I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that might help since I just went through a very similar situation a few months ago. One thing that was crucial for me was getting a written confirmation from the eligibility worker about the specific timeline for when my case would be split and when the new benefits would start. Don't just rely on verbal promises - ask them to send you a message through your BenefitsCal account or an official letter confirming the dates. Also, since your son has serious medical issues, make sure to ask about "protected status" for his case. This is different from the Continuity of Care that others mentioned - protected status actually prevents the system from automatically closing his Medi-Cal if there are any processing delays or errors during the transition. My daughter has a chronic condition and this literally saved us when there was a computer glitch that would have terminated her coverage. One thing I wish I had known earlier - if your ex is going to be receiving CalFresh for your shared kids, coordinate with him about pickup dates for benefits. Sometimes when cases are split, the system gets confused about which EBT card the benefits should load onto, and having a plan for this can prevent your shared kids from going without food if there are technical issues. The fact that you're asking all these questions ahead of time shows you're really prepared. That preparation will make all the difference in protecting your children's benefits during this transition!

I'm new to this community but wanted to add something that really helped me when I went through a similar separation last year. Make sure to ask your eligibility worker about "interim benefits" while your case is being processed. Since your older child has serious medical needs, you might qualify for temporary CalFresh and continued Medi-Cal coverage during the transition period - this prevents any gaps while they sort out the new household compositions. Also, I'd recommend reaching out to your son's pharmacy directly to let them know about the potential Medi-Cal changes. Sometimes pharmacies can help coordinate with insurance to ensure prescriptions don't get interrupted, and they often have contacts at managed care plans who can expedite coverage verification if needed. One thing that saved me a lot of headaches was creating a "separation folder" with copies of everything - old benefit letters, medical records, school documents, etc. I brought this entire folder when I met with my eligibility worker in person, and having everything organized made the whole process go so much smoother than trying to explain everything over the phone. Your preparation and the advice in this thread are incredible. It's clear you're doing everything possible to protect your children's benefits during this difficult time. Wishing you the best outcome!

I'm also new to CalWORKs (been receiving Cash Aid for about 6 weeks now with my 5-year-old daughter) and this thread has been absolutely incredible! Like so many others, I had no idea we could get tax refunds without working income. I was actually stressed about tax season thinking I'd either owe money or have nothing worth filing. Reading everyone's real experiences getting back thousands with just CalWORKs benefits is giving me so much hope. We've been really struggling since I lost my job in October, and hearing I could potentially get $3,000-4,000 back would be absolutely life-changing for us right now. I'm calling 211 tomorrow to find a VITA location near me. Quick question - for those who've done this, do they usually have Spanish-speaking volunteers available? My English is okay but I want to make sure I don't miss anything important about the tax credits. Also wondering if anyone knows how long it typically takes to get the refund after filing? Thank you all for sharing your experiences so openly - this community has been more helpful than any official resource I've found. Finally feeling optimistic that we might be able to catch up on some bills and get back on track!

I'm also new to CalWORKs (started about 8 weeks ago with my 3-year-old son) and wow, this thread has been absolutely amazing to discover! Like everyone else here, I had absolutely no clue that we could get tax refunds without any work income. I was honestly dreading tax season because I thought I'd either owe money somehow or there wouldn't be any point in filing at all. Reading through all these real experiences of people getting back $3,000-7,000+ with just Cash Aid is incredible and so encouraging! That kind of money would completely transform our situation right now. We're still trying to catch up on basic expenses and this could help us get current on everything and maybe even start saving a little. I'm definitely calling 211 tomorrow to find a VITA location. Has anyone had experience with the weekend or evening hours that some locations offer? I'm hoping to find something that works around my son's nap schedule since he gets pretty fussy when he's tired. Also wondering if they're patient with toddlers who might be a bit restless during the appointment? This community has been more helpful than any government website or office I've tried to get information from. Thank you all for being so generous with sharing your experiences - for the first time since starting CalWORKs, I'm actually feeling hopeful about our financial future!

This thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm currently on CalWORKs and have been applying for jobs, so I'm bookmarking this for when I hopefully find myself in the same position soon. What really stands out to me from everyone's experiences is how important the specific language is - saying "voluntarily discontinue CalWORKs Cash Aid" rather than just mentioning income changes or new employment. I had no idea these were treated as completely different processes by the county offices. The consensus seems crystal clear: use BenefitsCal for written documentation, follow up with a phone call for confirmation, wait for actual paychecks before setting the effective date, and be specific about keeping other benefits if you want them. The stories about overpayment issues from phone-only cancellations are definitely eye-opening. @Connor - you've sparked such a helpful discussion here! It's inspiring to see someone approaching this transition so thoughtfully. With all the detailed step-by-step advice from people who've successfully navigated this process, you're definitely going to handle it properly. Congratulations on your new job and best of luck with your move toward financial independence - you've got this!

I just went through this process successfully about 6 weeks ago! The advice everyone's giving here is absolutely solid - I wish I'd had this thread when I was figuring it out. Here's what worked perfectly for me: 1. Used BenefitsCal to submit a written request with the exact phrase "I request to voluntarily discontinue my CalWORKs Cash Aid effective [specific date]" 2. Called the same day and got confirmation number 3. Set the effective date for after my second paycheck so I was 100% certain about my income level 4. Made it clear I wanted to keep CalFresh and Medi-Cal The whole thing was processed within about 10 days and I got my Notice of Action confirming everything was cancelled properly. No overpayment issues whatsoever! One thing I'd add - when you call for that confirmation number, ask the rep to repeat back exactly what they have on file regarding your request. This way you can catch any miscommunication right away. The rep I spoke with was really helpful and even explained that the "voluntarily discontinue" language triggers a different process than just reporting income changes. @Connor - you're being so smart about planning this out properly! The fact that you're asking these questions shows you'll handle the transition perfectly. Congratulations on the new job - it's such an amazing feeling to reach that point of financial independence!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - it's incredibly frustrating how the system works against families who are already doing things right! I went through almost the exact same thing last year and was completely blindsided by how differently Medi-Cal treats child support cooperation compared to CalWORKs. The advice everyone's giving about requesting that fair hearing with "aid paid pending" is absolutely critical - do this FIRST THING tomorrow morning! You only have 90 days from your notice date and this will keep your Medi-Cal active during the entire hearing process, which could buy you several months to figure things out. I also want to echo what others have said about talking to your ex immediately. When I had to go through this, I called my ex right away to explain that the county was forcing this cooperation just so I could keep my healthcare - it wasn't me going back on our agreement. That conversation was awkward but it saved our co-parenting relationship when the LCSA eventually contacted him. One thing that helped me was putting together a really detailed packet showing how well our informal arrangement worked for the kids - texts about shared expenses, our custody schedule, even photos of family events showing how stable everything was. The hearing officer actually seemed impressed that we'd maintained such a functional system for years. The whole thing is backwards and unfair, but there IS hope. You can get through this while protecting both your healthcare and your family relationships. Stay strong!

This is absolutely heartbreaking and I'm so angry for you! The fact that they can just blindside you like this after you already made an informed decision about the CalWORKs penalty is completely unacceptable. Nobody should have to find out they're losing their healthcare through a damn notice in the mail. I'm reading through all this advice and everyone is spot on - you need to request that fair hearing with "aid paid pending" IMMEDIATELY. Like tomorrow morning first thing. That 90-day deadline is no joke and keeping your coverage active during the hearing process could be the difference between having healthcare and not. What really pisses me off is that they're going to pursue child support for your kids anyway even though you specifically said you didn't want that! So you lose your medical coverage AND they still mess with your co-parenting arrangement. It's like the system is designed to punish people for trying to handle things maturely. Definitely warn your ex about what's coming. Your arrangement has been working for 2 years - don't let some bureaucrat destroy that by catching him off guard. When both parents can show the LCSA that you've got a stable system that benefits the kids, sometimes they back off a little. This whole thing is so backwards but don't give up! There are clearly people here who've fought this and won. Document everything about how well your system works and fight for what you've built. You shouldn't have to choose between healthcare and functional co-parenting.

I just wanted to add to this amazing thread of support! I went through this exact situation about 5 months ago when I started a seasonal job that put me over my IRT by about $140. Like so many others here, I was absolutely terrified that my CalFresh would get cut off immediately. Here's what happened in my case: - I reported on day 6 of my 10-day window (I called as soon as I worked up the courage!) - The worker was really patient and explained that the IRT is like an "early warning system" - it alerts them to review your case, but doesn't automatically disqualify you - I kept receiving my full benefits for about 5 weeks while they processed everything - They eventually reduced my benefits by only $31/month because they factored in my rent, utilities, and the fact that my job was seasonal with variable hours What really helped me was when the worker explained that they're looking at your long-term financial stability, not punishing you for getting a job. Since you mentioned this is new employment, they'll definitely consider that jobs often have adjustment periods with varying schedules or pay rates. The most reassuring thing was learning that your EBT continues working normally throughout the entire review process - there's no sudden cutoff. Don't let fear delay your reporting! You're being responsible by staying within that 10-day window, and based on everyone's experiences here, the outcome is usually much more reasonable than we imagine. This community really shows how many people successfully navigate this process!

I'm so grateful I found this thread! I was in almost the exact same situation about 2 weeks ago when I started a new job that put me over my IRT by about $240. Like everyone else here, I was absolutely panicking thinking my CalFresh would stop immediately when I reported. Here's what just happened in my case: - I reported on day 7 of my 10-day window (after reading horror stories online that made me super anxious!) - The worker was incredibly understanding and explained that going over IRT is just a "review trigger" - not an automatic disqualification - I'm still receiving my full benefits now (it's been 2 weeks since I reported) while they process my case - They sent me paperwork asking for pay stubs and information about whether this income will continue consistently What really helped ease my anxiety was when the worker explained that new jobs often have adjustment periods - sometimes training pay is different, or hours vary while you're getting established. They said they look at your projected ongoing income, not just one high paycheck. She also emphasized that I was doing exactly the right thing by reporting within the 10-day window, and that my EBT would continue working normally while they review everything. No sudden surprises or immediate cutoffs! Based on everyone's experiences in this thread, it sounds like I can expect to keep my current benefits for another 3-4 weeks while they finish processing, and then hopefully just a reasonable reduction rather than losing everything. This community has been such a lifesaver for understanding that this is a normal process thousands of people navigate successfully!