CalWORKs EBT card working but can't withdraw cash aid - money shows available

this happened to me last month! check if ur card is damaged, mine had a tiny crack near the chip and that was causing the issue. or maybe ur trying to pull out more than the daily limit? i think its like $500 per day

This is actually a somewhat common issue with CalWORKs cash aid. There are a few possibilities: 1. There might be a system-wide issue affecting cash withdrawals. This happens occasionally and usually resolves within 24 hours. 2. Your cash aid might be on hold due to an unresolved issue with your case - even though it shows as available. Did you recently submit your SAR7 or have any pending verification requirements? 3. Sometimes there's a 24-48 hour processing period between when funds show as available and when they can actually be withdrawn. I'd recommend calling your county office directly rather than the EBT customer service line. They can see what's happening with your specific case and if there are any holds.

SAME EXACT THING just happened to me!!! Ive been on CalWORKs for 2 years and NEVER had this problem before. Called my caseworker like 20 times and only got voicemail. This is so RIDICULOUS. I have a kid who needs diapers and can't even get OUR money. The system is messed up. It's gotta be something on their end because my card works fine for groceries too.

Have you tried using your card at a grocery store to get cash back with a purchase? Sometimes when the ATM withdrawal doesn't work, that method still will. Buy something small like a pack of gum and ask for cash back. Worth a try while you're sorting this out with the county.

Try calling your county worker directly using Claimyr. I had a similar issue last month where my cash aid was showing but couldn't be withdrawn because there was a flag on my account from an income verification issue. I spent days trying to get through the regular line with no luck. Claimyr got me through to a live person at the county office in about 10 minutes. They have this service where they basically wait on hold for you and then call you when they reach a real person. Saved me so much frustration. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE The worker was able to remove the hold on my account right away once I explained the situation.

i had something like this happen but it turned out i was trying to use my card at an ATM that didnt work with EBT. not all ATMs accept the ebt card for cash withdrawals even if they take regular debit cards. try going inside a bank thats listed on the back of ur card or use a store for cashback like safeway or food max

One time I had this problem and it was because my address didn't match what they had on file. I had moved but forgot to update my address with CalWORKs (even though I updated it for CalFresh). For some reason they put a hold on my cash benefits but not food. did u move recently??

Following up on this thread - there's another thing to check: have you hit your Increased Income Report Threshold (IRT)? If you earned income over your IRT amount (even for one month) and didn't report it within 10 days, they sometimes place a hold on your cash aid while still showing it as available. This is especially common if they received employment verification from the EDD system. Also, did you try the cash back method at a store that others suggested? That's a good workaround while you get this resolved.

Glad to hear the cash back method worked for you! That's actually a really useful workaround that more people should know about. For future reference, you can also try different stores - some have higher cash back limits than others. Target usually does $40, but places like Kroger and Safeway can sometimes do $200 or more depending on the location. Just keep your receipts in case you need to show proof of the transactions to your caseworker. Hope you get the ATM issue sorted out soon!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm new to CalWORKs and had no idea there were so many different ways to access cash benefits when ATMs aren't working. The cash back method at stores is genius - I would have never thought of that. It's really frustrating how hard it can be to reach someone at the county office when you have urgent issues like this. Definitely bookmarking that Claimyr service someone mentioned too. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and solutions!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! My CalWORKs cash aid shows up when I check my balance, but every ATM I try gives me a "transaction declined" message. It's so stressful when you need the money for bills and can't access it. Reading through all these responses has been really helpful though - I had no idea about the cash back option at stores. I'm going to try that tomorrow at my local grocery store. Also going to look into that Claimyr service to try to reach my caseworker faster. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions. It's reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with this and that there are workarounds while we get it sorted out with the county!