This entire thread has been such a game-changer! I'm also on SSI and was only getting $29/month in CalFresh - I had completely given up on trying to figure out why it was so low. Reading everyone's experiences about medical expense deductions has opened my eyes to so many costs I never realized I could report. I spend about $60/month on prescription copays, plus I have to buy special diabetic supplies that aren't fully covered by insurance. I also pay for a monthly bus pass to get to my medical appointments, which based on what others have shared here, sounds like that would qualify too. What really frustrates me is that when I first applied, the caseworker asked if I had any medical expenses and I said yes, but she never explained what actually counted or gave me any forms to document them. I just assumed my insurance covered everything that mattered for CalFresh purposes. I'm definitely calling my county office tomorrow to ask about the SSI medical expense deduction form that someone mentioned. After reading all these success stories, I'm actually hopeful that my benefits might increase enough to make grocery shopping less stressful. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and knowledge - this is exactly the kind of community support that makes such a difference when you're trying to navigate these systems alone!

This whole discussion has been incredibly valuable! As someone who works with SSI recipients at a local community center, I see this issue constantly - people getting tiny CalFresh amounts when they could be getting much more with proper documentation of medical expenses. A few additional tips I always share with clients: 1. Keep a monthly log of ALL medical expenses, no matter how small - even $5 copays add up over time 2. Save receipts for medical parking fees - these count too! 3. If you have a caregiver who helps with medical tasks (like medication management), their mileage to help you can sometimes be deducted 4. Medical alert systems, special dietary foods prescribed by doctors, and even heating pads prescribed for medical conditions can qualify The key is asking specifically for the "SSI medical expense deduction worksheet" and being very detailed about every possible expense. Don't assume anything is too small to matter - I've seen clients increase their benefits by $100+ per month just by properly documenting expenses they thought were insignificant. So glad to see people helping each other navigate this system - community knowledge really is the best resource we have!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a single mom on CalWORKs with a 2-year-old and had no idea I could still file taxes without working. I've been missing out for years thinking you only file if you have a job. One thing I'm wondering - for those who got refunds without earned income, did you need to save any specific paperwork from CalWORKs throughout the year? Like benefit statements or anything? I tend to just throw away most of the mail from the county once I know my benefits are continuing, but now I'm worried I might need some of that documentation for tax filing. Also, does anyone know if there's a deadline for filing? I know regular tax deadline is April but since I don't technically owe anything, is there a rush to get this done? Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is so much more helpful than trying to navigate the system alone!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm also on CalWORKs with my 6-year-old and had zero work income this year. Reading everyone's experiences has given me hope that I might actually get something back when I file taxes. One question I haven't seen addressed - has anyone had issues with their CalWORKs caseworker questioning the tax refund money? I know several people said it doesn't count as income and doesn't need to be reported, but I'm still nervous about getting a large refund and having it somehow affect my benefits later. My caseworker can be pretty strict about everything. Also, for those who used VITA - did they help you understand how to handle the refund money? Like is there a smart way to use it that won't cause problems down the line? I'm thinking about using any refund to get my car fixed so I can eventually look for work, but I want to make sure that's okay. Thanks for all the great info everyone has shared - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice we need!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm also in LA County and had my benefits stolen about 3 months ago. Got reimbursed in 16 days, which seems pretty typical based on what everyone is sharing here. One thing I want to add that saved me a lot of stress - when you call to check on your claim status, ask specifically if there are any "pending verifications" or documents they need from you. Sometimes they'll sit on your case waiting for something you didn't know they needed. Also, if anyone is struggling to get through on the phone, try calling right at 8am when they open - I had much better luck getting through early in the morning. The whole experience really taught me to be way more careful with my EBT card. Now I check my balance obsessively and transfer money out immediately!

I'm so sorry this happened to you! Benefit theft is unfortunately becoming more common. Based on what everyone's shared here, it sounds like LA County is actually pretty responsive compared to other areas. A few things that might help while you're waiting: 1) Contact 211 (dial 2-1-1) - they often have emergency rental assistance programs that can help bridge the gap until your benefits are restored, 2) Reach out to local food banks so you're not going hungry while waiting, and 3) Definitely ask your worker about that Immediate Need request that QuantumQuest mentioned - explaining that you're facing eviction could really speed things up. Also document everything - dates, times, who you spoke with, reference numbers. If you end up needing to escalate this, having a paper trail helps. Keep your chin up - from what everyone's saying here, you will get your money back, it's just a matter of when. The system does work, even though it's frustrating how long it takes when you're in crisis mode.

Has your CalWORKs case ever been sanctioned for non-cooperation with Child Support in the past? If so, make sure you tell your worker about this new development right away so they can lift any sanction and restore your full benefits. The fact that you've been cooperating all along is good - some people refuse to provide information and get their grants reduced. Also, once child support starts coming in, you'll get a notice from both DCSS (child support) and CalWORKs explaining how the payments affect your benefits. Pay close attention to these notices because sometimes they contain errors that you'll need to appeal quickly if you spot them.

Congrats on them finally finding him! I went through this exact situation 2 years ago. A few things to keep in mind: - The child support office will probably send you paperwork to fill out about your expenses and his information (if you have any) - They might ask you to attend a "case conference" before any court hearing to try to work out an agreement - Keep all the paperwork they send you! You'll need it for your CalWORKs worker too - Don't be surprised if he tries to claim he has no income or is unemployed - they have ways to investigate that The whole process is honestly pretty slow but at least now there's movement on your case. And yeah definitely report this to your CalWORKs worker ASAP so there's no issues later. Good luck mama, you've been dealing with this for 7 years so you're already stronger than you know! 💪

I'm so happy to see all these reassuring responses! I was in the exact same situation about 10 months ago - my husband was already on my CalWORKs case with our 4 kids when we decided to get married, and I was absolutely panicking about whether it would mess up our benefits. But like everyone else has shared, nothing changed at all! Since your boyfriend is already counted as part of your assistance unit and his Amazon income is already being reported, the marriage is really just making it official on paper. CalWORKs looks at who actually lives together and shares expenses - you're already functioning as a family unit in their system. I reported our marriage through the BenefitsCal app and it was super quick and easy - maybe 3 minutes total. Just keep doing what you're already doing with reporting his income changes, especially during Amazon's peak seasons. The advice about timing your wedding with your SAR7 period is really smart! We did that and it made everything so much simpler administratively. Also, don't forget to report any wedding cash gifts if they get close to the resource limits. You're being so smart by asking these questions ahead of time instead of worrying after the fact. Focus on enjoying your engagement and planning that summer wedding - your benefits will be totally fine! Congratulations on making it official! 💕

This thread has been so helpful! I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago - my boyfriend was already on my CalWORKs case with our 3 kids and I was so worried that getting married would somehow mess up our benefits. But everyone here is absolutely right - since he was already part of our assistance unit and his income was already being counted, the marriage didn't change our benefit amounts at all. What really put my mind at ease was understanding that CalWORKs cares about your actual living situation and who shares expenses, not whether you have a marriage certificate. Since your boyfriend already lives with you, is the father of your kids, and his Amazon income is already being reported, you're already being treated as a family unit by the system. I reported our marriage through BenefitsCal within the 10-day window and it was really straightforward - took about 5 minutes online. Just make sure to keep reporting his income changes like you normally do, especially during Amazon's busy seasons when he might get overtime hours. One thing I'd suggest is maybe coordinating your wedding timing with your SAR7 reporting period if possible - that way you can report the marriage along with your regular 6-month report instead of doing a separate mid-period change. It makes the paperwork flow much smoother! Don't let anyone scare you with stories about benefits getting cut - those situations usually involve other changes happening at the same time as the marriage. You're being really smart by asking these questions ahead of time. Enjoy planning your summer wedding and congratulations on making it official! 💕