Is P-EBT 3.0 considered CalFresh food benefits or cash assistance?
I'm filling out a recertification form for CalFresh and they're asking about all benefits I've received. My kids got those P-EBT 3.0 cards a few months ago from their school. Do I need to report those as food stamps or as cash aid? I don't want to mess up my recertification by reporting it wrong. The form has separate sections for different types of benefits and I'm confused where this should go. My neighbor said it doesn't count as income at all, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.
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Carmen Sanchez
P-EBT 3.0 benefits are definitely FOOD benefits, not cash. They work just like regular EBT food benefits - you can only use them to buy eligible food items at approved retailers. You cannot withdraw cash from P-EBT cards. When filling out your recertification, you should list them under food assistance programs if asked specifically about other food benefits you receive. However, P-EBT is NOT counted as income for CalFresh eligibility, so it shouldn't affect your benefit amount.
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Yuki Watanabe
•Thank you! That's such a relief. So I should mention them in the food benefits section but not worry about them affecting my income calculation, right? Just want to make sure I understand correctly.
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Andre Dupont
my kids got those cards 2 theyre just ebt cards not cash you cant take money out of atm with them
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Yuki Watanabe
•Thanks for confirming! That's what I thought but got confused when doing the paperwork.
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Zoe Papadakis
P-EBT is definitely food benefits. The P-EBT 3.0 was specifically created to replace school meals that children missed during pandemic-related school closures. They function exactly like regular EBT food benefits and have the same restrictions (can only buy eligible food items, no hot prepared foods, no alcohol, tobacco, etc). For your recertification, you should list them if specifically asked about other food assistance programs your household receives, but they are NOT counted as income for determining your CalFresh eligibility or benefit amount. The county workers know this, so it won't affect your benefits negatively. If you're having trouble reaching someone at the county office to confirm this for your specific case, try Claimyr.com - I used their service when I was stuck in the phone queue for hours. They'll wait on hold with the CalFresh office and call you back when a real person answers. Saved me so much time. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8
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ThunderBolt7
•Thanks for the detailed explanation! Does anyone know if the same applies for the School Lunch EBT program that's starting in 2025? Is that also considered food benefits and not income?
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Jamal Edwards
THEY ARE 10000% FOOD STAMPS!!!! Not cash!!! The county tried to count my daughter's P-EBT as cash aid last year and REDUCED my regular CalFresh by $340!!! I had to FIGHT for THREE MONTHS to get it fixed because some worker didn't know the difference!!! Make sure they don't mess up your case like they did mine!!! They should NOT count towards your income or resources AT ALL!!!!!
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Mei Chen
•This happens way too often. County workers sometimes get confused between different benefit types. Always double-check your Notice of Action when you receive it after recertification to make sure they didn't incorrectly count your P-EBT as income. If they do, immediately file for a state hearing - you only have 90 days to appeal any errors.
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Liam O'Sullivan
When I got my P-EBT card for my grandson last year the instructions said it was for groceries only. I tried to take cash out at an ATM once just to see what would happen and it didn't work. So definitely food not cash. But my question is are they still giving these out for 2025? I thought this was just a covid thing that ended?
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Carmen Sanchez
•You're right that the original P-EBT was a COVID response program. P-EBT 3.0 was the last phase of the pandemic-related benefits. However, California has implemented a permanent Summer EBT program starting in 2025 that works similarly to P-EBT but specifically covers summer months when kids don't have access to school meals. It's also food benefits only, not cash aid.
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Andre Dupont
my brother said he bought cigarettes with his kids card but i think hes lying lol
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Jamal Edwards
•He's DEFINITELY lying or he found some shady store breaking the law!!! EBT food benefits CANNOT be used for cigarettes, alcohol, or non-food items! The system is supposed to block those purchases automatically!!
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Yuki Watanabe
Thank you everyone for the helpful information! I just submitted my recertification form and listed the P-EBT cards under the food benefits section but noted they aren't counted as income. Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly! If I have any issues, I'll definitely try that Claimyr service someone mentioned since calling the county is always such a headache.
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