Wow, this is exactly the kind of success story we need to hear more of! I'm so glad you got your benefits back the same day, Ethan. As someone who's been navigating the CalWORKs system for a while, I know how stressful these situations can be. I wanted to add a tip that helped me when I had a similar issue last year - if you're ever in this situation again, ask the DPSS worker for a "case action notice" or some kind of written confirmation that your claim has been approved and processed. Sometimes there can be delays between when they say it's approved and when the funds actually show up on your card. Having that documentation can help if you need to follow up. Also, for anyone else reading this thread - consider setting up text alerts for your EBT account if you haven't already. You'll get notified immediately when transactions happen, which can help you catch theft faster. You can usually set this up through your state's EBT website or by calling the customer service number. Thanks for sharing your experience and all the great advice you got from everyone here. This community is really valuable for helping each other navigate these challenges!

This thread is incredibly helpful and gives me so much hope! I'm dealing with EBT theft right now too - someone got $980 of my CalWORKs benefits last weekend. I filed the claim form on Monday but was dreading the 10-30 day wait they told me about. Reading about everyone's experiences, especially Ethan's same-day success, has convinced me to call tomorrow morning instead of just waiting. I'm going to try calling right at 8am like someone suggested, and I'll definitely ask to speak with a supervisor if they give me the standard "wait 10-30 days" response. One question - did anyone have success getting emergency food assistance while waiting for their theft claim to be processed? I know there's supposed to be some kind of expedited SNAP benefits for emergencies, but I'm not sure if EBT theft qualifies. My CalFresh is almost gone too and I have two kids to feed. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and advice. It's so frustrating that we have to become experts in navigating this system just to get back money that was stolen from us, but at least we can help each other through it!

Unfortunately, there's no special exemption for student income in CalWORKs. All earned income in the household counts against your grant (after standard deductions). However, your son might qualify for the Cal-Learn program if he's a teen parent, or for specific WTW exemptions if he's meeting certain educational requirements. One thing to consider: if your son is saving for college, have him look into opening a Coverdell Education Savings Account or 529 plan. These special savings accounts DON'T count against your resource limits for CalWORKs eligibility. Regular savings accounts do have limits that could affect your entire family's eligibility if they exceed $10,211 (the current resource limit for most families).

I'm dealing with something similar in Whittier! Getting letters from multiple offices is so confusing. One thing that helped me was calling the main DPSS number (866-613-3777) early in the morning around 8 AM - the wait times are usually shorter then. When you get through, ask them to do a "benefit history review" for your case. They can tell you exactly what triggered the reduction and when it started. Also, since your son just started working, make sure you understand the "earned income disregard" rules. The first $225 of his monthly earnings shouldn't count against your benefits, but anything over that gets calculated into your grant reduction. It might be worth having him track his hours carefully to stay under certain thresholds if possible while he's saving for college. Good luck at the Pomona office tomorrow! Bring copies of everything - your son's pay stubs, the CalWORKs notices showing the reduction, and your most recent SAR7. Sometimes having all the paperwork right there helps them figure out the issue faster.

Congratulations on your new baby! 🎉 What you received is definitely your retroactive payment - this is completely normal and happens whenever you add a child to your CalWORKs case. Since your baby is 6 weeks old but you only reported the change 2 weeks ago, they're paying you back for those 4 weeks when you should have been getting the higher benefit amount for a household of 2. The $244 sounds exactly right for that timeframe! Your regular monthly payment will also increase going forward - probably from $291 to somewhere around $375-$400 depending on your county's rates. Make sure to ask about the $30 monthly diaper allowance for children under 3 when you call your worker! It's not automatic and many workers don't mention it unless you specifically request it. Just say "I want to request the special needs diaper allowance for my infant." You can absolutely spend that money - it's rightfully yours and not a system error. The amount is consistent with standard retroactive payments when adding a child. You should receive a notice in the mail soon confirming all the changes to your case. Welcome to CalWORKs parenthood! 💕

Congrats on your baby! 🎉 This is totally normal - you got a retroactive payment for the weeks between when baby was born and when you reported the change. I went through the same thing when I added my son to my case last year. The $244 sounds exactly right for about 4 weeks of back pay for adding a child. Your regular monthly payment should increase too - probably to around $380-$400 going forward. And definitely call about that $30 diaper allowance! I didn't know about it until someone here mentioned it and it's been such a huge help. You have to specifically ask for it though - they call it the "special needs diaper allowance for infants." You can absolutely spend that money, it's rightfully yours! The system is actually pretty reliable with these retroactive payments when you add kids. Don't stress about it being a mistake - the amount and timing are exactly what they should be. Enjoy that little blessing! 💕

This whole thread has been incredibly helpful! As someone who's been on CalWORKs for about a year now, I've always been terrified about reporting any extra money because I wasn't sure how it would be handled. Seeing Morgan's real experience - from the initial worry through to getting actual confirmation from her caseworker - really shows how the system is supposed to work when you're honest about everything. What really stands out to me is how different people had different experiences or heard different things, but the folks who seemed most knowledgeable (like Eli and Kaylee) were consistent about the actual rules. It makes me realize how important it is to get information from reliable sources rather than just going off what someone heard happened to someone else. I'm definitely bookmarking this thread for future reference. The breakdown of how one-time gifts vs. recurring income works, the IRT thresholds, and even the processing timeframes - this is exactly the kind of practical information that's so hard to find clearly explained anywhere else. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, especially Morgan for the follow-up!

This thread is exactly what I needed to read today! I'm in almost the identical situation - my aunt gave me $700 last month to help with my car insurance and utilities, and I've been absolutely panicking about whether to report it on my upcoming SAR 7. Reading through Morgan's experience from start to finish has been so reassuring. What really helped me understand is how several people explained the difference between one-time gifts and ongoing income. I think I was confusing CalWORKs rules with some other programs I'd heard about. The fact that Morgan stayed under her IRT even with the gift and everything worked out fine gives me hope that my situation will be similar. I'm definitely going to report the $700 from my aunt now. My IRT is $2,100 and my regular income last month was only $950, so even with the gift I should be well under the threshold. It's scary to be transparent when you're worried about losing benefits, but everyone's experiences here show that honesty really is the safest approach. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and knowledge - this community is such a lifeline when you're trying to navigate these systems!

This is such a frustrating situation and I feel for you! I went through something similar when I first learned about this policy. One thing that might help with your decision - you can always apply for CalWORKs and then discontinue it later if your ex becomes more consistent with payments. The system allows you to close your case voluntarily, and then all future child support would come directly to you. It's not ideal to have to make these calculations, but at least you have some flexibility to adjust as your circumstances change. Also, don't forget that even though they keep most of the child support, they're still actively pursuing collection from your ex through wage garnishments, tax intercepts, etc. - enforcement you might not be able to do as effectively on your own.

I've been on CalWORKs for about 8 months now and can confirm everything people are saying about the child support policy. It's definitely frustrating at first, but I wanted to add that the county's child support services are actually pretty aggressive about collecting - way more than I could ever be on my own. My ex went from sporadic payments to having his wages garnished automatically. Sure, I only get the $50 pass-through, but at least I KNOW I'm getting something every month now instead of wondering if he'll decide to pay or not. Also, like others mentioned, make sure you ask about ALL the benefits when you apply - the childcare assistance alone saved me like $800/month, which more than makes up for the child support they keep. The system isn't perfect, but when you're in a tough spot it can really help stabilize things while you get back on your feet.