What's the 2025 income limit for maximum CalFresh benefits for a single person?

The income limit and benefit amount are two different things. For CalFresh in 2025, a single person household can have a gross monthly income up to $2,430 to qualify at all. But to get the MAXIMUM benefit, your net income after deductions needs to be very low or zero. With $1,350/month, you'll qualify but probably won't get the maximum. The system will take your income minus deductions (like rent, utilities, etc.) to calculate your actual benefit amount. The maximum for a single person is now $291 per month.

OMG the system is so complicated!! i got denied even tho i only make like $1500 a month. they said something about my car being too expensive?? which is bs cuz its a 2017 honda that i still owe payments on lol

There's a standard deduction of $193 for a single-person household. Then they only count 70% of your earned income. THEN they subtract your shelter costs over 50% of your adjusted income. It's SUPER confusing. But based on what you said: $1,350 income - $193 standard deduction = $1,157 × 70% = $809.90 adjusted income Then they'll deduct housing costs that exceed 50% of that adjusted income. Your rent+utilities is $1,215, which is WAY more than 50% of your adjusted income ($404.95). You'll probably get close to the max benefit with those numbers. Apply ASAP!

I work for a community org that helps people with benefits. To get the ABSOLUTE maximum CalFresh of $291/month in 2025, your net income after all deductions would need to be $0. But with your situation, you'll still get a substantial amount. One tip: make sure to provide ALL documentation about your rent and utilities when you apply. The more verified expenses you have, the higher your benefit will be. Also, if you have any medical expenses over $35/month, those can count as deductions too, even if you're not elderly or disabled.

I got maximum benefits for 3 months when I had zero income at all. As soon as I started my part-time job, it went down. So I think to get the max you basically need to have no income or very very little.

When I applied last year I was making around $1,400/month and got $185 in benefits. Not the maximum but it helped a lot. The most frustrating part was trying to reach someone at the county office to verify my rent receipt - took me DAYS of calling. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a real person at the CalFresh office in about 15 minutes instead of spending hours on hold. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 showing how it works. Totally worth it to get everything sorted quickly.

Make sure ur reporting ur GROSS income not NET!!! I made that mistake and got confused when my benifets were lower than expected. Gross is before taxes and deductions, my caseworker had to explain it to me lol.

Don't forget that if you're paying for childcare to work, those expenses can be deducted too. And if you're paying legally required child support, that's another deduction.

One more important thing: after you're approved, make sure to submit your SAR7 income report on time every 6 months. If your income changes by more than $100, you need to report it within 10 days. Missing these deadlines can mean losing benefits or even having to pay back benefits if they think you got too much.

Just wanted to add that if you're working part-time and your hours fluctuate, make sure to report your AVERAGE monthly income when you apply. Don't just use one paycheck - look at your last few months to get a realistic picture. Also, if you get tips or any cash income, you need to report that too even if it's small amounts. The county workers are pretty understanding about irregular income from part-time work, but being honest upfront will save you headaches later. Good luck with your application!

Just applied for CalFresh last month and wanted to share my experience! I was making about $1,200/month part-time and was approved for $215/month in benefits. The application process was way easier than I expected - I did everything online through BenefitsCal.com and got approved within 2 weeks. One thing that really helped was having all my documents ready before I started: recent pay stubs, rent receipt, utility bills, and bank statements. The online portal lets you upload everything as PDFs which saved me from having to mail or fax anything. Also, don't stress too much about getting the "maximum" benefit - even getting $200+ per month makes a HUGE difference when you're struggling with groceries. That covers most of my fresh produce and protein for the month, which frees up my cash for rent and other bills. Apply as soon as you can because benefits start from the date you submit your application!