Approved for CalWORKs today - how soon until I get the funds?

Congrats on getting approved! They'll mail you an approval letter within 3-5 days that shows your benefit amount. For the funds, it's not instant unfortunately. Usually takes 2-3 business days after approval for them to load onto your EBT card. If you don't already have an EBT card, they'll mail you one which can take up to 7 days to arrive. You can check your balance by calling the number on the back of your card or through the EBT app.

ur lucky u got approved right away! took me 3 interviews b4 i got mine cuz they kept sayin i was missing paperwork ugggh

The first payment is usually the slowest since they have to set everything up. If this is your first time on CalWORKs, they'll need to create your case and issue your card. Your worker saying she'll "try" to approve it today is standard language - it means she has to enter everything and her supervisor might need to review it first. You might get a text notification if you signed up for them during your application. Otherwise, you'll just get the letter. If you already have an EBT card from CalFresh, they'll load your Cash Aid onto the same card. If you've never had benefits before, expect about 7-10 days total before you have money in hand.

IMPORTANT: If your worker said she "tried" to approve it today, that doesn't always mean it's done!!! I was told the same thing and then waited 2 weeks only to find out my case was sitting on someone's desk and never actually processed. CALL THEM TOMORROW to confirm it actually went through. Don't just assume it's approved until you get the official letter or see the money.

I was in exactly your position back in January and let me tell you trying to call the office to check on my approval status was a NIGHTMARE. Kept getting put on hold for 2+ hours and then disconnected. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that held my place in line and had an actual person call me back when they reached a worker. Saved me so much stress! They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE Anyway, once my approval actually went through, the money showed up on my EBT card about 48 hours later. The first month is always the most stressful!

Just fyi different counties work differently my approval took 5 days to process even tho the worker told me she approved it that day and the funds didn't come til almost a week later... they backdated it tho so i got paid from my application date not just approval date

Yes, they should backdate your payment to when you applied (or when you became eligible if that's different). So your first payment might be larger than your regular monthly amount.

One more tip - when you get your approval letter, check it carefully! Make sure they calculated your benefit amount correctly based on your household size and any income. I got approved but they accidentally put my income as higher than it really was, so my benefit was lower than it should have been. I had to request a case review to fix it.

$837 for a family of 2 with no income sounds about right for 2025 rates. The maximum benefit for a family of 2 is currently around that amount if you have no other income. Make sure you also applied for CalFresh (food stamps) and Medi-Cal if you need those too. And don't forget you'll need to complete your Welfare to Work (WTW) orientation within a few weeks of approval unless you qualify for an exemption. They should send you information about that soon after your approval letter.

they made me wait like 10 days for my money even after i was approved so dont count on it for rent if its due in like 2 days

Just wanted to update - I got a text this morning saying my application was approved! Called the EBT customer service line and they said funds should be on my card by Friday. Thanks for all the help everyone!

That's awesome news Andre! So happy to hear your approval went through quickly. It sounds like you got one of the good workers who actually follows through. Make sure to screenshot that text notification for your records - sometimes it's helpful to have proof of when things were approved if any issues come up later. And definitely keep checking your EBT balance starting Thursday night just in case it posts early. Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly with your first payment!

Congratulations Andre! That's such great news that you got the text confirmation. It's always nerve-wracking waiting for that first approval. Since you mentioned your rent is due next week, you should be in good shape with funds hitting your card by Friday. Just a heads up - your first payment might be a bit larger than your regular monthly amount since they'll backdate it to your application date from 3 weeks ago. Also, once you get your approval letter in the mail, definitely review all the details carefully to make sure everything looks correct. Welcome to the CalWORKs community - we're here if you have any other questions as you navigate the system!

Congratulations Andre! That's fantastic news about getting your approval text! It sounds like you had a really good worker who followed through quickly. Since you mentioned you already have CalFresh, having the same EBT card should definitely speed things up - they just need to activate the cash aid portion. One thing to keep in mind is that your first payment might take until Monday or Tuesday to actually post since Friday is often when they process but weekend delays can happen. But either way, you should be covered for your rent! The backdating from your application date 3 weeks ago should give you a nice cushion too. Make sure to save that approval text and take screenshots of everything - it's always good to have documentation. And don't worry about feeling overwhelmed, everyone feels that way their first time navigating the system. You're doing great and asking all the right questions!

Congrats Andre! That's such great news about getting your approval text! I'm so happy for you. Since you already have CalFresh, you're definitely ahead of the game - they can just add the cash benefits to your existing card which should make it faster. I'd say start checking your balance Thursday evening just in case it posts early, but Friday sounds realistic. Also wanted to mention that if for some reason there's any delay with the funds posting, most offices have emergency aid options if you're facing eviction. Hopefully you won't need it since it sounds like everything is moving smoothly, but good to know it exists just in case. The backdated payment from your application date should give you some extra breathing room too. You've got this!

That's amazing news Andre! I'm so thrilled to hear you got that approval text - what a huge relief that must be! It sounds like your worker really came through for you. Since you already have the CalFresh EBT card set up, you should be all set for a smooth process. I'd definitely echo what others have said about checking your balance starting Thursday night, and keeping that approval text screenshot saved somewhere safe. The backdated payment from 3 weeks ago is going to be such a blessing for catching up on everything. Welcome to the CalWORKs family - we're all here cheering you on! Can't wait to hear when those funds finally hit your account!

Congratulations Andre! That's such fantastic news about getting your approval text! I'm so happy for you - I know how stressful that waiting period can be. Since you already have your CalFresh EBT card, you're definitely in a great position for the cash aid to load quickly. I'd suggest checking your balance both Thursday evening and Friday morning just to be safe, since sometimes they process earlier than expected. The backdated payment from your application date 3 weeks ago is going to be such a blessing for catching up on bills and rent! Make sure to screenshot everything and keep good records. This community has been so supportive throughout your journey and we're all rooting for you. Can't wait to hear when those funds finally hit your account!

Andre, that's absolutely wonderful news! I'm so excited for you getting that approval text - what a relief that must be after all the uncertainty! It sounds like you really lucked out with a worker who follows through on what they say. Since you already have your CalFresh EBT card, the cash aid should load right onto that same card which definitely speeds things up. I'd recommend checking your balance Thursday evening and again Friday morning, just in case it processes a bit early. The backdated amount from your application date 3 weeks ago is going to be such a blessing for getting caught up on rent and other bills! Make sure to save that approval text and any other documentation you get. Welcome to the CalWORKs community - we're all here to support each other through this process!

Andre, this is such amazing news! Congratulations on getting your approval text - I can only imagine the relief you must be feeling right now! It's so great to hear that your worker actually followed through when she said she'd try to get it approved that day. Having your CalFresh EBT card already set up is definitely going to work in your favor since they can just add the cash benefits to the same card. I'd suggest checking your balance Thursday evening and Friday morning just to be on the safe side - sometimes they process earlier than expected! The backdated payment from when you applied 3 weeks ago should give you some extra cushion too, which will be so helpful for getting caught up on bills. Make sure to keep that approval text saved as proof, and don't hesitate to reach out if you have any other questions as you navigate everything. We're all rooting for you!

Andre, congratulations on getting your approval! That's such exciting news! I just went through this same process a few months ago and I remember how nerve-wracking the waiting period was. Since you already have your CalFresh EBT card, you're definitely ahead of the game - the cash aid will just load onto that same card which makes everything so much faster. I'd suggest checking your balance Friday morning and maybe even Thursday night just in case it processes early. The backdated payment from your application date is going to be such a relief for catching up on rent and bills! Make sure to save screenshots of that approval text for your records. Welcome to the community - we're all here if you need any help navigating the system as a newcomer. So happy everything worked out for you!

Andre, that's incredible news about getting your approval text! I'm so excited for you - I know how stressful that whole waiting period can be, especially when you're worried about rent. Since you already have your CalFresh EBT card, you're in a really good position for the cash aid to load quickly onto the same card. I'd definitely start checking your balance Thursday evening just in case it processes early - sometimes they surprise you! The backdated payment from your application date 3 weeks ago is going to be such a huge help for getting caught up on everything. Make sure to keep that approval text saved as documentation. This community has been so supportive helping you through this whole process, and we're all celebrating this win with you! Can't wait to hear when those funds hit your account!