What exactly is an IRT for CalFresh? Got a letter mentioning it but don't understand the consequences

IRT stands for Income Reporting Threshold. It's basically the income limit that requires you to report changes BEFORE your regular SAR7 is due. If your household's total monthly income goes above your IRT ($2,700 in your case), you must report it to the county within 10 days of the change. This is separate from your regular SAR7 reporting.

i went thru this last year, my irt was like 2400 or something and i got overtime for 2 weeks and had to report it. they didnt cut me off completely but did lower my benefits for a couple months. its annoying but u HAVE to report it or they can say u got an overpaymnt later

THEY ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO CUT YOUR BENEFITS!! That's what this IRT thing is really about. I went over by just $50 ONE TIME and they slashed my benefits by $100 the next month. They don't care if it's a one-time thing or if you have extra expenses that month. The system is designed to trip people up.

To directly answer your question: The IRT (Income Reporting Threshold) is the income level at which you must report to CalFresh BEFORE your next regular SAR7 reporting period. It's set at 130% of the Federal Poverty Level for your household size. Here's what happens if you go over: 1. You must report within 10 days of receiving income that puts you over the IRT 2. The county will recalculate your benefits based on the new income 3. They'll send you a Notice of Action explaining any changes 4. Your benefits might be reduced, but you won't automatically lose eligibility Going over IRT for one month usually results in a benefit reduction, not termination. You'd only lose eligibility if your income consistently exceeds the program's gross income limit.

Similar thing happened to me when I was working extra hours during holiday season! You can report going over IRT using the BenefitsCal website (that's what I did), or call your county office. Just make sure you do it within 10 days of when you get the paycheck that puts you over. They'll ask for proof of the income (like paystubs). I had such a hard time reaching someone at the county office though - kept getting disconnected after 45+ minutes of waiting. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that held my place in line and had a worker call me back. Saved me hours of frustration! They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 But yeah, don't stress too much about the IRT thing. Just report it and you'll be fine!

Does anyone know if I have to report going over IRT if it's just a one-time bonus? My work is giving everyone a $500 bonus next month but my regular pay stays the same. Does that count toward IRT? sorry to hijack the thread but seems related

I think everyone is making this more complicated than it is. IRT is just a fancy way of saying "tell us if you make more money than we expect" lol. They just want to know if your situation changes a lot so they can adjust your food stamps. I never bothered reporting when I went a little over and nothing bad happened to me.

Thank you everyone for the helpful explanations! I'm going to make sure I report if I go over the $2,700 threshold. I'll try the BenefitsCal website first since that seems easiest. I'm relieved to know they won't just cut me off completely if it's a temporary income increase. I appreciate all your help!

Just wanted to add that if you're worried about remembering to report within the 10-day window, you can set a reminder on your phone for when you expect to get that extra pay. I learned this the hard way when I almost missed the deadline after picking up overtime shifts. Also, keep in mind that the 10 days starts from when you RECEIVE the income (like when your paycheck hits your account), not when you work the extra hours. The county workers are usually pretty understanding if you're proactive about reporting - it's way better than them finding out later through their system checks.

As someone who recently went through this exact situation, I can confirm what others have said about the IRT reporting being manageable. I was in a similar position last year - got nervous about potentially going over my threshold due to seasonal work. What helped me was calling my county office ahead of time to ask about the process, so I knew exactly what to do if/when it happened. They actually appreciated the proactive approach! One thing I'd add is that when you do report over-IRT income, ask the worker to explain how they calculated your new benefit amount. Sometimes there are deductions or expenses they might not have considered that could help keep your benefits higher. Don't be afraid to ask questions - it's your right to understand how your case is being handled.

I went through this same confusion when I first got my IRT letter! What really helped me was understanding that the IRT is actually there to protect you - it ensures your benefits get adjusted properly when your income changes, rather than creating an overpayment situation later. I've had to report going over my IRT twice now, and both times the county workers were helpful and walked me through the process. One tip: if you do go over, make sure you have all your pay stubs ready when you report. They'll want to see proof of the income change. Also, don't panic if your benefits get reduced temporarily - they recalculate based on your actual monthly income, so if the extra income was just a one-time thing, your benefits should go back up at your next review period.

I just went through this exact situation a few months ago and wanted to share what I learned! When I got my IRT letter, I was also really confused and worried. What helped me was calling the county office and asking them to walk me through a hypothetical scenario - like "if I make $200 extra this month, what exactly happens?" They were actually really patient and explained that going over the IRT doesn't mean you're in trouble, it just triggers a benefit recalculation. The key thing is the 10-day reporting window - I set a phone reminder for myself since I tend to forget important deadlines. Also, when I did have to report going over my IRT (I picked up some freelance work), I used the BenefitsCal website and it was pretty straightforward. Just make sure you have your pay stubs saved as PDFs or photos on your phone so you can upload them easily. The whole process took maybe 15 minutes online, which was way better than trying to get through on the phone. Don't stress too much about it - the system is designed to adjust with your income changes, not punish you for working more!

I'm new to CalFresh and just got my first IRT letter too, so this whole thread has been incredibly helpful! I was literally googling "what is IRT CalFresh" when I found this post. Reading everyone's real experiences makes me feel so much better about the whole thing. I had no idea that going over the threshold was just about adjusting benefits rather than losing them entirely. The tip about using BenefitsCal website instead of calling is a game changer - I hate being on hold forever. I'm going to screenshot some of these responses for reference, especially the part about the 10-day reporting window starting when you actually receive the income. Thanks Maya for asking the question I was too nervous to ask, and thanks to everyone who shared their experiences!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! Just got my IRT letter last week and was totally panicked about it. This thread has been so reassuring - I had no idea that so many people go through this same confusion. What's really helpful is seeing that the county workers are generally understanding when you're proactive about reporting. I'm bookmarking this whole conversation because there's so much practical advice here. One thing I'm curious about - does anyone know if the IRT amount ever changes, or is it set when you first get approved? My letter shows $2,450 but I'm wondering if that could go up or down based on household changes. Thanks Maya for starting this discussion and everyone for sharing your real experiences!

This thread has been so educational! I'm currently on CalFresh and have been dreading getting one of these IRT letters, but reading everyone's experiences makes it seem much more manageable than I imagined. I really appreciate how people shared specific details like using the BenefitsCal website and keeping pay stubs ready. One question I have - if you report going over your IRT and your benefits get reduced, do you have to wait until your next regular review (like SAR7 time) for them to potentially increase again if your income goes back down? Or can you report when your income decreases too? I do gig work so my income fluctuates a lot month to month and I want to make sure I understand how to handle both increases and decreases properly.

This whole thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm also new to CalFresh and was completely lost when I got my IRT letter a few days ago. The letter made it sound so scary, like I'd automatically lose benefits if I went over even once. Reading everyone's real experiences here has been such a relief - especially knowing that it's more about benefit adjustments than punishment. I love all the practical tips about using BenefitsCal online and setting phone reminders for the 10-day window. The part about keeping pay stubs ready as PDFs is genius too. It's so reassuring to see that the county workers are generally helpful when you're proactive about reporting. Thanks Maya for asking this question and to everyone who shared their stories - this community is amazing for helping newcomers navigate these confusing parts of the system!

Just wanted to add my experience for anyone else who might be worried about IRT reporting! I got my first IRT letter about 6 months ago and was terrified I'd mess something up. What really helped me was calling my county office during their less busy hours (I found mid-morning on weekdays worked best) and asking them to explain my specific situation. The worker was super patient and even helped me understand what types of income count toward the IRT threshold - things like overtime, bonuses, and even some one-time payments all count. One thing I learned that might help others: if you're close to your IRT threshold regularly, you can ask your caseworker about potentially getting a higher IRT during your next review if your circumstances have changed permanently. Also, don't forget that certain deductions (like childcare costs if you're working) can sometimes offset income increases when they recalculate your benefits. The anxiety about IRT reporting was way worse than actually dealing with it. The system really is designed to adjust with your life changes, not to punish you for trying to improve your situation!

Reading through this entire thread as someone who just started receiving CalFresh benefits has been incredibly eye-opening! I haven't received my IRT letter yet but I'm already feeling so much more prepared thanks to everyone sharing their real experiences here. The official CalFresh materials I got when I was approved barely mentioned IRT, so I had no idea this was even a thing I'd need to worry about. What strikes me most is how the IRT system actually seems designed to help recipients stay compliant rather than trap them - even though the initial letters sound really intimidating. All the practical tips here are gold: using BenefitsCal online instead of phone calls, setting reminders for the 10-day window, keeping pay stubs as PDFs, and calling during less busy hours if you do need to speak with someone. Maya, thank you so much for asking this question! And to everyone who shared their stories - you've created such a valuable resource for people like me who are new to navigating this system. I'm bookmarking this entire discussion for future reference. It's amazing how much less scary everything seems when you hear from people who've actually been through it successfully.

This thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm actually in the exact same situation as Maya - got my IRT letter about a week ago and was completely panicked about what it meant. I work in retail and my hours can vary a lot depending on the season, so I was terrified that any extra shifts would somehow get me in trouble with CalFresh. Reading everyone's experiences here has been so reassuring, especially learning that going over your IRT is really just about benefit adjustments rather than losing everything. The tip about using BenefitsCal online instead of waiting on hold for hours is amazing - I had no idea that was an option! I'm definitely going to set up those phone reminders for the 10-day reporting window too, since I'm terrible at remembering important deadlines. One thing I'm still a bit confused about - if I go over my IRT one month but then go back under the next month, do I need to report both changes? Or just the initial increase? My work schedule is pretty unpredictable so this could definitely happen to me. Thanks to everyone who's shared their stories - you've turned what felt like a nightmare into something totally manageable!

I'm also new to CalFresh and just received my IRT letter yesterday! This entire thread has been incredibly helpful - I was literally googling "IRT CalFresh meaning" when I found this discussion. Maya, thank you for asking exactly what I was wondering about! Reading everyone's real experiences has completely changed my perspective on this. The letter made it sound so intimidating, but it's clear from all your stories that it's really just about keeping the county informed so they can adjust benefits appropriately. I love all the practical advice here, especially about using BenefitsCal online and keeping pay stubs ready as PDFs. I work as a substitute teacher so my income varies quite a bit depending on how many days I get called in each month. Based on what I'm reading here, it sounds like I should report if I have an unusually busy month that puts me over my IRT threshold ($2,100), but I don't need to panic about normal week-to-week fluctuations. Is that understanding correct? Thanks again to everyone who shared their experiences - you've made something that seemed really scary feel totally manageable!