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lol they change the rules all the time. I got denied last month cuz I went over the income limit by $32!!! but then got approved this month with the SAME income. make sure you ask for the exact income limits for ur family size. also bring ALL ur school paperwork and financial aid info. they count some school money as income depending what kind it is
Just to add some specifics about the education requirements: For your programs to count as WTW activities, you need to show they lead directly to employment and are likely to help you become self-sufficient. You'll need to complete a WTW 2 form for each of you, along with your current class schedules, enrollment verification, and a statement from each program showing the expected completion date and job prospects. For the parent who isn't using the young child exemption, the standard participation requirement is 35 hours per week for two-parent families. If your educational program doesn't meet all those hours, you may need to supplement with other approved activities like work experience, job search, or additional trainings. Also important: Make sure to apply for the CalWORKs program at your colleges! Many community colleges have special CalWORKs offices that provide additional support services for students receiving Cash Aid.
did u try calling ur worker? i kno its impossible to get thru sometimes but if u keep calling right when they open sometimes u can catch them. or go in person if u can. they always treat u better face to face than on the phone i swear
anyone know if they can garnish wages for calworks overpayments??? im so worried they're gonna start taking $ from my paychecks for an overpayment from 2 yrs ago that i never paid
Yes, they can eventually refer unpaid CalWORKs overpayments to the Franchise Tax Board for collection, which can lead to wage garnishment or tax refund intercepts. But they have to send multiple notices first, and there's a process. If you're worried about an old overpayment, call and try to set up even a small payment plan ($5-10/month) to show good faith - that usually prevents them from taking more aggressive collection action.
You mentioned the termination is happening on the 28th - that's actually important info. Under CalWORKs regulations, they must provide at least 10 days notice before discontinuing benefits. Count backwards from the 28th - if you received the discontinuance notice less than 10 days before that date, you can challenge it on procedural grounds alone. Also, check if your Notice of Action lists the specific regulation they're citing for the discontinuance. If they didn't properly cite the regulation, that's another procedural error you can use in your appeal.
have u tried contacting ur local legal aid? they do free help for calworks issues, my cousin got her benefits back after they wrongly cut her off
i got my ebt stolen one time and i never got the money back but that was in 2021 maybe its better now
One important thing to mention - California passed a new law (AB 75) that improved benefit theft protections. The process is much better than it was in 2021-2022. Make sure that when you talk to your worker, you specifically mention you're filing under the new benefit theft replacement process. Some workers aren't fully trained on the updated procedures yet.
Max Reyes
The way they calculate your benefits is so confusing!!!! My worker told me EDD counts differently than regular income because it already has taxes taken out or something? But then another worker told me that was wrong. I don't even know who to believe anymore. The whole system is designed to confuse people on purpose I swear.
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Oliver Cheng
•EDD is considered unearned income (like disability, child support, etc.), while wages from a job are earned income. They are calculated slightly differently for CalWORKs, but both affect your grant amount. Your first worker might have been referring to the earned income disregard that applies to job income but not to unemployment benefits. The system is definitely confusing, but I promise it's not designed to trick you - it's just a complicated patchwork of rules.
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Ashley Simian
Update: I checked our last Notice of Action and our IRT is $2,676. My husband's EDD payment was $840 for two weeks, and I make about $1,100 a month part-time. So combined we're at $1,940, which is under our IRT. Does that mean I can wait until our next SAR7 in May to report it? Or do I still need to report it now?
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Oliver Cheng
•Based on what you've shared, you're under your IRT, so technically you can wait until your next SAR7 to report the EDD income. However, keep tracking your monthly income. If your husband gets another EDD payment in the same month that puts you over the IRT, you'll need to report it within 10 days of exceeding that amount. Just remember that when you do report it (either now or on your SAR7), your Cash Aid will likely decrease. Some people prefer to report changes sooner rather than later to avoid potential overpayments that would need to be paid back later.
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Ella Cofer
•be carefull, if he gets paid every 2 weeks he mite get 3 payments in 1 month sometimes. thats what happened to us and it put us over the IRT that month but we didnt realize until they came after us for not reporting
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