btw if your only worried about if ur benefit was deposited n not tryna actually apply for something just call the EBT number on back of ur card. u can check ur balance n last deposits without logging in to the dumb website.

I'm glad you figured it out! This is actually a super common mistake - I work at a local community center and we help people with benefits applications all the time. The case number vs card number confusion trips up SO many people. For anyone else reading this, here's a quick tip: your CASE number is what you use to log into BenefitsCal and it's on all your official letters from the county. Your CARD number is just for the physical EBT card and starts with different digits. Also, if you ever lose your approval letters, you can request copies from your caseworker or pick them up at the county office. Keep those letters somewhere safe because you'll need that case number for online access!

i never report my refunds and never had problems. as long as u dont suddenly have like 10k in ur account when they check u should be fine. they got way 2 many cases to be checking everyone's taxes lol

Just wanted to add my experience here! I went through this same panic last year when I got my refund right before my renewal. I called my county office and they confirmed what everyone is saying - tax refunds are completely exempt and don't need to be reported. What really helped me was actually reading the CalWORKs handbook section on exempt income. It's all spelled out there if you want to see it in writing. The exemption covers ALL types of tax refunds - regular refunds, EITC, Child Tax Credit, everything. One tip: if you're still worried, you can always ask your worker to note in your case file that you asked about this and they confirmed refunds are exempt. That way there's documentation if any questions come up later. But honestly, this is such a standard rule that most workers know it by heart. Don't stress about it - file your taxes when you're ready and use that refund for whatever you need!

This same thing happened to my daughter last month! The caseworker kept insisting she needed an unemployment denial letter even though she only worked for 4 months total in the past 2 years. What ended up working was going to the office in person and refusing to leave until they let her speak to a supervisor. The supervisor immediately approved her application once she understood the situation. Sometimes you have to be really persistent to get through the bureaucracy!

I went through something similar about 6 months ago! My caseworker kept saying I needed to provide proof of unemployment application even though I clearly didn't have enough work credits. What finally worked for me was getting a printout from the EDD website showing my wage history for the last 18 months. When they could see in black and white that I only had 3 months of reported wages, they finally understood I couldn't qualify for UI benefits. You can access this through your EDD online account - look for "Wage and Potential Benefit Inquiry" or something similar. Print it out and bring it with you when you go in person or email it to your supervisor. Sometimes having the official documentation makes all the difference even when the logic should be obvious. Also, definitely push for that expedited processing since you're in emergency status with only $27 left. They're supposed to prioritize cases like yours. Don't let them brush you off - you deserve help and this denial is completely unreasonable!

Quick update: I FINALLY got through to someone at the county office (took 3 hours on hold) and you were all right - they needed the child support cooperation form AND school verification for my 8-year-old! I'm heading to the office in person tomorrow with ALL my documents. The worker said I should be approved within a few days once everything is verified. Thanks again for all your help!

So glad you're making progress! Just wanted to add one more thing that might help - when you go in person tomorrow, bring copies of EVERYTHING in addition to the originals. Sometimes they need to keep copies and other times they just want to verify the originals. Having both saves you from having to make another trip. Also, if you haven't already, make sure you have your kids' Social Security cards. That's another document that trips people up that wasn't mentioned in your original list. The worker should be able to tell you right then and there if you're missing anything else, which is so much better than waiting weeks for a notice in the mail. Good luck tomorrow - sounds like you're finally getting the help you need!

u should contact legal aid in ur county they help with calworks stuff for free!! they helped my cousin win her case when$$ got stolen

I went through something similar last year and it's so stressful! The key thing is to act fast on that appeal - you really do only have 90 days from the denial letter date. While you're waiting for the hearing, try to gather any evidence you can: work schedules, school attendance records, receipts from other stores showing you were elsewhere, anything that proves you couldn't have made those transactions. One thing that helped me was requesting the detailed transaction report from the county - it shows exactly what stores, times, and amounts. Sometimes there are obvious red flags like multiple transactions minutes apart at stores across town from each other. Also, if you haven't already, file a police report. Even if the police don't investigate, having that report number shows you're taking it seriously and aren't trying to commit fraud yourself. Keep using the replacement money for your normal expenses - that's what it's there for - but definitely don't treat it like "extra" money since you might have to pay it back. Good luck with your appeal! The system is frustrating but people do win these cases when they have evidence.