Only $70/month CalFresh for family of 3 with $3,500 income - is this right?

Unfortunately that sounds about right for your income level. CalFresh benefits are based on a formula that takes into account your income, household size, and expenses. With your boyfriend's income being around $3,500-$3,800, you're at the higher end of eligibility for a family of 3. The 2025 gross income limit for a family of 3 is about $3,920, so you're just barely qualifying. Did you make sure to include ALL your expenses on your application? You should definitely report your medical expenses - CalFresh allows medical expense deductions for costs over $35 per month, which could increase your benefit amount. Also make sure you reported your full rent and utility costs correctly. You might want to complete a SAR7 (Semi-Annual Report) early to update your information if you didn't include all expenses initially. Your county worker can help with that.

omg i think ur missing out on way more benefits!!! when i applied with my daughter last yr they asked about medical stuff and my benfits went up like $140 cuz of it. call ur county office asap!!! the system is weird about that stuff and sometimes they dont even ask u right.

I'm in almost the exact same situation! Three of us (me, husband, toddler) and we only get $95/month even though rent takes most of our income. It's so frustrating because we actually need the help but the formula doesn't seem to account for real-life expenses in 2025. Have you looked into WIC since you have a baby? It won't help with everything but it's additional support for formula/baby food. Also, did your worker verify if you're eligible for expedited benefits? Sometimes they mess that up and don't process it correctly.

You should definitely report your medical expenses - that's HUGE for benefit calculation. Called a medical deduction and it can significantly impact your benefit amount. With your HHT condition and ongoing medical care, you might be eligible for much more. Two important things to know: 1. You can update your case information at ANY time, not just at SAR7 or recertification 2. Medical expenses over $35/month are deductible for CalFresh calculations I'd recommend calling your county worker to report these expenses immediately. However, getting through to county workers can be extremely frustrating - took me 4 days of calling last time. If you're having trouble reaching someone, I recently used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a real person in under 20 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 that shows how it works. Saved me hours of redial frustration when I needed to update my medical expenses on my case.

THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED AGAINST WORKING FAMILIES!!! My sister has 2 kids and makes LESS than your boyfriend and they only gave her $110/month!!! Meanwhile my neighbor who doesn't work AT ALL gets the maximum amount!!! The more you work the less help you get it's BACKWARDS and BROKEN!!!!!

Have you verified if your boyfriend's overtime is being counted correctly? Sometimes the county calculates income wrong if overtime isn't consistent. If his overtime varies month to month, they should be using an average. Also, did they ask about your baby's father's income or just assume your boyfriend is the father? The way they count household members can get complicated if there are multiple income sources or non-parent adults. I worked for the county for 6 years, and these were common issues that affected benefit amounts. You can definitely request a recalculation if you believe there's an error.

have u tried applying for calworks too? u might qualify since u have a baby and cant work. its cash aid and sometimes u can get that even if u only get a little calfresh

$70 actually sounds high for that income level tbh. My husband makes about $3300 and we only get $42 for our family of 3 🙃 It's basically pointless but I keep it anyway because every bit helps I guess

After reading through the comments, it sounds like you have several action items: 1. Call your county worker to report your medical expenses (both yours and potentially your baby's) 2. Clarify how your boyfriend's overtime is being calculated 3. Make sure all your housing costs are properly documented 4. Continue with your WIC application for additional support When reporting medical expenses, bring documentation if possible. This includes receipts for: - Doctor visit copays - Prescription costs - Medical transportation expenses - Health insurance premiums you pay out of pocket - Medical equipment or supplies All of these can count toward your medical expense deduction if they exceed $35/month. With your HHT condition, I suspect your actual benefit could be considerably higher once everything is properly documented.