CalWORKs SAR7 submitted but 'Account Changed - Status Changed' showing in EBT Edge app - what does this mean?
I'm freaking out a little. I submitted my SAR7 form yesterday at the county office (made sure to get a receipt this time after last month's disaster). Today I checked the Edge EBT app to see if my benefits were loaded yet, and it shows a notification that says "Account Changed - Status Changed." But there's no explanation! Does this mean they're changing my benefit amount? I didn't report any income changes on my SAR7 - my job hours and pay are exactly the same as last period. Has anyone seen this message before and know what it means? I'm worried they're going to cut my Cash Aid for some reason I don't understand.
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Mikayla Davison
That message just means they processed ur SAR7 🤷♀️ its totally normal. My account always says that after they process my report. As long as u didnt report any changes your benefits should stay the same.
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Max Reyes
•Oh thank god. I was having a panic attack about it! With rent coming up I can't afford any surprises with my cash aid amount.
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Adrian Connor
That status message is actually a good sign! It means they've processed your SAR7 and your account has been updated for the next period. The "status changed" wording is confusing, but it doesn't necessarily mean your benefits amount changed - just that the system updated your certification period. If you didn't report any income changes, your benefit amount should remain the same. However, there are a few other things that could trigger an actual change: 1. Did anyone in your household turn a certain age (like a child turning 6 or 18)? 2. Is this the month of your annual redetermination? 3. Are you on any special time-limited programs? You can check your actual benefit amount for the upcoming month by clicking into the CalWORKs account details in the app, rather than just looking at the notification.
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Max Reyes
•Thank you for the detailed explanation! No, no birthdays or anything like that. My annual redetermination isn't until October. It's just a regular SAR7 month for me. I checked the account details like you suggested, and you're right - the benefit amount looks the same as last month. Such a relief!
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Aisha Jackson
I HATE THAT MESSAGE!!!! It scares me EVERY TIME!!! The county seriously needs to fix their stupid app to make it more clear what's happening. Last time I got that message, I called my worker 15 times in a panic only to find out nothing had actually changed. The whole system is designed to give people anxiety, I swear.
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Ryder Everingham
•same here! total heart attack every time i see that notification. took me forever to figure out it doesnt actually mean anything bad.
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Lilly Curtis
That notification is definitely confusing! To clarify what others have said, the "Account Changed - Status Changed" message appears whenever your case is updated in the system. Since you just submitted your SAR7, this is exactly what you want to see - it means they've processed your paperwork. For future reference, here's what typically happens after submitting a SAR7: 1. Your worker reviews the information (usually takes 1-3 business days) 2. They update your case in the system (triggering that notification) 3. Your benefits for the next certification period are authorized If there was an actual change to your benefit amount, you would receive a separate Notice of Action (NOA) in the mail explaining exactly what changed and why. The law requires them to give you written notice before reducing benefits. Also, some counties now offer text notifications about SAR7 processing - might be worth asking your worker if that's available in your county!
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Max Reyes
•This is super helpful info, thank you! Is there any way to sign up for those text notifications? I'd much rather get a clear message that says "Your SAR7 was processed" instead of this vague status change thing.
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Leo Simmons
I had this exact same issue back in April! I tried calling my worker to ask about it, but you know how that goes - automated system hell and never got through. I finally got fed up and tried Claimyr.com to reach someone. Their service connected me to a real person at the county within like 20 minutes (they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE showing how it works). The worker told me exactly what others here said - that message just means they processed my SAR7, not that my benefits changed. Saved me days of anxiety!
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Lindsey Fry
•Does that service actually work? i tried calling my county like 10 times last month and never got thru..kept getting disconnected after waiting forever
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Leo Simmons
•Yeah it worked for me! Way better than sitting on hold all day. They basically call the county FOR you and then connect you once they reach someone. My worker was actually surprised I got through lol
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Lindsey Fry
wait the edge app can tell u if ur sar7 was processed?? mines always shows my ebt food stamps but i never see updates about my cash aid processing. how do u see that? do u use the same app for both benefits?
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Lilly Curtis
•The Edge app (ConnectEBT) shows both CalFresh and CalWORKs/Cash Aid if both benefits are loaded to your EBT card. Some notifications appear for both programs. If you don't see your Cash Aid in the app, it might be because: 1. You receive Cash Aid via direct deposit to your bank instead of EBT card 2. You have separate cards for CalFresh and Cash Aid (uncommon but happens) 3. You need to update your app or re-register your EBT card in the system You can also check your benefit status on BenefitsCal.com, which sometimes shows more detailed status information than the EBT app.
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Saleem Vaziri
this is why i always submit my SAR7 early... gives me time to sort out any weirdness before my benefits get effected. i do mine like 2 weeks before its due and then check the app a few days later. seems like your all good tho since u said the amount didn't change!
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Max Reyes
•That's smart! I'm definitely going to start doing that. This month I cut it too close to the deadline and gave myself unnecessary stress.
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Leo Simmons
Hey, one other thing - make sure you're regularly checking your Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) when you get your SAR7 approval. Sometimes they update your IRT amount without making it super obvious. If your income ever goes above that amount, you have to report it within 10 days, even outside your normal SAR7 reporting period. I found out the hard way when I got a raise and didn't report it because I thought I only had to report on the SAR7... ended up with an overpayment I had to pay back 😩
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Max Reyes
•Oh wow, I didn't know that! Where exactly do they list the IRT? Is it on the approval notice?
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Adrian Connor
•Yes, your IRT appears on your approval notice. It's usually on the first or second page and will say something like "Your Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) is $XXXX." This is the monthly gross income limit - if your household's total income goes above this amount before your next SAR7, you must report it within 10 days. This is one of the most common causes of CalWORKs overpayments!
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Olivia Evans
Just wanted to add my experience - I've been getting that "Account Changed - Status Changed" message for over a year now every time I submit my SAR7, and it's never actually meant my benefits were changing. It's just their confusing way of saying they updated your case file. What I do now is screenshot my current benefit amounts before submitting my SAR7, then compare them to what shows up after I get that notification. 9 times out of 10, everything stays exactly the same unless I actually reported changes. The real changes always come with those official notices in the mail, not just app notifications. Those are the ones you need to worry about! Hope this helps ease your mind for next time.
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