CalWorks
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Will my CalFresh benefits decrease if I start receiving CalWORKs Cash Aid?
I just applied for Cash Aid through CalWORKs last week because I've been struggling with bills. I already get CalFresh (food stamps) for me and my 2 kids, about $740/month. The eligibility worker told me I qualify for around $863 in Cash Aid, but now I'm worried this will mess up my food stamps. Will my CalFresh amount go down once I start getting Cash Aid? I can't afford to lose any food money right now with how expensive groceries are getting. Has anyone added Cash Aid to their benefits without losing CalFresh?
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Anyone else get anxiety before CalWORKs recertification interviews? Mine's tomorrow and I'm freaking out
Is anyone else like me and gets super nervous before their CalWORKs recertification interview? Mine is scheduled for tomorrow at 11:30am and I'm already stressing out BIG TIME. I have all my documents ready (pay stubs, rent receipt, utility bills, kids' school enrollment) but I'm still anxious they'll ask for something I don't have or somehow discontinue my benefits. Last time the worker was nice but she kept asking questions that made me feel like I was doing something wrong. This is my 3rd recertification and it never gets easier! Anyone have tips for keeping calm or what questions they might ask? My stomach is in knots thinking about it...lol
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Just wanted to check in - how did your recertification interview go? Mine was yesterday and I got approved on the spot! Hope yours went well too!
It went SO MUCH better than I expected! The worker was actually really nice and patient. She said everything looked good and I should receive my approval letter in the mail within 10 days. Such a relief! Thanks to everyone for the support and advice - it really helped calm my nerves.
So glad to hear it went well! I'm new to this community but going through my first CalWORKs application process right now and reading everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful. The anxiety around these interviews seems so universal - it's reassuring to know that most of the time things work out fine when you have your documents ready and are honest. Thanks for sharing the update, it gives me hope for when I have my own interview next month!
CalWORKs income limits for seniors - different from regular Cash Aid? Confused about eligibility
My mom (67) just moved in with me and my two kids after her landlord raised her rent. She gets social security but it's only about $950/month. I'm already on CalWORKs for me and my kids, but when I told my worker my mom moved in, she said I need to report her income and it might affect my benefits. But then my neighbor told me there's a different income limit for seniors on Cash Aid? Is that true? My mom really needs help too but I'm scared about losing my benefits if we add her to my case. Does anyone know if seniors have different rules or higher income limits for CalWORKs? Would it be better to have her apply separately?
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make sure ur mom gets on medi-cal too!! my mom was paying like crazy for her medicare part B out of her ss check but when she got on medi-cal they started paying that part for her so she got an extra $170 a month!!
This is an excellent point about the Medicare Savings Program! If your mom qualifies for Medi-Cal (which she likely will based on her income), they'll pay her Medicare Part B premium through what's called the QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary) program. That would put the $170+ that's currently being deducted from her Social Security check back into her monthly payment. Definitely worth applying for!
I'm new to CalWORKs and just went through something similar with my elderly father. One thing I learned that might help - when you report your mom moving in, ask your worker specifically about the "deeming" rules. Sometimes they can exclude a portion of her income if she has her own necessary expenses like medical costs or medications. Also, definitely get her on the SSI application ASAP - even if she only gets approved for a small amount, it opens up other benefits like automatic Medi-Cal. The waiting period is tough but it's worth it in the long run. Hang in there!
CalWORKs income limits for family of 8 in 2025? Maximum allowed before discontinuance
Hey everyone, I'm currently putting together my recertification paperwork for CalWORKs and need to figure out the correct income limit for my family. We're a household of 8 (me, my partner, and 6 kids ranging from 1-15 years old). My hours at work just increased, and I'm worried we might be over the Income Reporting Threshold (IRT). The letter I got months ago says one amount, but I've heard the limits changed recently. Can anyone tell me what the maximum monthly income is for a family of 8 before we lose eligibility? My worker never responds to my messages, and I'm scared of accidentally going over and getting hit with an overpayment. Thanks for any help!
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Did anyone here actually know that income limits are supposed to be on your Notice of Action letters? I just discovered this after 3 years on CalWORKs! Check your paperwork from when you were last approved - there should be a section that says what your specific IRT is. Mine was buried on page 4 of a 6-page notice!
I just dug through my paperwork and found it! You're right, it was on page 3 of my last approval notice. According to this, my current IRT is $5,225 (a bit lower than what someone mentioned above, but close). This is such a relief to find!
Awesome! Glad you found it! Yeah the numbers can vary slightly between counties sometimes and they change annually with cost of living adjustments. But now you have YOUR specific number in writing which is what matters!
This thread has been so helpful! As someone new to the CalWORKs system with a family of 4, I'm learning so much about income limits and reporting requirements. @Ravi Choudhury I'm glad you found your specific IRT in your paperwork - that's such a relief when you're worried about going over the limit! One thing I wanted to add for anyone else reading this: if you're having trouble understanding your Notice of Action letters, many counties have CalWORKs advocates or community organizations that can help you interpret the paperwork for free. I found one through my local library's resource center. They walked me through every page of my benefits letter and explained what all the different numbers meant. Also, for those mentioning overpayments - if you do end up with one, you can usually request a hearing to dispute it or ask for a payment plan. Don't panic if it happens, there are options to work with the county. The system is complicated but there are people who can help navigate it!
CalWORKs Cash Aid deposited a week early this month - anyone else?
Just checked my bank account and noticed my CalWORKs payment was already deposited today? It's supposed to come on the 1st of each month (which would be next week), but it's in my account now. Not complaining at all lol but wondering if this happened to anyone else or if I should be worried something's wrong? Last time my payment came on a weird date was when they were adjusting something with my case and then I ended up missing the next month's payment completely. Just wondering if this is a county-wide thing or just my case acting weird again.
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Here's the official calendar of adjusted payment dates for 2025 holidays: - January (New Year's): Payments due Jan 1-2 issued Dec 30-31 - January (MLK Day): Payments due Jan 20 issued Jan 17 - February (Presidents Day): Payments due Feb 17 issued Feb 14 - May (Memorial Day): Payments due May 26 issued May 23 - July (Independence Day): Payments due July 4 issued July 3 - September (Labor Day): Payments due Sept 1 issued Aug 29 - October (Columbus Day): Payments due Oct 13 issued Oct 10 - November (Veterans Day): Payments due Nov 11 issued Nov 10 - November (Thanksgiving): Payments due Nov 27-28 issued Nov 25-26 - December (Christmas): Payments due Dec 25-26 issued Dec 23-24 Save this list if you want to know when your payments might come early!
thx for this!!! gonna screenshot it
This is super helpful, thank you for the detailed info! Definitely saving this.
Happens EVERY holiday but they NEVER bother to tell anyone! I've been on CalWORKs for 5 years now and I still get confused when my payment date shifts. Would it kill them to send a text notification? "Your payment will arrive early due to the holiday" - how hard would that be? The communication from the county is absolutely terrible. Same with EBT deposits - they also come early before holidays.
I totally agree! I'm new to CalWORKs and this early deposit had me panicking that something was wrong with my case. A simple notification system would save so much stress and confusion for recipients. Even just posting these holiday schedules on the BenefitsCal website where people could easily find them would help. Thanks everyone for explaining - I feel much better now knowing this is normal!
Sergio Neal
I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago! Yes, your CalFresh will decrease, but don't panic - you'll still come out ahead financially. In my case, my CalFresh went from around $700 to about $450, but I was getting $800+ in Cash Aid, so overall I had way more to work with each month. One thing that really helped me was calling my eligibility worker before the Cash Aid kicked in to ask for the exact numbers so I could plan my first month's grocery shopping. That way I wasn't caught off guard at the checkout line. Also, if you have any WIC benefits, those won't be affected at all by the Cash Aid. The transition period can feel scary, but once you adjust your budgeting it actually makes things easier having both types of assistance. Good luck with everything!
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Savanna Franklin
I'm in a similar situation right now - just got approved for CalWORKs last week and have been stressing about this exact thing! Reading everyone's responses here is so helpful. It sounds like even though the CalFresh will go down, we'll still be better off overall with the Cash Aid. I'm definitely going to try calling my worker to get the specific numbers like some of you suggested. Has anyone had luck getting through to the county office lately? I keep getting busy signals when I call. Also wondering - do they usually give you advance notice before they change your CalFresh amount, or does it just happen automatically once the Cash Aid starts?
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Tyler Murphy
Hey! I'm new here but going through the same thing right now. From what I've been reading in this thread, it sounds like they're supposed to send you a Notice of Action before making changes to your CalFresh, but some people are saying it doesn't always arrive on time. That's scary! For calling the county office - I saw someone earlier mention using Claimyr to get through faster? Might be worth trying that since so many of us are having trouble with busy signals. I'm definitely going to call tomorrow to try to get my exact numbers too. This whole process is so stressful but at least we're all figuring it out together!
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