CalWORKs Cash Aid increase for family of 5 in Kern County - will I qualify for maximum grant?
Hi everyone, I'm confused about my CalWORKs benefits in Kern County. Right now I only get $99 a month for my family of 5 because I reported some side income. My situation is changing next month and I won't have any income at all. Does anyone know how much cash aid I would get for a family of 5 with zero income? Would I qualify for the maximum grant amount? My caseworker is impossible to reach and I need to figure out my budget for next month. Any info would be really appreciated!
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Fiona Gallagher
Yes, with zero income for a family of 5 in Kern County, you would qualify for the maximum grant amount which should be around $1,342 per month in 2025. Make sure you report your income change right away through BenefitsCal or by submitting a mid-period report to your county office. When your income drops to zero, they'll adjust your grant to the maximum amount for your family size. The change should take effect the following month after you report it.
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Xan Dae
AuthorThank you so much! That's a huge difference from the $99 I'm getting now. Do I have to wait for my next SAR7 to report this or can I do it right away? I'm always worried about messing up my paperwork and losing everything.
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Thais Soares
When your going to zero income you dont have to wait for the SAR7. Report it NOW!! Use the app or call. That's a decrease in income which means they'll raise your benefits. They only want you to wait for increases in income. I made that mistake and missed out on like 2 months of higher benefits lol
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Nalani Liu
^^^THIS^^^ Report the income change immediately! They can actually process it mid-month sometimes. When I lost my job last year, I reported it on the 10th and got an increased benefit amount by the 15th. Your EBT card should get loaded with the new amount once they process the change.
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Axel Bourke
Just to make sure you understand how it works: CalWORKs grants are calculated based on your family size and income. With 5 people and zero income, you'll get the maximum grant ($1,342). If you start working again later, they subtract a portion of your earnings from your grant after certain deductions. That's why you're only getting $99 now - they're deducting most of your current income from the maximum grant amount. And absolutely report this change immediately. Most counties let you upload income verification through BenefitsCal now, which is faster than mailing documents.
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Xan Dae
AuthorThanks for explaining this! So that's why my grant is so low right now. My income has been pretty good but it's completely stopping next month. I'll definitely report it right away. If I ever work again in the future, will they reduce my grant right away or do I report that on the SAR7?
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Aidan Percy
YOU HAVE TO CALL THEM TO GET THIS FIXED!!! good luck getting through tho, kern county never answers their phones!!!! i spent 3 weeks trying to reach somone about my case and kept getting disconnected!!!!
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Fernanda Marquez
I had the same problem with Kern County last month when I needed to report a change. After wasting days trying to get through, I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real worker in about 20 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE showing how it works. Totally worth it because I got my benefits adjusted before the next payment cycle instead of waiting weeks. Just sharing since Kern County phones are notoriously terrible.
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Norman Fraser
i think its acutaly 1411 now for family of 5 my sister gets that much for her and her 4 kids in LA county. the amounts went up in october. duno if kern county is different amounts tho???
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Fiona Gallagher
You're partly right. Grant amounts did increase recently, but they can vary slightly by county based on Region/MAP levels. LA County is in Region 1 which has higher grant amounts than Kern County (Region 2). That's why your sister gets a bit more. The Region 2 maximum for a family of 5 with no income should be $1,342.
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Thais Soares
make sure u report by the 10th of the month if u want it to change for next month!!! if u wait till after the 10th they might not process it in time
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Xan Dae
AuthorThanks for the tip! I'm definitely going to report it this week. Really appreciate everyone's help!
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Nalani Liu
Wait you're getting $99 for FIVE people? That seems way too low even with income. Did they factor in some penalty or sanction on your case? Sometimes if you miss WTW appointments or don't turn in verification they can reduce your grant. Might be worth asking about that when you report your income change.
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Xan Dae
AuthorI was making pretty good money from a side job so that's why it was so low. I reported everything correctly. My job ended and now I'll have zero income next month, that's why I was asking about the max amount.
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Aidan Percy
dont forget to apply 4 calfresh too if u havent already!!! with no income ull get ALOT more food stamps to help feed ur family!!! an diaper benefits if u have small kids!!!
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Axel Bourke
Good point about CalFresh! With zero income for a family of 5, you should qualify for maximum CalFresh benefits too (around $1,155/month). And yes, if you have children under 3 years old, ask about the diaper stipend benefit - it's an additional $60 per child under 3 on your case.
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Ravi Kapoor
Just wanted to add - when you report your income change, make sure to keep documentation of when you submitted it! Screenshot the confirmation page if you use BenefitsCal online, or get a receipt if you go in person. Sometimes there are processing delays and having proof of when you reported helps if there are any issues with backdating your benefits. Also, once your grant increases to the max amount, your monthly reporting requirements might change, so ask your worker about that when you get through to them. Good luck!
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