Social Security COLA increase reduced my CalFresh benefits - no actual gain?

This happens to a lot of people with the annual COLA adjustments. CalFresh benefits are calculated based on your income, so when your Social Security increases, your CalFresh naturally decreases. It's frustrating, but it's how the system is designed. The programs are meant to work together - as your income increases, your need for food assistance is considered less. One thing that might help: make sure ALL your expenses are being counted. Are you reporting your full rent increase? Medical expenses? If you're over 60, you can deduct medical expenses over $35 monthly. Sometimes people forget to report these changes which could help offset the reduction.

omg same thing every year!! its so aggravating like they give with one hand and take with other 🙄 my SS went up $102 and my calfresh went down $91... big whopping $11 increase lol. cant even buy a sandwich with that these days

This is a common issue with benefit programs. For CalFresh specifically, benefits are reduced by approximately 30 cents for every additional dollar of income. So your numbers actually align with that formula - $87 increase in Social Security would typically reduce CalFresh by about $26. Since you mentioned being on Social Security, I'm assuming you're either disabled or over retirement age. Make sure you're claiming ALL possible deductions: 1. Medical expenses over $35/month (including prescription costs, doctor visits, health insurance premiums, transportation to medical appointments) 2. Full shelter costs (rent/mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities) 3. Dependent care expenses if applicable You'll need to submit verification documents for these expenses. A recalculation could increase your benefits even with the higher income.

Okay I called my county office yesterday and they put me on hold for 45 minutes before hanging up on me. Called again today and got the same automated system but couldn't get through to anyone. I need to talk to someone about adding my medical expenses! Anyone know how to actually reach a real person at the CalFresh office??

this is just how the system works... u get more money, u get less food stamps. fair is fair tbh. at least ur getting something... my mom only gets $23 in calfresh now cause of her pension

The whole system is DESIGNED this way on purpose!! They WANT you to stay poor and dependent. If you try to get ahead they PUNISH you by taking away benefits. It's the same with ALL government programs - Section 8, CalWorks, etc. This is why so many people are trapped in poverty. The minute you make a dollar more they take away two dollars in benefits. The whole thing is rigged against us!!

I want to follow up on your medical expenses question. For CalFresh, if you're elderly (60+) or disabled, you can deduct medical expenses over $35/month from your countable income. This includes: - Prescription medications and co-pays - Over-the-counter medications approved by your doctor - Health insurance premiums including Medicare premiums - Medical equipment and supplies - Transportation costs to medical appointments (bus fare, mileage, etc.) - Dental care, vision care, hearing aids To claim these, you'll need to: 1. Complete a Medical Expense Deduction form (CW 62) 2. Provide receipts or bills showing your expenses 3. Submit these to your caseworker This could significantly increase your monthly benefits. Some counties let you submit this documentation through BenefitsCal.com or by mail if you can't reach someone by phone.

I had this same problem last year!!! My social security went up like $70 something and my calfresh went down almost the same amount. I called and asked about it and they explained that's just how it works. The lady was nice but couldn't really do anything. Just the way the system is set up i guess 😕

Just wanted to add another thought - check if you're eligible for the utility allowance. In California, there's a Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) of about $487 for 2025 that can be deducted from your income when calculating CalFresh benefits if you pay for heating or cooling separately from your rent. There's also a Limited Utility Allowance (LUA) if you have at least two non-heating/cooling utility bills. These allowances could help offset the reduction from increased Social Security income.

its so weird how different counties handle this stuff too!! my friend in alameda county gets more calfresh than me even tho we have almost identical income?? makes no sense