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This thread has been such a game-changer for me! I've been on CalWORKs for about 2 months and just started a part-time job at a local coffee shop (12 hours/week at $16/hr). Like so many others here, I was completely panicking about the 10-day reporting rule that I missed by about a week. Reading through everyone's experiences, especially @Matthew Sanchez's positive outcome, has given me the confidence to stop procrastinating and just handle this properly. My income is definitely under my IRT ($2,089 for my family), so I'm hoping for a similar result. The advice about dual reporting through BenefitsCal AND calling is brilliant - I never would have thought to create that documentation trail. And I had absolutely no clue about work hours counting toward WTW requirements! That's going to be such a huge help since I've been stressed about meeting my participation hours. Thank you all for being so open about your experiences and creating such a supportive space. It's incredible how much better this feels when you realize you're not alone in navigating these challenges. I'm reporting online tonight and calling my worker first thing tomorrow!
You're making exactly the right choice by handling this now! Your situation with 12 hours at $16/hr puts you at around $800/month, which is comfortably under your IRT of $2,089 - that should definitely work in your favor just like it did for @Matthew Sanchez and others in this thread. It s'so reassuring to see how this community has helped so many people work through the same anxiety about reporting delays. The dual approach really does seem to be the way to go - that BenefitsCal timestamp plus the direct worker contact covers all your bases perfectly. And yes, definitely ask about those WTW credits! It sounds like that s'been a pleasant surprise for several people here. I m'relatively new to CalWORKs myself and this whole discussion has been incredibly educational. Seeing real outcomes instead of just worrying about worst-case scenarios makes such a difference. You ve'got this - the hardest part is just making that first call, and it sounds like you re'totally prepared. Good luck tomorrow!
This entire thread has been such a lifesaver for everyone dealing with reporting anxiety! As someone who just started receiving CalWORKs benefits last month, I was completely unaware of so many of these nuances until reading through all your experiences. What really stands out to me is how consistently the dual reporting approach (BenefitsCal online + worker phone call) has worked well for people, and how being under the IRT seems to make such a huge difference in outcomes. @Matthew Sanchez, your follow-up showing everything worked out perfectly really demonstrates that honesty and quick action pay off way more than hiding and worrying. I'm also amazed by how many people mentioned the WTW credit for work hours - that seems like such an important detail that isn't well-communicated in the initial paperwork! For those of us trying to meet participation requirements, knowing that employment hours can count toward that is incredibly valuable information. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences here, especially @Amelia Cartwright for the insider perspective on how these situations are actually handled. This kind of community support and practical advice makes navigating the CalWORKs system feel so much more manageable for newcomers like me!
This thread has been absolutely incredible to read through! As someone completely new to the CalWORKs system (literally just got approved two weeks ago), I had no idea about most of these reporting nuances and strategies that everyone has shared. What really gives me confidence is seeing how @Matthew Sanchez s'situation worked out so well when he was honest and proactive, even though he was past the 10-day deadline. The pattern seems really clear - when your income is under the IRT and you report it quickly with full transparency, the workers are generally very reasonable about it. The dual reporting strategy everyone keeps mentioning is genius - I never would have thought to use BenefitsCal for the official timestamp and then call for immediate attention. And the WTW credit information has been such an eye-opener! I m'planning to start job hunting soon and knowing that work hours can count toward participation requirements takes away so much stress about balancing everything. @Amelia Cartwright, thank you especially for explaining how these situations are actually processed from the worker s'perspective. It really helps to understand that first-time reporting delays with income under the IRT are usually treated as administrative errors rather than fraud cases. This community support is exactly what newcomers like me need to navigate this system successfully!
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Andre, congratulations on getting your approval! That's such exciting news! I just went through this same process a few months ago and I remember how nerve-wracking the waiting period was. Since you already have your CalFresh EBT card, you're definitely ahead of the game - the cash aid will just load onto that same card which makes everything so much faster. I'd suggest checking your balance Friday morning and maybe even Thursday night just in case it processes early. The backdated payment from your application date is going to be such a relief for catching up on rent and bills! Make sure to save screenshots of that approval text for your records. Welcome to the community - we're all here if you need any help navigating the system as a newcomer. So happy everything worked out for you!
Andre, this is absolutely wonderful news! I'm so happy to hear you got that approval text - what a huge relief that must be! Zoe is so right about having the CalFresh card already set up being a major advantage. I went through a similar situation last year and that waiting period is just brutal on your nerves. The backdated payment is going to be such a game changer for getting everything sorted out! It's amazing how supportive everyone has been throughout your whole journey here. Definitely keep checking that balance starting Thursday night - sometimes they surprise you with early deposits! We're all so excited for you and can't wait to hear when those funds finally show up. You've got this!
Andre, that's incredible news about getting your approval text! I'm so excited for you - I know how stressful that whole waiting period can be, especially when you're worried about rent. Since you already have your CalFresh EBT card, you're in a really good position for the cash aid to load quickly onto the same card. I'd definitely start checking your balance Thursday evening just in case it processes early - sometimes they surprise you! The backdated payment from your application date 3 weeks ago is going to be such a huge help for getting caught up on everything. Make sure to keep that approval text saved as documentation. This community has been so supportive helping you through this whole process, and we're all celebrating this win with you! Can't wait to hear when those funds hit your account!
Andre, congratulations! That's such amazing news about getting your approval text! I'm so happy for you - I can only imagine the relief you must be feeling right now. It's wonderful to see how quickly everything came together once your worker submitted it. Having that CalFresh card already set up is definitely going to work in your favor since they can just activate the cash portion on the same card. I'd echo what Malik said about checking Thursday evening too - you never know when they might process it a day early! The backdated amount from 3 weeks ago should really help you get caught up on everything. This whole thread has been so heartwarming to follow and it's incredible how supportive everyone here has been. We're all rooting for you and excited to hear when those funds finally show up in your account!
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I'm also navigating CAPI benefits and had similar tax confusion! What everyone said is correct - CAPI itself isn't taxable income, but you definitely should file taxes for any work income you had. I'd also suggest keeping detailed records of when you received CAPI versus when you had work income, just to make everything clear if questions come up later. Since you mentioned your immigration status is pending, having organized documentation showing you're following all tax requirements properly could be really helpful for your case. The VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program often has volunteers who are familiar with immigrant tax situations if you need free help preparing your return.
This is such valuable advice about keeping detailed records! I'm also dealing with a mix of work income and benefits, and documentation has been so important. The VITA program suggestion is really helpful too - I didn't know they had volunteers specifically experienced with immigrant tax situations. It's reassuring to see how many people in this community have navigated similar challenges successfully. Thank you for sharing your experience and the practical tips about organizing everything properly!
I've been through a similar situation with mixed income sources during immigration proceedings, and I just want to echo what others have said about the importance of filing taxes for your work income even though CAPI isn't taxable. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple timeline showing when I received different types of income throughout the year - it made tax preparation much clearer and gave me confidence that I was reporting everything correctly. Also, if you're nervous about making mistakes, many community organizations offer free tax prep specifically for immigrants and low-income families during tax season. They understand the complexities of having benefits alongside work income and can walk you through everything step by step. Don't let the confusion discourage you - you're asking all the right questions and being proactive about compliance, which speaks well for your character during your immigration process!
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This thread has been so helpful! I'm in a similar boat - my car just broke down and I've been on CalWORKs for about 6 months now. Reading everyone's experiences really puts my mind at ease about getting a lease. One thing I wanted to add from my research - I called the CalWORKs customer service line and they confirmed that leased vehicles don't count toward the resource limit since you don't technically own the car. They also mentioned that if you're using the vehicle for work or school (which most of us are), it's considered a reasonable and necessary expense. For anyone still worried about this, I'd suggest calling your county office directly if you can get through. Having that confirmation from an official source gave me the confidence to move forward. Now I just need to find a good deal and figure out the insurance situation like others mentioned. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community is such a lifesaver!
That's awesome that you were able to get through to customer service and get official confirmation! I've been hesitant to call because I've heard the wait times are crazy, but having that direct verification from the county office is really valuable. It's such a relief to hear them confirm what everyone here has been saying about leased vehicles not counting toward resource limits. Your point about work/school transportation being considered reasonable and necessary is really important too - I think sometimes we worry so much about "messing up" our benefits that we forget these programs are designed to help us maintain stability and employment. Having reliable transportation is pretty essential for that. Thanks for taking the time to call and share what you learned with the rest of us! It really helps to have that official backing for all the great advice people have shared in this thread. Good luck with your car search - sounds like you're well-prepared now!
This whole thread has been incredibly reassuring! I'm a newcomer to both CalWORKs and this community, and I was honestly terrified about making any financial moves that might jeopardize our benefits. My situation is almost identical - single mom, car died, need reliable transportation for work and kids' school. What really stands out to me from everyone's responses is how the system actually seems designed to support people maintaining employment and stability, not to trap us in impossible situations. The fact that leased vehicles don't count as resources makes total sense when you think about it - we don't own the asset, we're just paying for transportation. I'm planning to follow the advice here: get quotes for both lease payments and full coverage insurance, make sure it fits our budget, and then report it on the next SAR7. The tip about bringing lease paperwork proactively to show transparency is brilliant. Thank you all for sharing your real experiences and not just speculation. It's so much more helpful to hear from people who've actually been through this process successfully. This community really is a lifeline for navigating these complex systems!
Malik Johnson
I just went through this exact situation last month! My SAR7 was 5 days late and I was missing my rent verification. The 3-day review timeline they gave you is pretty standard - they can't just process it over the phone when it's both late AND incomplete because it requires supervisor approval. What really helped me was following up on day 3 if I hadn't heard anything yet. In my case, they ended up approving it and my benefits continued without any gap. The key is that you got those missing documents in quickly after they told you what was needed. Try to stay positive - from what I've seen, most people who get their paperwork in within a day or two like you did end up being fine. The waiting is definitely the hardest part though!
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Ava Hernandez
•Thank you for sharing your experience! It's so reassuring to hear from someone who just went through this exact same situation and had it work out. The part about needing supervisor approval when it's both late AND incomplete really makes sense - that explains why they can't just handle it over the phone like normal SAR7 issues. I'm definitely going to follow your advice about following up on day 3 if I don't hear anything. The waiting really is the hardest part, especially when you're worried about your family's benefits getting cut off. But hearing all these success stories from everyone here has really helped ease my anxiety. I'll make sure to update the community once I hear back from my worker!
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Zara Mirza
I'm also dealing with CalWORKs right now and this thread has been so helpful! I had a question about the BenefitsCal portal - when your case is under review like this, does it usually show any kind of status update or does it just stay as "active" until they make their decision? I've been checking mine obsessively every day but it never seems to change, even when I know they're processing something. Also, has anyone had luck with emailing their worker instead of calling? Mine has an email listed but I wasn't sure if that's actually a good way to follow up or if phone calls are better. Thanks for sharing all your experiences - it really helps those of us who are new to navigating this system!
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