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Victoria, I'm so sorry to hear about your mom's situation - my heart goes out to you during this incredibly stressful time! 💙 I wanted to share something that might help that I learned when my aunt had to do a similar move from California to Colorado a couple years ago. Colorado actually has something called a "presumptive eligibility" process for people in emergency situations like yours. When you apply, make sure to mention that you're moving due to a family medical emergency - they can sometimes approve temporary benefits while your full application is being processed. Also, regarding your question about timing - definitely report your move to California immediately, but ask them to make the closure effective on your actual move date (the 15th). This way you'll get your benefits for the first half of the month but won't risk any overpayments after you leave. One more thing - Colorado requires an interview for TANF applications, but they often do phone interviews for people who are new to the state or in urgent situations. When you call to schedule, explain that you're caring for a sick family member and see if they can expedite the interview process. You're being so strong handling all of this while worrying about your mom. Make sure to take care of yourself too during this transition! Everyone here has given amazing advice - you've definitely got this! 🙏✨
Victoria, I'm so sorry to hear about your mom's health situation - sending you and your family lots of strength during this incredibly difficult time! 💙 I haven't personally gone through an out-of-state move with CalWORKs, but I wanted to offer some support and add a couple things that might help. Everyone here has given such amazing detailed advice about the process - this community really shows up for each other! One thing I wanted to mention is that you might want to ask California about getting a copy of your entire case file before you close it. Sometimes having your complete history (income verification, work activity records, etc.) can be helpful when applying in a new state, even though the programs are separate. Also, don't forget to update your mailing address with California even after you close your case - they might need to send you tax documents or other important paperwork next year, and you'll want to make sure you receive anything related to your case closure. I know this is such an overwhelming time with everything you're dealing with, but from all the responses here, it sounds like you have a really solid plan now. You're doing such an incredible thing by dropping everything to care for your mom. Wishing you the smoothest possible transition and hoping your mom gets the care she needs! 🙏 Keep us updated on how it all goes - we're all rooting for you!
This is such an important conversation and I'm really glad to see veterans supporting each other through these complicated benefit interactions. As someone who works with veterans transitioning to civilian life, I see this VA education benefits vs. CalWORKs issue come up frequently. One additional resource I'd suggest is contacting your local Veterans Service Organization (VCO) - organizations like DAV, VFW, or American Legion often have benefit counselors who specifically understand how different veteran benefits interact with state programs. They might know about advocacy efforts to change these policies or have connections with county supervisors who can help escalate cases. Also, if you do end up needing to request a fair hearing, don't go in alone - bring documentation showing exactly how your GI Bill funds are being used for educational expenses versus living expenses. The more detailed your breakdown, the better chance you have of getting a favorable review. Keep fighting for what's right - you've earned these benefits and deserve support while you're improving your situation through education.
This is excellent advice about the Veterans Service Organizations - I hadn't thought about reaching out to them for help navigating these benefit interactions. The point about bringing detailed documentation to a fair hearing is really important too. It's frustrating that we have to fight so hard for benefits we've earned, but having this kind of community support and knowing about resources like VCOs makes it feel less overwhelming. Thank you for taking the time to share this guidance - it's clear you really understand what veterans are going through in these situations.
I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - it's incredibly frustrating how the system seems to work against veterans trying to better themselves through education. One thing that might be worth exploring is whether your county has any local veteran-specific programs or hardship assistance that could help bridge the gap while you're in school. Some counties have discretionary funds or partnerships with veteran organizations that aren't widely advertised. Also, have you checked if your school offers any emergency financial assistance programs for student parents? Many colleges have small grant programs specifically for situations like this where students are caught between benefit eligibility gaps. It's not a long-term solution, but it could help with immediate needs like rent while you work through the appeals process. The fact that you're determined to complete your degree for your child shows incredible strength - don't give up, even though the system is making it unnecessarily difficult.
Thank you for mentioning the local county veteran programs - that's something I hadn't considered looking into. I just checked and it looks like my county does have a Veteran Services Office that offers emergency assistance programs. I'm going to reach out to them tomorrow to see what might be available. Your suggestion about checking with my school's emergency financial assistance is also really helpful. I know they have some kind of student emergency fund, but I wasn't sure if my situation would qualify. It's worth asking though, especially since this is creating such an immediate financial crunch. I really appreciate all the support and suggestions from everyone in this thread - it's given me hope and a concrete plan to move forward instead of just feeling stuck and frustrated.
my friend said some counties r giving emergency benefits if u have a urgent need like rent due so maybe ask about that too
This is correct. You can request an "Immediate Need" payment if you're facing eviction or utility shut-off due to delayed benefits. This is different from the regular homeless assistance and is specifically for administrative delays. The worker needs to process this the same day you request it if you have documentation of the urgent need (like an eviction notice).
I'm a newcomer here but going through the exact same nightmare! My benefits haven't posted for March either and I'm panicking about April. Reading through all these responses is both reassuring (I'm not alone) and terrifying (this is apparently widespread). @Riya Sharma and @Ethan Scott - thank you for the detailed technical information! I had no idea about these specific flags and codes. I'm definitely going to ask about the "Priority Authorization Flag" and "monthly manual authorization" when I go in. One question - has anyone tried escalating this to the California Department of Social Services directly instead of just dealing with county offices? I'm wondering if there's a state-level complaint process for systemic issues like this. It seems crazy that 15% of cases are affected and there's no emergency fix being fast-tracked. Also @Santiago Diaz I'm curious about that Claimyr service - did they charge you for it? At this point I'd pay reasonable fees just to avoid these monthly office visits with my kids.
Welcome to the group, Eva! You're definitely not alone in this frustrating situation. For state-level complaints, yes - you can file a complaint directly with CDSS through their online portal or by calling their complaint hotline at 1-877-652-0731. They're supposed to investigate systemic issues within 30 days, though in my experience it takes longer. You can also file a complaint with the California State Auditor if you believe there's widespread administrative negligence. Regarding Claimyr - I looked into it after Santiago mentioned it. They charge around $20-25 to get you through the phone queue, which honestly seems worth it compared to losing a day of work or dealing with childcare to go to the office. Just make sure you're prepared with all your case information when they connect you since you'll only get one shot at resolving it. Have you tried documenting everything? Take photos of your BenefitsCal screen showing no pending benefits, save screenshots with dates. This creates a paper trail that's helpful if you need to escalate further or request back-benefits for the delays.
Update: I was finally able to reach my worker! Turns out they just needed to verify a deposit in my account from my mom (birthday gift money for my daughter) and make sure I still meet the resource limit. The worker was actually super nice and it took like 5 minutes to clear up. Thanks everyone for the advice and calming me down! My benefits are safe.
That's great news! How did you end up getting through to them? Did you use Claimyr or were you able to reach them through the regular line?
I tried the regular line for about 45 minutes and kept getting disconnected. Finally used that Claimyr service you recommended and got through to someone in about 15 minutes. Definitely worth it to avoid the stress of waiting on hold all day!
So glad everything worked out for you! This is exactly why I tell everyone not to panic when they get these calls. The county workers really do need better training on how to leave voicemails - saying "need to review transactions ASAP" sounds so ominous when it's usually something simple like verifying a gift deposit. Thanks for updating us with the resolution - it'll help other people who find this thread when they're going through the same thing!
Absolutely agree! I'm new here but just reading through this thread was so reassuring. I got a similar call last week and was terrified, but seeing how common these "transaction reviews" are and that they're usually nothing serious really helped calm my nerves. The way they word these calls definitely needs work - "review transactions ASAP" sounds like you're in major trouble when it's often just routine verification. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences!
CosmicCaptain
As someone who went through this exact situation last year, I can tell you that dealing with both CalWORKs and EDD reporting can be super overwhelming at first! The good news is that everyone here has given you really solid advice - these are definitely two separate systems that don't talk to each other. From my experience, the EDD letter is most likely about wage verification from your employer, especially if you've had multiple jobs this year. Don't panic about it affecting your CalWORKs benefits as long as you're staying on top of your SAR7 reporting and watching your IRT. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to track all my income reporting - when I reported to CalWORKs, when I submitted pay stubs, what my current IRT is, etc. It saved me from making mistakes later on. Also, if you do end up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned, it's definitely worth it. I used it once when I was dealing with a similar EDD issue and it saved me literally 3 hours of being on hold. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person to get clarity on what they actually need from you. Keep all your documentation organized and don't stress too much - you're being proactive by asking questions here, which means you're already on the right track!
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Mei Lin
•This is such helpful advice! The spreadsheet idea is brilliant - I've been trying to keep track of everything in my head and it's getting confusing. I'm definitely going to set one up today to track my SAR7 dates, pay stub submissions, and my IRT threshold. And yes, everyone's responses here have been so reassuring! I was really worried I had messed something up, but it sounds like this is just normal bureaucratic stuff that happens. Thanks for sharing your experience - it really helps to know other people have been through this exact same situation and figured it out!
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Mateo Warren
I just went through this exact same confusion a few months ago! Like everyone said, EDD and CalWORKs are totally separate systems. The EDD letter you got is probably just routine wage verification - they cross-check what your employer reported against their records, and sometimes there are small discrepancies that need to be cleared up. Don't worry about it affecting your Cash Aid as long as you're staying current with your CalWORKs reporting. I'd suggest calling the specific number on the EDD letter (usually has shorter wait times than their main line) or trying that Claimyr service if you keep getting stuck in phone hell. The most important thing is making sure you know your IRT amount and report to your CalWORKs worker if you go over it. That's what can actually affect your benefits. The EDD thing is probably just paperwork cleanup that won't impact anything once you respond to their letter. You're doing everything right by asking questions and staying on top of it!
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Kevin Bell
•Thank you so much! It's really reassuring to hear from someone who went through the exact same thing. I was honestly starting to panic that I had somehow screwed up my benefits by working part-time. I'm definitely going to try calling that specific number on the EDD letter first thing tomorrow morning, and if that doesn't work I'll check out the Claimyr service. I found my approval notice and my IRT is $400/month, so I'm still well under that with my part-time hours. Thanks for confirming that this is probably just routine paperwork - everyone here has been so helpful!
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