How long will CalFresh benefits stay on my EBT card after becoming ineligible due to Social Security increase?
Just found out this month is my first and last time getting CalFresh benefits. My Social Security payment went up starting in January 2025, which puts me over the income limit. The county worker said I'm ineligible going forward, but I'm confused about the benefits that were already loaded on my EBT card this month. Do I have to spend them right away or can I keep using the card until the money's gone? I don't want to get in trouble for using benefits I'm not supposed to have anymore. Anyone know how this works with CalFresh benefits that are already on your card?
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Amara Nwosu
Good news! Benefits that have already been issued to your EBT card are yours to keep and use, even after you're no longer eligible for the program. There's no expiration date on when you have to use them by, but benefits that aren't used within 9 months may be considered "stale" and removed from your account by the system. I recommend using them within that time frame to be safe.
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Liam O'Donnell
•Thank you so much! That's a relief to hear. So I have 9 months to use up what's on there now? I was worried I'd have to spend it all before the end of the month.
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AstroExplorer
When my mom's income went up she still had like $143 on her card and they never took it back. She used it for like 6 months after they stopped giving her more benefits.
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Giovanni Moretti
•THat's not Always true!!! My cousin got a letter saying she had to PAY BACK her benefits after they found out she was over income!!! They said she should have reported it EARLIER and she had to do a whole appeal thing to prove she didnt know!!! The system is so rigged against us!!
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Fatima Al-Farsi
To clarify what others have said: benefits that were correctly issued to you (before the county knew about your income increase) are yours to use. The actual policy is that EBT benefits expire after 274 days (roughly 9 months) of inactivity on your card. As long as you use your card at least once during that period, the benefits will remain available. However, if the county determines you received benefits you weren't eligible for (like if you were supposed to report the income change earlier), that's different - then they could establish an overpayment claim. But from what you described, this was properly reported and processed, so you should be fine to use what's on your card.
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Liam O'Donnell
•That's exactly my situation - I reported the change as soon as I knew about it, and they processed it right away. The worker didn't say anything about not using what's already on there, so I think I'm good. Thanks for explaining!
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Dylan Cooper
I had this same exact situation last year! The Social Security increase pushed me over too. I just kept using my card until it was empty, took about 4 months. Nobody said anything about it.
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Sofia Perez
Anybody else find it ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS that they give seniors a tiny cost of living increase in Social Security and then TAKE AWAY their food benefits???? The increase barely covers inflation but now you lose hundreds in food help?? The system is BROKEN!
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Dmitry Smirnov
•This is actually a common issue with benefit programs called the "cliff effect." Small increases in income can cause you to lose much more valuable benefits. Some states are working on solutions, but it remains a major problem. For the original poster: if your income is just slightly over the limit, you might want to check if your medical expenses can be deducted. Seniors and disabled individuals can deduct medical expenses over $35 from their countable income, which might bring you back under the eligibility threshold.
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AstroExplorer
my grandma had this happen but then 2 months later she got a letter saying she could get calfresh again because they changed the income limits or something??
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Fatima Al-Farsi
•That's actually possible. CalFresh income limits are adjusted annually, and sometimes there are policy changes that expand eligibility. It's always worth checking back periodically, especially if your income is just barely over the limit.
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Giovanni Moretti
I've been trying to call the county office for THREE DAYS about a similar issue but can never get through!!! Either busy signals or being on hold for hours only to get disconnected!!! HOW does anyone actually talk to a REAL PERSON there????
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Liam O'Donnell
•I had that problem too! It took me forever to get through, and when I finally did, I got transferred around to three different people before finding someone who could actually help.
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Dylan Cooper
•Have you tried using Claimyr? It saved me so much time with CalFresh. You just put in your number on their website (claimyr.com) and they call the office for you, wait on hold, then call you once they have a real person on the line. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. I used it when I had that Social Security issue and got through in 25 minutes instead of waiting all day.
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Amara Nwosu
One more thing to consider: even if you're no longer eligible for CalFresh, you might qualify for other food assistance programs specifically for seniors with limited income. Many areas have senior food boxes through food banks, and there's the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). Also check with your local senior center - many have lunch programs or can connect you with other resources.
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Liam O'Donnell
•Thank you for this information! I'll definitely look into these other programs. Every little bit helps with food prices being so high these days.
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