How long will CalFresh benefits stay on my EBT card after becoming ineligible due to Social Security increase?

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.

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!!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

That's really smart advice about keeping paperwork! I'm pretty new to all this and didn't realize how important documentation could be. I did get a letter confirming my case closure, so I'll definitely hang onto that. Quick question - when you say Social Security could go back down, what kinds of situations would cause that? I thought the cost of living increases were permanent.

@StarStrider Good question! While cost of living increases are usually permanent, there are some situations where Social Security payments can decrease. For example, if someone was receiving SSI (Supplemental Security Income) and their living situation changes, or if there was an overpayment that gets corrected, or sometimes if they were getting both Social Security and SSI and one gets adjusted. It's not super common, but it can happen. Also, if you have Medicare premiums deducted from your Social Security, those can change year to year which affects your net payment. That's why it's worth keeping track of your actual received amounts!

That's really helpful to know about the 9-month timer resetting with each purchase! I didn't realize it worked that way - I thought it was just 9 months total from when they stopped adding new benefits. And thanks for mentioning food banks too. I've never used one before but with grocery prices the way they are now, it might be worth checking out. Do you know if there are usually any requirements to use food bank services, or is it just based on need?