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.

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!

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.

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!

I was in the same boat a few months ago. It took me FOREVER to get through to someone. When I finally did, they told me I was supposed to have received an orientation packet in the mail weeks earlier, which I never got. They were about to start the sanction process even though they never properly notified me! Make sure you document EVERYTHING - dates you called, who you spoke with, etc. They might try to blame you for their mistake.

I went through something similar when my case changed last year. Here's what worked for me: First, don't panic about sanctions - they have to follow specific steps before they can actually reduce your benefits, and it sounds like your worker skipped some important ones. Try calling your county office first thing in the morning (around 8 AM) - that's when you're most likely to get through to a real person. Have your case number ready and specifically ask to speak with your assigned worker or their supervisor. If you still can't reach anyone, consider filing a complaint with the county's CalWORKs program manager. Every county has to have a process for handling complaints about WTW services. You can usually find this information on your county's website. Also, check if your county has a WTW contractor (like MAXIMUS or another company) that handles the workshops separately from the county office. Sometimes they have their own phone numbers that are easier to get through to. Keep trying - you have rights in this process and they can't sanction you without proper notice and giving you a chance to comply!

u should contact legal aid in ur county they help with calworks stuff for free!! they helped my cousin win her case when$$ got stolen

I went through something similar last year and it's so stressful! The key thing is to act fast on that appeal - you really do only have 90 days from the denial letter date. While you're waiting for the hearing, try to gather any evidence you can: work schedules, school attendance records, receipts from other stores showing you were elsewhere, anything that proves you couldn't have made those transactions. One thing that helped me was requesting the detailed transaction report from the county - it shows exactly what stores, times, and amounts. Sometimes there are obvious red flags like multiple transactions minutes apart at stores across town from each other. Also, if you haven't already, file a police report. Even if the police don't investigate, having that report number shows you're taking it seriously and aren't trying to commit fraud yourself. Keep using the replacement money for your normal expenses - that's what it's there for - but definitely don't treat it like "extra" money since you might have to pay it back. Good luck with your appeal! The system is frustrating but people do win these cases when they have evidence.