefits don't show up. From what everyone's shared here, it sounds like the system has a recurring glitch with child support income being flagged incorrectly. I'd definitely recommend going to the office in person first thing tomorrow morning - bring your SAR7 receipt, your child support court order, and any payment records you have. When you talk to them, use the exact language @LunarEclipse suggested about "income classification error" and ask them to check the "income type code." Also, if you're receiving child support through the state collection system, mention that specifically because it sounds like that might trigger the system flag that @FireflyDreams mentioned. The worker should be able to see your payment history in their system. Hang in there - it sounds like once you get to speak with someone, this should be fixable pretty quickly. Keep us updated on how it goes!