I'm in a very similar situation! I've been on CalWORKs for about 6 months now with my daughter, and tax season always makes me anxious. Reading through all these responses has been so helpful - I had no idea about the Earned Income Tax Credit or that my Cash Aid wouldn't count as taxable income. I think I'm going to try one of those VITA sites too. I used to go to one of those chain tax places and pay like $200+ to get my taxes done, but with money being so tight on Cash Aid, the free options sound much better. Plus it sounds like they really know how to help people in our situation. Has anyone here had experience with getting their refund direct deposited while on CalWORKs? I'm wondering if there are any issues with that or if it's better to get a paper check. I don't want anything to accidentally interfere with my benefits, even though everyone's saying it won't count as income.

I'm also new to navigating taxes while on CalWORKs and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I've been putting off filing because I was so confused about whether my Cash Aid would mess things up somehow. It's really reassuring to see so many people confirming that CalWORKs benefits don't count as taxable income and that filing could actually get me money back through those tax credits everyone's mentioning. I had no idea about the VITA program either - free tax help sounds perfect since I definitely can't afford to pay one of those expensive tax services right now. One quick question for anyone who's used VITA before - do you need to make an appointment or can you just walk in? I'm trying to plan around my work training program schedule. Also, is there anything specific I should bring besides the usual tax documents that might be relevant to being on CalWORKs? Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences - it's made this whole process feel way less overwhelming!

happened to me too last month. i got the money back but took like 20 days. Call RIGHT NOW, dont wait. the cops didnt do anything btw, just gave me a report number and never followed up

I'm so sorry this happened to you! EBT theft is unfortunately very common right now. I had my benefits stolen twice last year - once from a skimmer at a corner store ATM and once from what they think was a data breach. Here's what worked for me to speed up the process: When you go to your county office, bring a printed copy of your EBT transaction history (you can get this online or by calling the EBT customer service number). Having those unauthorized transactions highlighted really helped my case worker process everything faster. Also, ask specifically for the "Immediate Need" emergency assistance - they can give you some cash for groceries and urgent bills while your claim is being investigated. One tip that's helped me avoid future theft: I now withdraw my entire Cash Aid balance on the day it posts and keep it in cash at home rather than leaving it on the card. It's not ideal but it's safer than risking another theft. You can also ask your worker about direct deposit to a bank account if you have one. Stay persistent with the county office - call every few days for updates on your claim. The squeaky wheel gets the grease with these situations. Good luck and I hope you get your money back quickly!

As a new member here, I just wanted to say how helpful this entire thread has been! I'm currently pregnant with my first child and had no idea about most of these CalWORKs benefits and programs. The information about being able to apply during pregnancy for the two-person amount, the diaper stipend, childcare assistance, and all the community resources available is invaluable. It's clear that navigating this system can be challenging, but seeing how everyone here supports each other and shares practical advice gives me hope. I'm definitely going to reach out to the Community Action Partnership and start gathering my documents early. Thank you all for creating such a supportive community where people can get real answers about these important programs. It makes such a difference to hear from people who have actually been through this process!

Welcome to the community! As a new member myself, I've been reading through all these responses and I'm amazed at how much detailed, accurate information everyone is sharing. The breakdown of the $976 maximum for a family of two, the pregnant woman benefit starting 90 days before due date, and all the additional programs like the diaper stipend and childcare assistance is incredibly helpful. I'm also dealing with navigating government benefits for the first time, and it's reassuring to see there are community organizations like the Community Action Partnership that can help guide us through the process. The tip about calling first thing in the morning and keeping detailed records of all interactions seems especially important given how challenging it can be to reach caseworkers. Thank you all for creating such a supportive space where we can learn from each other's experiences!

This whole thread is such a lifesaver! I'm a single mom with two young kids and went through this exact nightmare about 6 months ago. My SAR 7 was 8 days late because my daughter was in the hospital and I completely forgot about the deadline while dealing with everything. CalFresh got cut off immediately but CalWORKs stayed on. I was so stressed about how I was going to feed my kids while waiting for benefits to come back. Like others mentioned, I had to be really persistent about getting the restoration instead of a new application - the first worker I talked to tried to tell me I had to reapply, but I asked for a supervisor and got it sorted out. One tip I don't see mentioned yet: if you're pregnant or have kids under 6 (like I do), make sure to mention that when you call because you qualify for expedited processing if for some reason they do make you reapply. Also, document everything in writing - I sent a follow-up email summarizing what the worker told me would happen and when, which helped when there was confusion later. Hang in there everyone dealing with this - it's fixable!

This is such an informative thread! I'm new to CalWORKs and CalFresh and honestly had no idea how the SAR 7 system worked or what could happen if you're late. Reading everyone's experiences is both eye-opening and a bit overwhelming - it sounds like there are so many variables depending on which worker you get and how familiar they are with the restoration process. I'm definitely bookmarking this thread and setting multiple calendar reminders for my SAR 7 deadlines after seeing how stressful this situation can be. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and advice - it's clear this community really looks out for each other. The tip about using specific terminology like "restore" or "reinstate" when calling seems particularly valuable, and I appreciate all the practical advice about documentation and knowing your rights within that 30-day window.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm also on CalWORKs and had the exact same confusion about stimulus payments vs. regular benefits. Like others mentioned, I got my first stimulus on my tax refund card but the second one came as a check that took weeks to arrive. It's really good to know that CalWORKs caseworkers can't help with this since it's handled by the IRS - I was planning to call my worker about it too! The Get My Payment tool on the IRS website is definitely the way to go. For anyone still waiting on their check, I'd also recommend signing up for USPS Informed Delivery like someone else suggested - it really helps you track what's coming in the mail so you're not constantly checking your mailbox wondering if today's the day.

This thread has been so educational! I'm also receiving CalWORKs benefits and had the same exact confusion about stimulus payments. I actually spent over an hour on hold trying to reach my caseworker last week about this very question, so I'm glad I found this discussion before wasting more time calling the wrong agency! It makes so much more sense now that these are completely separate systems - federal IRS vs state CalWORKs. I checked the IRS Get My Payment tool like everyone suggested and it shows my payment will be direct deposited since I filed my 2024 taxes with direct deposit info. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences with the payment method changes between rounds - it helps to know this has been a common issue and not just something wrong with my specific case. Thanks to this community for always being so helpful in explaining how these different programs work!