Will CalFresh put a lien on my home? Estate recovery concerns for benefits

Take a deep breath - your neighbor is mixing up different programs. CalFresh (food stamps) does NOT have estate recovery. The Medi-Cal estate recovery program only applies to certain Medi-Cal benefits for people 55+ or in nursing facilities, and even that program has been limited significantly in recent years.\n\nCalFresh, CalWORKs, and SSI do NOT have estate recovery provisions. You can continue receiving food benefits without worrying about your house.

Oh thank god!!! I've been sick with worry all day. Are you 100% sure CalFresh doesn't do this? My neighbor seemed really convinced and said her uncle lost his house because of government benefits.

omg i heard the same thing from my dad!! he said dont ever take govt help cuz theyll take ur house when u die

This is a common misconception. Only certain Medi-Cal services may be subject to estate recovery, and even those rules changed in 2017 to protect many family homes. CalFresh (food benefits) absolutely does NOT have estate recovery - they will never put a lien on your house or take it after you die because you received food assistance.

Your neighbor is WRONG and spreading dangerous misinformation that could keep you from getting food assistance you need! I've worked with benefit programs for years, and CalFresh has NEVER had estate recovery. The only program that does any estate recovery is Medi-Cal, and even that's limited now.\n\nKeep your CalFresh benefits and don't worry about your house. This kind of fear-mongering makes me SO angry because it literally keeps hungry people from getting help they qualify for.

Thank you for being so clear about this. It's such a relief to hear. I was ready to cancel my benefits today even though we really need the food help. Is there somewhere official I can read about this to ease my mind completely?

I understand your concern. To clarify completely:\n\n1. CalFresh (formerly food stamps) has NO estate recovery provisions\n2. CalWORKs has NO estate recovery provisions\n3. SSI has NO estate recovery provisions\n4. Only Medi-Cal has limited estate recovery, and that only applies to:\n - People 55+ who received long-term care services\n - People permanently institutionalized\n\nEven with Medi-Cal, since 2017, California greatly restricted estate recovery. They can't recover if there's a surviving spouse/registered domestic partner, and there are exemptions for homes of modest value.\n\nYou can see the official info at the CDSS website or call your county for verification.

This is EXACTLY what I needed to know. Thank you for laying it out so clearly. I feel 100% better now and won't be canceling my benefits. I wonder how many people avoid getting help because of these rumors?

THE GOVERNMENT IS TOTALLY COMING FOR UR HOUSE!!!! My aunt lost her trailer after being on benefits dont listen to these people they dont know what the government does behind closed doors!!!

This is absolutely false information. Your aunt may have lost her property for other reasons (tax liens, mortgage issues, etc.), but it was NOT because she received CalFresh benefits. Please don't spread misinformation that could prevent people from accessing food assistance they need and are entitled to receive.

I went thru this same panic attack last year! Neighbors are the WORST for spreading these rumors. Called my county office like 5 times but kept getting disconnected and never got a straight answer. Finally got through using this service called Claimyr - they got me connected to a real CalFresh worker in like 10 minutes who confirmed there's NO estate recovery for CalFresh. Such a relief. Check out their demo video if you're having trouble getting answers: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 or go to claimyr.com - totally worth it for peace of mind.

I might actually try this service. I've called my county office twice now to get written confirmation about this estate recovery thing, but I just get stuck in their phone tree and eventually give up. Thanks for the tip!

From my experience with the entire benefits system for 15+ years in California, here's what you need to know:\n\nThe ONLY program with estate recovery is Medi-Cal, and even then ONLY in specific situations (55+ age + nursing home/long-term care services).\n\nPeople confuse these programs all the time. CalFresh is 100% food assistance with NO estate recovery provisions. Your home is safe.\n\nIf you want total peace of mind, request a written statement from your county CalFresh office stating that there is no estate recovery for CalFresh benefits. They can provide this, though they might be confused about why you're asking since it's not something they typically deal with.

wait so even with medi-cal they dont take ur house anymore??? my grandma has been refusing to apply for medi-cal even tho she needs it cuz shes terrified of losing her house

To answer the question about Medi-Cal:\n\nSince 2017, Medi-Cal estate recovery is MUCH more limited. They can only recover for nursing facility services, home and community-based services, and related hospital and prescription drug services. Regular doctor visits, etc. are NOT subject to recovery.\n\nALSO, they cannot recover if there's a surviving spouse/registered domestic partner, if there's a child under 21, or if there's a disabled child of any age. There are also hardship waivers.\n\nYour grandmother should absolutely apply for Medi-Cal if she needs healthcare. The peace of mind from having coverage outweighs the limited risk to her estate, especially if she has any heirs that would qualify for the exemptions.

omg thank u!! im going to tell her this tomorrow. shes been putting off doctors appointments for months cuz of this

Hey everyone - just wanted to update that I actually went to my county CalFresh office in person yesterday and got written confirmation that CalFresh does NOT participate in estate recovery! No liens, no claims against my estate, nothing. The worker actually thanked me for coming in because she said this rumor keeps a lot of seniors from applying for benefits they desperately need.\n\nI'm keeping my benefits and my peace of mind. Thanks for all your help clearing this up!

This is exactly why I get so frustrated with benefit misinformation. So glad you got the facts directly from the source! Enjoy your benefits - that's what they're there for!