CalWORKs Cash Aid increase for family of 5 in Kern County - will I qualify for maximum grant?

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.

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

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.

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!!!!

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???

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

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.

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!!!

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!

Hey there! I went through something similar last year when my hours got cut to zero. You're definitely going to see a huge increase in your benefits! With 5 people and no income, you should get the maximum grant of $1,342 for Kern County. Don't wait - report that income change ASAP through BenefitsCal or by calling your county office. I know it's frustrating trying to reach them, but it's worth the effort because that's a massive difference from $99! Also make sure you're getting all the other benefits you qualify for - with zero income you should be eligible for max CalFresh too. The whole system works so much better when you have zero income versus partial income. Hang in there!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been through the CalWORKs system for a while - everyone here has given you great advice! One thing I'd add is that when you report your income change, ask specifically about getting your benefits backdated if there's any delay in processing. Sometimes they can backdate to when you first reported the change rather than when they finally processed it. Also, once you're getting the maximum grant, keep track of any small income you might get in the future (like odd jobs, gifts over $50, etc.) because you'll need to report increases within 10 days. The good news is that with the income disregards and deductions, you can usually earn a little bit without it affecting your grant too much. Hope this helps and congrats on getting your benefits sorted out!

I'm new to CalWORKs and this thread is so helpful! I'm in a similar situation with fluctuating income and never realized how much the reporting timing matters. Can someone clarify - when you report an income DECREASE (like going to zero income), do they process it faster than income increases? I've heard mixed things about whether decreases get priority processing or if everything just goes in the same queue. Also, does anyone know if there's a difference between reporting through the BenefitsCal app versus the website? I'm trying to figure out the most reliable way to submit changes. Thanks for all the great info everyone has shared!

This whole thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm also navigating CalWORKs as a newcomer and had no idea about so many of these details - like the regional differences in grant amounts, the importance of reporting timing, and keeping documentation of everything. One question I have: if someone is transitioning from having income to zero income like the original poster, is there anything special they need to provide as proof that their income has stopped? Like a layoff notice or something from their employer? Or is self-reporting sufficient? I want to make sure I understand the documentation requirements since everyone emphasized how important it is to get this right the first time. Thanks to everyone who's shared their knowledge here!

Wow, reading through all these responses as someone new to CalWORKs has been incredibly educational! I'm in Riverside County and had similar questions about how income changes affect benefits. The advice about documenting everything and reporting changes immediately really resonates with me. One thing I'm curious about - for those who have successfully reported income decreases, how long did it typically take to see the increased benefits show up on your EBT card? I know processing times can vary by county, but I'm trying to plan my budget and wondering if it's usually days or weeks. Also, does anyone know if the BenefitsCal system sends you any kind of notification when your case has been updated, or do you just have to keep checking your benefit amount? Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences - this community is amazing!

Hi there! As someone who just joined this community, I wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! I'm also navigating CalWORKs for the first time and had no idea about so many of these details. The breakdown of how income affects grant calculations, the regional differences, and especially the importance of timing when reporting changes has been eye-opening. I'm in San Bernardino County and was confused about similar issues with my benefits. Reading everyone's experiences and advice here has given me so much more confidence about understanding the system. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their knowledge - it's clear this community really looks out for each other! I'll definitely be following all the advice about documenting everything and reporting changes promptly. This is exactly the kind of support new people like me need when trying to figure out these complicated programs.