This thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm a single dad with 3 kids and I've been on CalWORKs for about 7 months. When I applied, my worker told me I needed to keep my savings "very low" but never gave me a specific number. I've been literally keeping my savings under $300 because I was so terrified of losing our benefits! Reading that the limit is actually $10,000 is absolutely incredible. I work a part-time job and have been wanting to save up for things like school clothes for the kids, car maintenance, and maybe eventually enough for first/last month's rent to move us to a better neighborhood. But I've been scared to save anything meaningful because I thought it would disqualify us. What really bothers me is how many of us are sharing the exact same story - vague information from workers that's left us all unnecessarily stressed and unable to build any financial security. This seems like a huge systemic problem that's affecting families across the state. @Cass Green - thank you so much for confirming this as an actual caseworker! It gives me the confidence to call my worker tomorrow and ask for written documentation of the current limits. I'm also going to ask about those IDA programs that sound amazing. This community has been more educational than my entire CalWORKs experience. We're literally helping each other escape the poverty trap that outdated information was keeping us in. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge - you're helping me build a better future for my kids! 🙏

This entire discussion has been absolutely incredible to follow! As someone who's been on CalWORKs for about a year, I can't believe how much stress I've been carrying unnecessarily. My worker told me during my initial interview to "be mindful of savings" and mentioned the old $2,000 limit, so I've been keeping my emergency fund under $1,500 this whole time. Reading that the actual limit is $10,000 and seeing @Cass Green confirm this as an actual caseworker has literally changed everything for me! I've been working part-time and wanted to save for my kids' extracurricular activities, a reliable used car, and maybe even start putting money aside for their college someday. But I was so scared of losing our benefits that I've been living paycheck to paycheck when I didn't have to. What really strikes me is how universal this experience seems to be - so many of us got the same vague, outdated information and have been living in the same unnecessary financial fear. It's clear this is a major communication problem in the system that's literally preventing families from achieving financial stability. I'm calling my county office first thing Monday to get written confirmation of the current limits and to ask about those IDA programs everyone mentioned. This community has been more helpful than any official resource I've encountered. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences - you're helping families like mine finally break free from the poverty trap! 🙏✨

This thread has been such a valuable learning experience for me as someone who just joined this community! Dylan's situation perfectly captures one of my biggest fears about relying on these digital benefit systems - the thought of everything just vanishing overnight is absolutely terrifying, especially when you're counting on those benefits for basic survival. What really impressed me was how quickly this community mobilized with both emotional support and practical solutions. The Claimyr service recommendation is something I'd never heard of but am definitely bookmarking for emergencies. I'm also taking everyone's advice about documentation seriously - printing award letters, taking regular screenshots, and keeping physical backups seems like such basic preparation that I can't believe I wasn't already doing it. It's unfortunate that we have to create our own safety nets around these system failures, but threads like this show exactly why communities like this are so important. When official channels fail, having people who've navigated similar challenges can make the difference between panic and finding solutions. Thanks Dylan for sharing your experience and keeping us updated - knowing it was resolved gives me hope that these glitches, while stressful, are usually temporary!

As someone who just joined this community and is relatively new to navigating CalWORKs, this entire thread has been both eye-opening and reassuring! Dylan's experience is exactly the kind of scenario that keeps me up at night - the thought of logging in to find everything gone when you're depending on these benefits for rent and groceries is absolutely terrifying. What amazes me is how this community immediately jumped into action with both emotional support and incredibly practical advice. I had never heard of services like Claimyr before this thread, and now I'm definitely adding it to my emergency toolkit. The documentation strategies everyone shared - printing award letters, taking regular screenshots, keeping physical copies - seem so obvious in hindsight but I wasn't doing any of that! It's both frustrating and enlightening to realize we need to create our own backup systems because these technical failures seem to happen regularly. This whole discussion has shown me exactly why communities like this are so valuable - when official systems fail, having people who've been through similar challenges can make the difference between panic and finding solutions. Dylan, thanks so much for keeping us updated throughout the whole ordeal and letting us know it was resolved! This thread is going to be my go-to reference for benefit system preparedness.

Welcome to the community! As someone who's been navigating these benefits for a while, I can definitely confirm what others have shared - your 16-year-old daughter's income should be completely exempt from both CalWORKs and CalFresh since she's under 18 and in school. I went through this same worry with my own son when he started his first job at 17. The anxiety is so real when you're afraid of losing benefits that help keep your family stable! The biggest lesson I learned is that transparency is everything - always report the income on your SAR7 even though it won't count against you. I like the suggestion others made about noting "STUDENT - EXEMPT" right on the form. Also, definitely keep a copy of her school enrollment or report card handy in case they need verification. Your daughter should be so proud of her first job! These early work experiences teach responsibility and valuable life skills. Don't let the benefit system discourage her from this amazing opportunity. From everything I've seen, as long as you report honestly and she maintains her student status, your benefits should remain unchanged. You're being such a great parent by researching this properly instead of just hoping for the best!

I'm so glad you asked this question because I was literally in the same exact situation just a few months ago! My 15-year-old started working at a local movie theater and I was TERRIFIED we'd lose our benefits. After going through the whole process, I can confirm what everyone else is saying - her income should be completely exempt since she's under 18 and in school. Here's what I learned: 1) Report it on your SAR7 no matter what - even though it's exempt, you still have to list it, 2) Write something like "MINOR STUDENT - EXEMPT" next to the income amount so there's no confusion, 3) Keep her school enrollment letter or report card handy just in case they ask for proof, and 4) Don't panic if your worker seems confused about the rules - some of them aren't familiar with student exemptions. My daughter has been working for 4 months now making about $300/month and our CalWORKs and CalFresh amounts haven't changed at all. The best part is seeing how proud and confident she's become from having her own job! Your daughter is being so responsible, and you're being an amazing parent by making sure you handle everything correctly. This community has been such a lifesaver for questions like this - so much better than trying to reach an actual caseworker!

I went through something very similar last year! The key thing is to act quickly and get all your documentation together. Since your combined income is around $3,108/month, you're likely over the CalWORKs limit but should still qualify for CalFresh. Here's what I'd recommend doing right away: 1. Call and report both incomes immediately (don't wait for SAR7) 2. Gather all recent paystubs for both you and your husband 3. Ask specifically about transitional benefits when you talk to your worker 4. Request a fair hearing if they try to discontinue benefits without proper notice The income limits change slightly each year, so make sure you're getting current numbers from your worker. Also, remember that CalWORKs has earned income disregards that might help reduce how much of your income counts against your benefits. Don't panic - even if CalWORKs ends, there are other programs that can help bridge the gap while your husband's hours potentially increase. You've got this!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share what I learned when I was in a similar situation with my family of 4. The discontinuance letters can be really scary, but don't panic! A few things that helped me: - When you call, ask them to explain exactly WHY they're considering discontinuing benefits. Sometimes it's just because they need updated income verification, not because you're automatically over the limit. - Make sure you understand the difference between gross income (what you earn before taxes) and net income (after deductions). Some calculations use gross, others use net. - If you do lose CalWORKs, ask about the Cal-OAR (California Ongoing Assessment of Recipients) program - it provides job training and support services even after cash aid ends. - Document everything! Keep notes of who you talk to and when, because sometimes different workers give different information. Your combined income of around $3,100 does put you close to the CalWORKs limit, but there are still deductions and disregards that might help. The earned income disregard alone could make a significant difference in your benefit calculation. Don't give up hope - there are often more options available than the initial letter suggests!

I've been following this thread and wanted to add my experience since I just went through this exact situation! I traveled to Arizona last month to help my cousin after she had her baby, and I was super nervous about the EBT card working there. Good news - your card will absolutely work! I used it at ATMs in Phoenix and Tucson without any problems. The fees were definitely higher though, usually around $3.50-4.50 per withdrawal. What saved me money was going to a Walmart and getting cash back when I bought baby supplies - only paid like $0.50 instead of those crazy ATM fees! Since you're only going for 2 weeks, you're totally fine with the residency rules. I was there for 12 days and had zero issues with my case. Just keep your receipts and maybe screenshot your account balance before you leave CA for your own records. One thing that really helped me was downloading the Walmart app before I went - you can find stores near you that do cash back with EBT, which saved me probably $20+ in ATM fees over my trip. Also, having cash ready was super helpful for those late-night diaper runs! Your sister is going to be so grateful to have you there. Those first weeks with a newborn are intense and having family support makes all the difference. Congratulations on becoming an aunt! Enjoy every moment with that little one.

I just wanted to add another perspective since I travel frequently for family emergencies. Your EBT card will definitely work in Arizona - I've used mine in over 10 different states and never had an issue with the actual card functionality. One thing I've learned is to check if your sister lives near any Native American casinos - they often have ATMs with lower fees than traditional banks, sometimes only $1-2 per transaction. It's not something most people think about, but if there's one nearby it could save you quite a bit. Also, since you're going to help with a newborn, consider that you might need to make emergency trips to pharmacies for things like baby Tylenol or diaper rash cream at odd hours. Having cash ready for 24-hour CVS or Walgreens runs will be really helpful since some smaller pharmacies don't take cards late at night. The 2-week timeframe is perfect - you're well within the guidelines and won't have any issues with your case. Just document everything and enjoy this special time with your new niece! It's so wonderful that you're able to be there for your sister during those first precious (and exhausting) weeks.