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Just following up - were you able to get this sorted out? Did you reupload the documents or get through to your worker?
Yes! I managed to get through using that Claimyr service someone mentioned. My worker said it wasn't a big deal since the paystubs had my husband's name on them. She made a note in our case file and said everything looks good for our upcoming recertification. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for your help!
That's such great news! I'm so glad you got it resolved and can breathe easy now. It's always nerve-wracking when you think you might have messed something up with your benefits. Thanks for updating us - it's really helpful to know how these situations actually turn out. Stories like yours give the rest of us hope that the workers are more understanding than we sometimes expect them to be.
This is really encouraging to hear! I'm new to CalWORKs and still learning how everything works. It's reassuring to know that when you make an honest mistake and try to fix it, the workers can be reasonable about it. I was worried that any little error would automatically result in losing benefits, but it sounds like they understand that people are human and sometimes mix things up on forms. Thanks for sharing the update - it definitely gives me more confidence in dealing with my own case!
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I want to add one more thing - make sure you're not confusing CalWORKs and CalFresh rules. They're similar but not identical. For CalFresh (food stamps), tax refunds don't count as income OR resources for 12 months after receipt. But for CalWORKs, they only don't count as income - they DO count as resources after a month. It's easy to get the programs mixed up since many of us have both.
That's a good point! I do have both and get confused about which rules apply to which program. Thank you for clarifying!
Just wanted to share my experience from this year - I got a $4,100 refund (mostly EITC) and was panicking about the same thing! Called my worker and she confirmed what everyone here is saying - tax refunds don't count as income for CalWORKs so no need to report on SAR7 and won't affect your cash aid amount. BUT she also warned me about the resource limit thing. I made sure to spend it all within 30 days on necessities - paid rent ahead, bought groceries in bulk, got my kids school supplies and clothes, and fixed some things around the apartment. Kept all my receipts just in case. The key is understanding the difference between "income" (which affects your monthly benefit amount) and "resources" (which is just about how much you can have saved up). Tax refunds don't count as the first but do count as the second after a month. Hope this helps ease your worry!
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Update: I called my worker this morning and she said it should take 10 business days for processing, and then the next payment after that should go to direct deposit. So basically like 3 weeks total if everything goes smoothly. I'm going to just avoid using my EBT card completely until then. Thanks everyone for the advice!
Hope it works out! Let us know when you get your first direct deposit payment!
Good luck with the direct deposit switch! I went through the same thing last year after my benefits got stolen. One thing I learned is to keep checking both your EBT balance AND your bank account during the transition period because sometimes they don't switch over exactly when they say they will. Also, even after you get direct deposit working, keep your EBT card somewhere safe - don't throw it away. Sometimes the county will randomly revert back to the card for certain payments (like emergency aid) and you'll need it. The whole system is confusing but direct deposit is definitely safer once it's working properly.
Thanks for the heads up about keeping the EBT card! I definitely would have thrown it away once direct deposit started. That's really helpful to know about emergency aid potentially going back to the card. Did you ever have issues with payments getting split between both methods during the transition? I'm worried about losing track of money if it gets confusing.
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Just a friendly reminder to anyone reading - if you haven't done so already, sign up for text or email alerts about your EBT card balance/deposits through the EBT website or app! That way you don't have to keep checking manually. It's saved me so many times when there were unexpected deposit date changes.
That's a great idea! I didn't even know those alerts existed. Going to set that up today. Thanks for the tip!
Another tip that might help - if you have a smartphone, you can download the ebtEDGE mobile app to check your balance and transaction history instantly. It's way faster than calling the customer service number or going to an ATM. Plus you can set up push notifications for deposits so you'll know the exact moment your CalWORKs payment hits your account. Really helpful for planning around rent due dates like yours!
Sofia Morales
Just wanted to update everyone - I finally got through to someone at the county office (took forever) and requested immediate need like you all suggested. They're processing it and said I should get emergency funds by Friday! They also helped me complete the homeless assistance application since I'm behind on rent. Thank you all SO MUCH for the advice. I'm still nervous about getting my regular benefits restored but at least this buys me some time with my landlord.
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Connor O'Neill
•Good for you! Make sure to turn in that SAR7 on time next time lol. I set like 5 reminders on my phone cuz I almost lost benefits that way too
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Sofia Morales
•Definitely! I'm putting alerts in my phone AND on my calendar. Never making this mistake again!
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Leo Simmons
So glad you were able to get through and get help! This whole thread is super helpful - I'm saving it in case I ever miss my SAR7 deadline (which hopefully never happens but you never know). It's crazy how they don't tell you about these emergency options unless you specifically ask for them. Thanks for updating us on what happened, and I hope your regular benefits get restored soon without any issues!
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Sadie Benitez
•This is such a valuable thread! I'm new to CalWORKs and had no idea about immediate need payments or homeless assistance programs. It's really unfortunate that caseworkers don't automatically inform people about these emergency options. Sofia, I'm so relieved you were able to get help - missing those SAR7 deadlines is scary when you have kids depending on you. The tip about setting multiple phone and calendar reminders is so smart. I'm going to do that right now for my next reporting deadline. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and knowledge!
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