Good to hear your friend is taking action! Just wanted to add - when he goes to the tax prep place, he should be completely honest with them about the situation. Tax preparers are bound by confidentiality and they've seen this before. They'll need to know the full story to properly amend the return and calculate what he owes. Also, he should keep records of everything - the amended return, any payments made, correspondence with the IRS, etc. If the CalFresh office or any other agency asks about it later, having documentation that he proactively corrected the error will work in his favor. One more thing - if he can't afford to pay back the full amount right away, the IRS does offer payment plans. It's better to set up a payment plan than to ignore the debt.

As someone who's worked with families in similar situations, I want to emphasize how important it is that your friend is taking this seriously now. The fact that he admitted the truth to the CalFresh eligibility worker actually puts him in a vulnerable position - that statement is now documented in his case file. A few additional things to consider: 1. When he files the amended return, he should also be prepared for potential questions about WHY he originally filed incorrectly. Having a consistent explanation ready is important. 2. The CalFresh office may follow up on this discrepancy even if they approved his benefits initially. They sometimes conduct post-eligibility reviews, especially when fraud indicators are present. 3. Since he's paying child support through county enforcement, there's already a paper trail showing he's the non-custodial parent. This makes his original tax filing even more questionable from an investigative standpoint. The good news is that voluntary correction usually results in much better outcomes than waiting to be caught. He's doing the right thing by addressing this immediately. Make sure he keeps copies of everything and considers getting legal advice if the situation becomes more complicated.

Hey Kayla! I'm also a single mom in California and went through the CalWORKs application process about 4 months ago with my 2 kids (ages 6 and 10). Your income situation sounds really similar to what mine was when I applied. Based on what you've shared, you're probably looking at around $325-400 in monthly cash aid after they calculate your income deductions. The way it works is they take your gross monthly income (about $1,430 for 20 hrs/week at $16.50), subtract the first $450 (that's the income disregard), then only count 50% of what's left against your maximum aid payment. For the Welfare to Work requirements, since you're already working 20 hours, you'll only need 10 more hours of approved activities to meet the 30-hour requirement. I do a mix of online job training courses and volunteer work at my kids' school - both count toward the hours and I can schedule them around my existing job. A couple of things that really helped me during the application process: - Apply online through BenefitsCal first thing in the morning when the system runs smoother - Have all your documents ready before you start (ID, birth certificates, pay stubs, rent receipt, bank statements) - Ask about Emergency Aid if you're behind on any bills - they can sometimes provide immediate help Don't forget to ask about childcare assistance once you're approved - that's been the biggest game changer for us! My kids' after-school care is almost completely covered now. The whole process took about 3 weeks for me and honestly, the financial relief has been incredible. Your family deserves this support - don't let the application process intimidate you. You've got this! 💪

Hi Kayla! I'm a single mom in Sacramento County with 2 kids (ages 4 and 7) and I've been on CalWORKs for about 10 months now. Your situation sounds almost identical to mine when I first applied - I was also working part-time (about 18 hours/week at $16/hour) and really struggling after a rent increase. Based on your income, you're probably looking at around $350-425 in monthly cash aid. The income calculation works like this: they'll take your gross monthly pay (roughly $1,430), subtract the $450 income disregard, then only count 50% of what's left against your Maximum Aid Payment. So your countable income would be around $490. For Welfare to Work, since you're already working 20 hours, you'll only need 10 additional hours of approved activities. I do online certificate courses through the local community college - they count toward my WTW hours AND I'm building skills for a better job later. A few tips that made my process smoother: - Submit your application online through BenefitsCal on a weekday morning when the system is less busy - Take photos of all documents before uploading in case you need to resubmit - Ask specifically about Emergency Aid during your interview - it can provide immediate help with overdue bills - Don't forget to apply for Stage 1 childcare assistance right after approval The additional benefits are incredible too - free school meals, utility discounts, back-to-school vouchers, and my kids qualified for free vision/dental care through Medi-Cal. The childcare assistance alone has been life-changing - I only pay $41/month now for my 4-year-old's daycare. It took about 4 weeks from application to first payment, but the peace of mind has been worth everything. Your kids deserve this support and so do you - don't hesitate to apply! Feel free to ask if you have questions about the process. You've got this mama! 💙

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.

This is such an important thread - I see this household composition mistake ALL the time! What's really frustrating is how it affects people for months or even years before they realize they're not getting the benefits they're entitled to. For anyone else reading this who might be in a similar situation: if you're unsure about whether someone should be on your CalWORKs case, here's the simple test: Are they 1) related to you by blood or marriage, 2) the parent of a child on your case, or 3) legally responsible for your children? If the answer is no to all three, they shouldn't be included - regardless of living arrangements. @Omar Zaki - you've gotten excellent advice here. I'd especially emphasize documenting everything in writing and being prepared with those regulation numbers that @Luca Conti mentioned. Don't let anyone make you feel like you're doing something wrong by correcting their mistake. Your children's wellbeing depends on getting the full benefit amount you're legally entitled to under CalWORKs policy. Stand firm and advocate for your family - you've got this! Really hoping your renewal goes smoothly and you see that benefit increase reflected in your next payment!

I'm going through the exact same situation right now and this thread has been a lifesaver! My worker also incorrectly told me to include my boyfriend when I first applied, and I've been getting reduced benefits for over a year because they're counting his income. What really stood out to me from everyone's advice is how important it is to document everything and have the specific policy references ready. I'm planning to call the CalWORKs Policy Unit that @Luca Conti mentioned to get official confirmation before my renewal, and I love the idea of preparing a one-page summary like @Miguel Alvarez suggested. It's both frustrating and reassuring to know this mistake happens so frequently - frustrating because it means workers aren't properly trained on the household composition rules, but reassuring because it shows I'm not alone in dealing with this. The fact that multiple people have successfully gotten $150-200+ monthly increases after fixing this gives me hope that I can get my family's benefits corrected too. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and specific steps. This community support is exactly what I needed to feel confident about advocating for my children's benefits!

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!