P-EBT 4.0 payment amount for 2-year-old seems low - only $302?

The P-EBT 4.0 benefit amounts depend on a few factors, including whether your child was enrolled in a qualifying childcare program during the eligibility period (2022-2023). Children in full-time childcare receive different amounts than those in part-time programs. Additionally, benefits can vary based on how many school closure days affected your child's program. The $302 amount is actually a standard tier for some situations - it's not necessarily wrong just because it's lower than others received.

My 3 yr old only got 325$ so yours seems right!!! The smaller kids get less i think

P-EBT amounts are incredibly confusing and frustrating! I received different amounts for each of my three kids and spent WEEKS trying to figure out why. The state basically calculates benefits based on age, program enrollment type, and attendance records that schools/daycares submitted. The $302 is likely correct if your child was in part-time care or only enrolled for part of the eligibility period. I tried calling the P-EBT hotline and waited 2+ hours only to be told they couldn't explain the exact calculation. So frustrating!

Just to add some clarity here - P-EBT 4.0 benefits are NOT the same as regular CalFresh. They're a one-time pandemic benefit that varies based on your child's specific situation during the 2022-2023 program year. The standard benefit tiers for P-EBT 4.0 are: - $132 for minimal eligibility - $302 for partial program participation - $455 for standard participation - $603 for extended participation - $802 for full program participation So your $302 is actually one of the standard payment tiers. This sounds right if your child was in part-time care or only enrolled for part of the eligibility period.

if ur worried u can try calling the p-ebt hotline but GOOD LUCK with that lol. i tried 5 times and kept getting disconnected after waiting like an hour each time. total waste of time

The formula they use for P-EBT 4.0 is sooooooo confusing. Each payment tier represents different levels of participation, and they used data from schools and childcare providers to determine eligibility. My daughter's preschool messed up their reporting initially, so a bunch of kids got lower amounts. They had to submit corrections and then some kids got supplemental payments months later. Might be worth checking with your childcare provider to make sure they submitted accurate information about your child's attendance during the eligibility period. If there was an error, you could potentially qualify for more.

Just an update since I see others mentioning the P-EBT hotline issues - the state actually added more staff recently because of all the complaints about wait times. I called last week and only waited about 45 minutes, which is still ridiculous but better than before. They told me they're processing correction requests through June 2025, so if there is an issue with your amount, you have time to address it.

dont 4get this is totally seprate from regular calfresh!!! u should still get ur normal ebt amount on ur regular card even if the pebt seems low