also they might ask for ur registration papers so have those ready when u call

Just to give you a bit more detail on the vehicle exemption policy: 1. One vehicle per family is exempt regardless of value if used for transportation (employment, education, etc.) 2. For additional vehicles, only the equity value (market value minus amount owed) counts toward your $10,000 resource limit 3. You should report this change within 10 days, even if your SAR7 isn't due soon 4. Documents they'll likely request: purchase agreement, loan documents showing amount financed, vehicle registration The dealer was incorrect about registration fees being higher for benefit recipients. However, if you received a tax refund through the Earned Income Tax Credit and used that for your down payment, you might want to mention that since EITC refunds are exempt resources for 12 months after receipt. Best of luck with your new car!

Just be careful about reporting your EDD income correctly on your SAR7 forms once you're approved for benefits!! My sister got hit with an overpayment because she didn't report her unemployment correctly and had to pay back like $800 in CalFresh benefits. The reporting requirements are SUPER confusing and the workers all tell you different things. MAKE SURE to keep all your EDD payment stubs and report the income in the month you RECEIVE it, not when you certify for it on EDD.

Yes, exactly! For CalFresh and CalWORKs, you report income in the month you RECEIVE it, regardless of when you earned it or certified for it. Here's a simple system to stay organized: 1. Create a folder (physical or digital) just for your benefits paperwork 2. Screenshot or save every EDD payment confirmation 3. Write down the exact dates you receive payments 4. When you get your SAR7 form (Semi-Annual Report), report ALL income received in the report month 5. If your income changes by more than the Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) listed on your approval notice, report it within 10 days Most CalWORKs/CalFresh overpayments happen because of income reporting errors. The system isn't very forgiving even when it's an honest mistake.

Dont forget about the new diaper benefit too if your 3 year old isn't potty trained yet! Its an extra $30/month on top of your cash aid for diapers. My worker never told me about it I had to ask specifically

Am I the only one who thinks its crazy that they expect ppl to survive on these tiny amounts?? Like the income limits are so low but rent is like $2500 for a 1 bedroom apartment now. The whole system is a joke tbh

Don't forget also to ask about CalWORKs childcare benefits for your newborn! Since your husband works part-time, you both might be required to participate in Welfare to Work activities if your baby is over 6 months old. But if you qualify for childcare assistance, they'll cover those costs while you're working or in approved activities. The childcare benefit is actually worth a lot more than the cash aid in many cases.

i added my gf and her kid last year and they wanted everyting for both!!! so bring EVERYTHING you can think of - lease, birth certificates, id's, ssn cards, bills, paystubs, marriage license, bank statements, everything!!!! the welfare office in our county kept asking for more and more stuff and it took like 3 months to finally get them added and get the right benefits. so frustrating!!!

Just wanted to update that my coworker had the same issue and she finally resolved it. What worked for her was requesting that the P-EBT cards be reissued with "care of" in the address. So instead of being addressed to "Child Name" they were addressed to "Child Name c/o Parent Name" which the post office then delivered without issue. When you finally get through on the P-EBT hotline, specifically ask for this. Also explain that the post office is refusing delivery to minors so they understand the situation. They might need supervisor approval but they can adjust the mailing format.

if u still cant get thru try the ebt card customer service number 877-328-9677 and hit option 4, sometimes that gets u a real person faster. also i heard they opening new round of p-ebt this summer so dont wait 2 long 2 get it fixed

That's exactly what they do! They never tell you about Transitional Medi-Cal or that your kids can still qualify even if you don't. They just cut everything off and hope you don't know your rights. ALWAYS ask specifically about each benefit when closing a case!

Update: I called today and finally got through to someone who confirmed they'll process my case closure effective April 1st, so I will still get March benefits! They also said my Medi-Cal will continue under the Transitional program for at least 6 months. Thanks everyone for the help!

@original poster - I'm glad you got your benefits replaced! Just a heads-up though - technically CalWORKs benefits are supposed to be used for the specified benefit period, and moving large amounts to a personal bank account could potentially be flagged in an audit. I understand completely why you did it given what happened, but just be aware that in rare cases, workers might question this practice during redetermination.For additional security, consider requesting a new EBT card with a different card number entirely. The old one might be compromised in a database somewhere.

Oh I didn't know that could be an issue. Thanks for the warning. I'll definitely request a new card altogether. Do you know if there's any way to block certain types of transactions? Like I never use my card at ATMs but that's where most thefts happen, right?

they just want ANY proof baby exists n is urs. hospital paper works fine. they gave me 45 days to get real birth cert when i had my last kid. child support is different thing, ur benefits will just be lower if u dont cooperate without good cause. the real issue is that missed phone appointment - that can TOTALLY cause discontinuance and they might make u reapply from scratch depending on how long its been. did they send u a discontinuance notice in the mail before u went in?

Based on what you've shared, it sounds like your case is in a partial reinstatement status. When you missed your original phone appointment, they issued the discontinuance, but when you completed the interview on Monday, they reinstated benefits for the current month (May). The worker's comment about June benefits ending likely relates to the child support cooperation issue. Here's what's probably happening: 1. Your May benefits are being processed now that you've had the interview 2. The hospital verification document should be sufficient for now (they'll note in your case that you need to provide the birth certificate later) 3. Your decision to refuse child support cooperation will result in a 25% reduction to YOUR portion of the grant, not the children's portion I recommend calling your county office to specifically ask about the status of your June benefits. There's a chance the worker was incorrectly assuming your case would close completely rather than just being reduced. According to CalWORKs regulations, refusing child support cooperation without good cause should only result in a 25% reduction to the parent's portion, not complete case closure. If you're having trouble getting through on the phone, follow up in person at the office. Make sure to get any answers in writing so you have documentation.

Call ur worker and demand answers! This county makes so many mistakes i swear they hope people just give up and dont fight for their benefits!

Since you're in LA County and this appears to be an administrative error, you should also consider filing for a State Hearing if they don't resolve this quickly. You have 90 days from when the action took place to request one. While waiting for the hearing, you can also request Aid Paid Pending, which means they continue your regular benefits until the hearing decision. LA County DPSS has been experiencing significant staffing issues recently, resulting in more errors like this. Be persistent, document everything, and don't accept incorrect information from frontline staff who may not be properly trained.

Does anyone know if the WTW (Welfare to Work) requirements are still waived? Last time I was on CalWORKs they made me do 30 hours a week of job search activities, but I heard they changed the rules during COVID?

be careful with calworks i had it for 8 months and when i finally got a job they kept overpaying me even tho i reported my income every month like i was supposed to and now they say i owe them $2,421 AND they cut my benefits by 10% until i pay it all back its a nightmare