Why is my EBT card balance only $0.93? CalFresh benefits missing this month

check ur benefitscal account, might tell u whats goin on. sometimes they need more verifications but the notice gets lost in mail. happened 2 me n had to submit pay stubs again. or could just b a system error, had that happen 2 before also

This is definitely not normal. If your case is still showing as active, I would guess it's one of three things: 1) System error that delayed your deposit, 2) Income verification issue that somehow didn't generate a notice, or 3) They may have received information from another source (like quarterly wage reports) that affected your eligibility. Did you have any income changes recently that might have pushed you over the IRT (Income Reporting Threshold) but you didn't report? Either way, you need to contact your county worker ASAP tomorrow morning.

I've been through this nightmare before. Check if there was a system update or maintenance recently - sometimes it delays deposits or causes errors. But most likely, they're requiring some verification and the notice is sitting in a mail pile somewhere. I wasted DAYS trying to reach someone at the county - the phone system is absolute garbage. After 20+ calls and hours on hold, I finally found this service called Claimyr that got me through to a real person in about 15 minutes. They have this system that waits on hold for you and calls you back when a worker answers. claimyr.com saved my sanity! You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Honestly worth it when you're desperate to talk to someone.

Before you spend hours calling, there's a quick troubleshooting step you should try. Sometimes the EBT system and benefits issuance system don't sync properly. Try calling the EBT customer service number (NOT your county office) at 1-877-328-9677 and check if the system shows a pending deposit or recent transaction history. I've worked with clients who thought benefits weren't loaded, but it was actually a different issue with their account access or card. Also, did you recently move or update your address? Any changes to your household composition? Sometimes these trigger verification requirements even mid-certification period. The $0.93 suggests you may have used almost all of last month's benefits, and this month's simply didn't load correctly.

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at the county office this morning! Turns out they sent me a verification request letter three weeks ago that I never received. Something about needing updated rental agreement documentation. The worker could see it was mailed but obviously it never made it to me. They're reissuing my benefits within 3 business days and I have until next Friday to submit the verification they need. The worker mentioned they've been having issues with their mailing system recently. SO RELIEVED but also super frustrated this happened when there was no way for me to know about it!

this happened to my neighbor too! the county keeps saying they mail stuff but nothing ever comes. she started taking pics of all her pay stubs and rent receipts just in case. glad u got it fixed tho!!! the whole system is so broken

So glad you got this resolved! This exact same thing happened to me about 6 months ago - they said they mailed verification requests but I never got them either. It's honestly scary how they can just cut off your food benefits without you even knowing there's a problem. I've started checking my BenefitsCal account every few days now because I don't trust their mail system at all. The stress of not knowing if you'll be able to feed your family is just awful. Hope your benefits come through quickly!