I'm new to CalWORKs and just went through something similar last month! When I reported going over my IRT, I was terrified about overpayments too. My caseworker explained that as long as you report timely (which you did!), you're protected from overpayment liability in most cases. The key thing is that going over your IRT doesn't automatically mean you lose benefits - it just triggers a review. With your income level and family size, you'll likely just see a reduction in your grant amount rather than complete termination. One thing I learned is to ask your caseworker specifically about the "earned income disregard" calculations. They don't count all of your earned income, which might keep you eligible even with the new job. Also, if you're still waiting to get through by phone, try sending a secure message through your BenefitsCal account if your county has that feature enabled - sometimes that gets a faster response than calling. You're doing everything right by reporting promptly and being proactive about understanding the process!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Just started a new job two weeks ago and went over my IRT. The stress about potential overpayments is real - I've been losing sleep over it. What's helped me is creating a simple spreadsheet to track everything: when I reported, confirmation numbers, dates I tried calling, etc. I also opened a separate savings account and I'm putting any benefits I receive there until I get clarity on my eligibility status. That way if there is an overpayment, I have the money set aside. From everything I'm reading in this thread, it sounds like we might both be overthinking this. The earned income disregards seem like they could really help keep us eligible. Still nerve-wracking though! Let me know what you find out when you talk to your caseworker - I'm in the same boat waiting for answers.

I went through a CalWORKs fraud investigation about 6 months ago and can share what happened. The investigator contacted me by phone first to schedule a meeting at my home. They gave me 3 days notice, which was nice because I could prepare all my documents. During the home visit, they looked at my living situation to verify who actually lives there, checked my fridge and cabinets (to see if it looked like more people than I reported were eating there), and asked to see my bedroom setup. They also requested 3 months of bank statements, all my recent pay stubs, and my lease agreement. The whole thing took about 2 weeks from start to finish. Turns out someone had reported me anonymously claiming my ex was living with me (he wasn't - he just picked up our daughter regularly). Once I showed them documentation proving my living situation and income, they closed the case with no issues. The investigator was actually pretty professional and explained that most of these reports turn out to be false or based on misunderstandings. Tell your cousin to stay organized with her paperwork and be truthful about everything. If she's really been reporting correctly, this should resolve itself without any problems.

Your cousin should definitely stay calm and be proactive about this. I work at a community legal clinic and see these investigations fairly regularly. The most important thing is to understand that getting investigated doesn't mean she did anything wrong - the system is designed to check up on cases, and many investigations result in no findings. Since she got an official letter from the Special Investigations Unit, she should expect contact within the next 2-4 weeks. They'll likely want to schedule an interview and may request documentation. Make sure she keeps copies of everything she provides to them. One thing I always tell clients is to be extra careful about cash tips going forward. Even if the amounts seem small, unreported cash income is one of the most common issues we see. If she's been casual about reporting tips in the past, she should start keeping detailed records now and consider doing a voluntary disclosure to her worker about any previous underreporting before the investigation goes further. The good news is that most of these cases resolve without serious consequences, especially when people cooperate and provide requested documentation promptly.

I'm so glad you got this sorted out! Your experience really highlights how important it is to get the right information directly from your worker. For anyone else reading this thread who might be in a similar situation, here are the key takeaways: 1. Tax refunds (including EIC) are NOT counted as income for CalWORKs or CalFresh 2. EIC specifically doesn't count as a resource for 12 months after receiving it 3. Always report tax refunds on your SAR7 for transparency, but label them clearly as "TAX REFUND" 4. Keep documentation (bank statements + actual tax return) in case of future questions 5. The resource limit for a family of 3 is $10,211 It's frustrating how confusing the system can be, but threads like this really help other families navigate these situations. Thanks for sharing your resolution - it'll definitely help someone else who's panicking about the same thing!

As someone who just went through my first SAR7 process last month, I can totally relate to the panic about reporting things correctly! The advice here is spot-on - I also had a tax refund (smaller than yours, but still nerve-wracking) and my worker told me the same thing about labeling it clearly. One thing that helped me was calling the day before my SAR7 was due to double-check I filled it out right. Even though it took forever to get through, having that confirmation gave me so much peace of mind. The system is really confusing for newcomers, but this community has been a lifesaver for understanding the rules. Glad you got it sorted out!

Just wanted to add something that might help - if you're having trouble keeping track of your income month to month, I've found it helpful to keep a simple spreadsheet or even just a notebook where I write down my hours and pay each week. Since you're at $2,000 now and the IRT is $2,635, you have about $635 of wiggle room, but it can creep up faster than you think with overtime or extra shifts. Also, don't forget that the IRT calculation includes ALL income sources - not just your main job but any side gigs, unemployment, disability payments, etc. I made that mistake once and got confused about why my numbers didn't match what the county had on file. Stay organized and you'll be fine!

Just joining this community and this thread was super helpful! I'm in a similar situation - single mom with one kid, working part-time. Reading everyone's experiences here has been eye-opening, especially about the benefits cliff and the importance of tracking income carefully. I had no idea about services like Claimyr to help get through to caseworkers faster - that's going to be a game changer for me since I've been playing phone tag with mine for weeks. Also really appreciate the tip about CalWORKs childcare benefits through the CCP 7 form. I've been struggling with childcare costs eating up most of my paycheck, so I'm definitely going to look into that. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences - this community seems like such a valuable resource for navigating the system!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - it's incredibly frustrating when the system fails you like that! I've been on CalWORKs for about a year now and have experienced similar scheduling nightmares. The fact that you arranged your work schedule around their appointment time and they still called over an hour late is completely unacceptable. Here's what I've learned from my own experiences: First, keep calling that customer service line - try early morning (right at 8am) or late afternoon around 4pm when call volumes tend to be lower. When you do get through, be very clear that THEY missed the scheduled time, not you. Ask them to put a note in your case file documenting that you were available at 9am as scheduled but they called at 10:03. Don't panic about your benefits ending - they will reschedule you, and as long as you complete the interview before 10/31, your benefits should continue. The interview is part of your recertification process, which is why it's happening now even though you just submitted your application. One tip that's helped me: when you reschedule, ask them to put specific notes about your work hours in your case file so future workers know your availability constraints. Also screenshot or save that original 9am appointment text - it's proof you were prepared to take their call at the scheduled time. You're doing everything right by staying on top of this. The system is broken, but you'll get through it!

This is such a common problem and it's so frustrating! I've been dealing with CalWORKs for about 6 months now and the scheduling issues seem to be getting worse, not better. What really bothers me is how they expect us to be completely flexible with our schedules while they can't even stick to the times THEY set. One thing that helped me when this happened during my last recertification - I called back immediately after they missed their scheduled time and left a very detailed voicemail explaining exactly what happened. I included my case number, the original scheduled time, when they actually called, and emphasized that I had arranged my work schedule around THEIR appointment. When the worker called me back the next day, she was actually apologetic and said she could see from my case notes that I had been responsive to all previous appointments. Keep documentation of everything - the original text, your attempts to call back, even write down the times you tried calling customer service. If they try to give you any trouble about this being a "missed appointment" on your part, you'll have proof that you did everything right. The system is definitely designed to be confusing and make people give up, but don't let them discourage you. You've got this! And this community is proof that we can help each other navigate these ridiculous bureaucratic obstacles.