This entire discussion has been incredibly valuable! I'm planning a trip to visit family in Washington state next month and honestly had no clue about any of these out-of-state EBT restrictions. Like so many others have said, when I first got my CalWORKs benefits they just handed me the card with basically zero explanation about travel limitations or workarounds. Reading through everyone's experiences, it seems like the cash back method at major retailers is definitely the way to go. I'm going to make a list of Walmart, Target, and CVS locations near where I'll be staying so I have multiple options. The tip about testing your card early in the trip is brilliant - I would have definitely waited until I desperately needed cash and then panicked when ATMs didn't work. One question for those who have used cash back frequently while traveling - do you find that cashiers are generally understanding about EBT cash transactions, or do you sometimes get weird looks or attitude? I'm a bit anxious about having to explain the situation if there are any issues at the register. Also, has anyone had problems with daily transaction limits when doing multiple cash back purchases in one day? Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - this thread should honestly be pinned somewhere as a travel guide for CalWORKs recipients!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm pretty new to having CalWORKs benefits and was planning a trip to visit my sister in Oregon next month. I had absolutely no idea about these out-of-state ATM restrictions - I definitely would have been one of those people standing at a Bank of America ATM getting frustrated when it didn't work! The cash back strategy makes so much sense now that everyone's explained it. I'm going to map out some Walmart and Target locations near where I'll be staying so I have backup options. The tip about testing your card early in the trip is really smart too - I would have definitely waited until I was desperate for cash and then panicked. It's honestly pretty disappointing that none of this information is explained when you first get your benefits. They really should include a simple travel guide or at least mention these restrictions during the initial process. This community discussion has been way more helpful than any official paperwork I've received. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real experiences - it's made me feel so much more prepared for traveling with my EBT card!

Hey, I've been following this thread and wanted to add something that might help your friend. I went through a similar situation last year when my county started really cracking down on immunization compliance. One thing I learned is that the quality of the Good Cause explanation really matters. Like CosmicVoyager mentioned, just writing "I don't believe in immunizations" probably won't be enough. When I helped my neighbor with her form, we made sure to be very specific about her religious beliefs and how they specifically conflicted with vaccination requirements. Also, even if the initial Good Cause claim gets denied, don't panic! The appeal process (State Hearing) gives you another chance to present your case with better documentation. I'd recommend your friend start gathering supporting documents now - letters from religious leaders, documentation of specific religious teachings, etc. - just in case she needs them for an appeal. The most important thing is to stay in communication with her worker and respond to any requests for additional information quickly. Counties sometimes deny claims just because people don't provide enough detail, not necessarily because the reason itself is invalid. Hope this helps and that everything works out for your friend!

I'm pretty new to navigating CalWORKs myself, but I wanted to share what I learned from my case worker about the timeline for appeals since someone just asked about it. When you request a State Hearing, they're supposed to schedule it within 90 days, but it's usually much faster - like 30-45 days in most counties. The good news is that if you request the hearing before your benefits get reduced, you can ask for "aid continuing" which means they keep paying your full amount while the appeal is pending. You have to specifically ask for this though - it's not automatic. One thing that really helped me when I was dealing with a different CalWORKs issue was keeping a simple log of every phone call and interaction. I just wrote down the date, who I talked to, and what they said. It sounds like overkill but it actually saved me when there was confusion about what documents I had already submitted. Also wanted to mention that some counties have CalWORKs advocates or legal aid services that can help with appeals for free. It might be worth looking into if your friend's situation gets more complicated. The whole system can be really overwhelming when you're dealing with it alone!

As a newcomer to this community, I just want to say thank you to everyone who shared their experiences here. Reading through these stories has been both heartbreaking and incredibly educational. The level of detail and real-world consequences you've all described - from benefit suspensions to fraud investigations to owing thousands in repayments - really shows how serious this issue is. What strikes me most is how the system seems designed to assume the worst about families who are already struggling. The fact that automated matching systems can flag cases immediately, but then it takes months or years to prove your innocence while your benefits are suspended, seems so unfair to families who depend on those benefits for basic needs like food and housing. I'm grateful for communities like this where people are willing to share difficult experiences to help others avoid the same mistakes. The warnings about enhanced monitoring, permanent file notes, and ongoing scrutiny really drive home that this isn't just about temporary money - it's about how you'll be treated by the system going forward. For anyone facing similar pressure from exes or family members, these stories make it clear: your children's stability and your family's access to benefits is worth more than any temporary financial arrangement. Thank you all for looking out for each other and providing such valuable real-world guidance.

I'm new to this community and to CalWORKs, but reading through all these responses has been incredibly eye-opening and honestly pretty scary. I had no idea that letting someone else claim your kids on taxes could trigger such serious consequences with benefits. The stories about fraud investigations, benefit suspensions, and people owing back thousands of dollars are absolutely terrifying. What really stands out to me is how many people mentioned that the county assumes YOU'RE committing fraud rather than understanding it might just be a family arrangement. The fact that automated systems flag these discrepancies immediately but then families have to fight for months to prove their kids actually live with them while benefits are suspended seems so backwards and unfair. The detail about the SAR7 form asking specifically if anyone else claimed your child as a dependent really hit home too - I never realized that answering that question incorrectly could be considered fraud. And hearing about enhanced monitoring and permanent file notes even AFTER people prove their case shows this isn't something that just goes away. To the original poster - please don't risk it. Your kids live with you, so you should claim them and get those tax credits yourself. The Child Tax Credit and EITC that others mentioned could be worth way more than what your ex is offering anyway. These stories make it clear the temporary money isn't worth potentially losing your family's stability and benefits. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - you're helping so many families avoid these devastating mistakes.

Just wanted to jump in with my recent experience since I see lots of helpful advice here! I submitted my direct deposit form about 8 weeks ago in San Bernardino County and it finally went through last month. A couple things that might help others: 1) When I called to follow up, I found that calling right at 8 AM when they open got me through much faster than calling later in the day. The hold times were way shorter in the morning. 2) My bank (Chase) required me to bring in the government deposit form to verify my account details before they would accept the deposits. Not all banks do this but it's worth asking yours about their requirements for government direct deposits. 3) Something I didn't see mentioned here - you can actually check if your direct deposit is active by looking at your most recent CalWORKs notice. Once it's set up, it will show your bank account info (last 4 digits) instead of just saying "EBT Card" for the payment method. The whole process was definitely frustrating but so worth it in the end. Having the money just appear in my account instead of dealing with ATM limits and fees has been a game changer. Hope this helps someone else going through the same process!

This thread is incredibly comprehensive! As someone who just started the CalWORKs application process last week, I'm bookmarking this for when I get approved. The detail about checking your CalWORKs notice to see if direct deposit is active is genius - I never would have thought to look there for confirmation. One question for those who've been through this: if you submit the direct deposit form but then need to update your address with CalWORKs (I'm moving next month), does that affect the direct deposit processing at all? I'm worried about timing issues if I submit the form now but then have to update my contact info while it's being processed. Also, for the ATM withdrawal limits, does anyone know if the $1000 daily limit resets at midnight or is it based on a 24-hour rolling period? I want to make sure I understand exactly how the timing works for planning larger withdrawals. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world guidance that makes navigating the system so much easier!

I'm really new to this community and just applied for CalWORKs last week - this whole thread has been such an education! I had no idea that BenefitsCal could be so unreliable with status updates. Reading everyone's experiences here is both reassuring and a little concerning at the same time. It's great to know that verbal confirmation from workers is what really matters, but it's also frustrating that the system is so poorly designed that it causes this much stress for people who are already dealing with financial hardship. I'm definitely going to save all the tips from this thread - taking notes during interviews, getting confirmation numbers, checking EBT balance before payment dates, and most importantly, not panicking if the website doesn't update right away. Thank you all for creating such a supportive space where we can learn from each other's experiences. It's clear that this community knowledge is way more valuable than any official documentation when it comes to actually navigating these systems!

I'm brand new to this community and currently going through my first CalWORKs application process. This entire thread has been incredibly enlightening and honestly a bit of a wake-up call about what to expect with the system! I had assumed that BenefitsCal would be a reliable way to track my case status, but clearly that's not the case based on everyone's experiences here. It's both reassuring and frustrating to learn that these delays and inaccuracies are so common. Reassuring because it means I won't panic if the website doesn't update properly, but frustrating because it seems like such a basic thing for a government system to get right. People depending on these benefits are already stressed enough without having to worry about whether the online portal is telling them the truth! I'm definitely taking notes on all the advice shared here - especially about getting confirmation numbers during appointments, writing down what workers tell you, and checking EBT balance before payment dates instead of relying on BenefitsCal. This community knowledge is so much more practical than anything I've found in official resources. Thank you all for being so open about sharing your experiences - it's making me feel much more prepared for what's ahead!