Just wanted to add something that helped me when I went through this with my nephew - keep copies of EVERYTHING you submit. The county has a habit of "losing" paperwork, and having your own copies saved me from having to restart the process multiple times. Also, when you get that school letter, ask them to include the date she enrolled at your address. That creates a clear timeline showing when she moved in with you. Some schools will also note in the letter that she's been attending regularly, which shows stability. One more tip - if your worker seems confused about the caretaker relative rules or gives you wrong information, don't be afraid to ask to speak with a supervisor. Not all workers are familiar with these situations, but supervisors usually know the policy better. You have every right to include your sister on your case as long as she's living with you full-time.

I work with families in similar situations and wanted to share some additional resources that might help. The California Department of Social Services has a specific handbook section (MPP 82-823) that covers adding household members who are caretaker relatives - you can reference this if your worker seems uncertain about the process. One thing I'd recommend is asking your sister if she has her birth certificate or any medical records that show your family relationship. While not always required, having documentation that proves you're siblings can make the process smoother. Also, don't worry too much about your mom's current benefit status. When you add your sister to your case, the county's computer system will automatically check for duplicate enrollment across cases. If there's an overlap, they'll work with you to resolve it - it's not something that will get you in trouble. The most important thing is that you're providing a stable home for your sister during a difficult family time. The CalWORKs program is designed to support exactly these kinds of situations. Make sure to emphasize on your SAR7 that this is a long-term living arrangement, not just temporary babysitting.

Since you're new to CalWORKs, here's another tip that might help: the Semi-Annual Report (SAR 7) is super important to keep your benefits coming without interruption. Make sure you turn it in on time when you get it in the mail (around the 5th month of your certification period). If you miss submitting it, your benefits can be delayed or stopped completely, which could affect your ability to pay rent in the future. Also, if your income changes (you get a job, lose a job, get child support, etc.), you need to report it within 10 days if it puts you over the Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) listed on your approval notice.

Hey StarGazer101! Welcome to CalWORKs! I see you've gotten some great advice already about the payment schedule and withdrawal limits. Just wanted to add that if you're really worried about timing, you can also call the EBT customer service number (1-877-328-9677) to check your balance before heading to the ATM. The automated system is available 24/7 and will tell you exactly how much is available on your card. Also, since you mentioned you're new - make sure to keep all your receipts and paperwork organized from day one. It makes everything so much easier when you have to do your redetermination or if any issues come up with your case. Good luck with getting your rent sorted out!

This is such valuable information from everyone! I'm in Alameda County and experiencing the same 8am delay with my Cash Aid. What's really frustrating is that my childcare provider expects payment on the 1st when my benefits are supposed to hit, but now I can't access the money until after I've already dropped my kids off. I had no idea about form CW 2218 for hardship accommodation - my caseworker definitely never mentioned this when I explained how the timing was affecting my childcare situation. I'm going to request this form and see if it helps. @Naila Gordon that Claimyr service sounds amazing! I've wasted so many hours on hold trying to get through to my worker about various issues. Having a service that actually gets you connected to a real person would be a game changer. @Sofia Ramirez that's a great tip about the different ATM error messages! I never thought about how the specific message might tell you whether it's a timing issue vs an account problem. That could definitely save some unnecessary trips and gas money. It's crazy how much we're all learning from each other here that we should have been told by the system from the beginning. Thank you @Dana Doyle for starting this conversation - it's helping so many of us figure out what's actually going on!

I'm also dealing with this same timing change and it's been such a headache! I'm in Fresno County and my Cash Aid switched from midnight to 8am availability sometime last fall. Like so many others here, I found out the hard way when I was standing at an ATM at 12:30am trying to get money for an emergency. What I've learned is that you can actually call your county's EBT customer service line the day before your deposit date to confirm the exact time your benefits will be available. They won't always volunteer this information, but if you specifically ask "what time will my Cash Aid be available for withdrawal on [date]" they'll give you the exact window for your county. I've also found that having a backup plan is essential now. I started keeping a small emergency fund (even just $20-30 when possible) from the previous month specifically for situations where the timing doesn't work out. I know that's not always possible when every dollar is stretched, but even that small buffer has saved me from late fees twice. @Dana Doyle definitely look into that CW 2218 hardship accommodation form that @Liam Duke mentioned - if this timing is causing you to get late fees on your rent, that sounds like exactly the kind of situation it's meant to address. And thank you for starting this thread! It's so helpful to know we're not alone in dealing with these changes that nobody bothered to properly announce to us.

Wow, this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! As someone who's been on CalWORKs for about 6 months now, I had no idea about the 25% penalty for not cooperating with child support. My ex has been making similar comments about "saving money on county fees" and I was actually starting to consider it. Reading all these real experiences has completely changed my perspective. It's scary how many people shared almost identical stories - ex starts out cooperative with direct payments, then life happens and they stop paying, leaving you with reduced benefits AND no enforcement options. What really sealed it for me was learning that I'd have to report his direct payments as income on my SAR7 anyway, so I'd lose money either way but only get legal protection with the official system. The county fees he's complaining about are probably way less than the financial chaos I'd face if he changed his mind later. I'm definitely keeping the child support case open. Thank you everyone for sharing your stories so openly - you've probably saved me and my kids from a really difficult situation down the road!

I'm really grateful for all the detailed experiences shared here! As someone who's new to CalWORKs, I had no clue about the 25% penalty for non-cooperation with child support - that's absolutely huge when you're already on a tight budget. What really stands out to me is how many people have gone through this exact same situation where their ex wants to pay directly to "avoid county fees," but then things eventually fall apart. The pattern is so consistent across everyone's stories that it seems like keeping the official case open is really the only safe choice. I'm curious - for those who decided to keep their cases open, how did your exes react when you explained the financial and legal reasons? Did any of them come to understand why the official system actually protects everyone involved, or did most remain focused on avoiding the processing fees? This thread has definitely convinced me that the security and enforcement power of the county system is worth way more than any small savings on fees. Thank you all for being so honest about your experiences - it's helping newcomers like me avoid some really costly mistakes!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been wondering about the midnight deposit thing too because I saw some posts on Facebook claiming that CalWORKs switched to midnight processing this year. Sounds like that was just misinformation spreading around. Reading through everyone's experiences, it seems like the key is really just figuring out YOUR specific pattern rather than hoping for a universal midnight release. I'm definitely going to try calling that EBT customer service number someone mentioned to get my deposit history - that sounds way more reliable than just guessing every month. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences and tips. It's so helpful to hear from people who actually understand the stress of waiting for benefits to hit when you have bills due. The emergency fund idea and text alerts through the app are things I never would have thought of on my own!

This whole thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm new to CalWORKs (just got approved last month) and had no idea about any of this deposit timing stuff. My first payment came through but I never paid attention to when exactly it hit my card - I just checked in the afternoon and it was there. Now I'm realizing I should probably start tracking the timing like some of you mentioned, especially since I have rent due on the 3rd and that's also my deposit date. The idea of calling that EBT customer service line to get my deposit history is brilliant - way smarter than just hoping for the best every month. Question for everyone: do the deposit times stay pretty consistent month to month, or do they vary a lot? Like if I find out my benefits usually hit around 3 AM, can I count on that pattern continuing or does it change randomly? Thanks to everyone sharing their real experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical info that new recipients like me need to know but nobody tells you when you first sign up!