High EBT withdrawal limit at US Bank? Sharing my $1,360 cash-out experience
Just got my CalFresh benefits loaded for the month (finally!) and was able to withdraw $1,360 cash at once from US Bank ATM with my EBT card. Usually other banks limit me to like $500 or less, which is super annoying when I need to pay my landlord cash. Not sure if this is the max limit at US Bank or if I could've taken out more? Anyone know what the actual withdrawal limits are for EBT at different banks? Figured this info might help someone else who needs larger cash amounts at once.
14 comments
Roger Romero
Hey, just to clarify - CalFresh benefits (food stamps) can't be withdrawn as cash. They can only be used to purchase eligible food items. What you're describing sounds like you're withdrawing from CalWORKs (cash aid) benefits, which is different from CalFresh. The two programs use the same EBT card but are completely separate benefits with different rules.
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Danielle Mays
•Omg you're right! I always get them mixed up cuz they're on the same card. Yes I meant my CalWORKs benefits not CalFresh. My bad!
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Anna Kerber
I BEEN TELLING PPL ABOUT US BANK FOR YRS!!! Their ATMs dont charge fees for EBT and have higher limits. Other banks will charge u $2-3 PER TRANSACTION which is STEALING from poor ppl imo. But careful withdrawing all at once, if your card gets stolen after u might have to wait til next month for replacement benefits.
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Danielle Mays
•Good point about the card getting stolen, didn't think about that. I just hate making multiple trips because bus fare adds up. But you're right about the fees too!
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Niko Ramsey
The maximum withdrawal limit for CalWORKs (cash aid) depends on both the bank's ATM limits and your available balance. US Bank does typically have higher limits than many other banks. However, you should be aware that there are potentially better options than cash withdrawals: 1. You can use your EBT card like a debit card at many stores for no fee 2. Some banks offer direct deposit of CalWORKs benefits to your regular checking account 3. You can request a bank-to-bank transfer in some cases This avoids the risk of carrying large amounts of cash. If you need to pay rent, I'd recommend asking your landlord if they accept other payment methods.
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Seraphina Delan
•wait we can get direct deposit to our regular bank accounts?? how do u set that up? would save me so much hassle
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Niko Ramsey
To set up direct deposit for CalWORKs, you need to contact your county office and complete a direct deposit form. You'll need your bank account and routing numbers. Not all counties process these quickly though, and sometimes getting through to a worker can take forever. I recently found a service called Claimyr that helps you reach a real person at the county office faster. It basically navigates the phone system for you and gets you in the callback queue without the usual wait. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 that shows how it works. Saved me hours when I needed to update my banking info for direct deposit.
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Seraphina Delan
•thx for the info! gonna check this out, been trying to get thru to my worker for 2 weeks bout my reporting papers
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Jabari-Jo
I just want to add that if you're using CalWORKs to pay rent, you might qualify for housing assistance programs too. Many people don't realize they can get both. Check with your county worker about Housing Support Program (HSP) or other rent assistance that wouldn't deplete your cash aid.
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Danielle Mays
•Didn't know about this! My rent takes almost all my CalWORKs money every month. I'll definitely ask about housing support when I do my SAR7 next month. Thanks for the tip!
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Kristin Frank
my landlord used to require cash too its so annoying. i started using money orders from the post office instead, they only cost like $1.45 and most landlords accept them. safer than carrying cash around.
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Micah Trail
Be careful with large cash withdrawals! My sister had her entire CalWORKs payment stolen last year after making a big withdrawal. And when she reported it to the county, they basically told her "too bad" because once cash is withdrawn, there's no way to verify it was stolen. Just a warning to others - maybe do smaller withdrawals or use the card directly for purchases when possible.
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Danielle Mays
•That's terrible about your sister! I usually hide the cash in different spots right away after withdrawing. But everyone's right, I should probably look into other payment options. My landlord is just super old school and doesn't trust anything but cash.
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Seraphina Delan
us bank is the best for ebt stuff they never give me problems and the tellers r actually nice lol not like wells fargo where they look at u like ur trash when u use ebt card
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