CalWORKs and CalFresh income limits for family of 4 - when will benefits stop?

I can help clarify this! For CalWORKs, you need to report income changes within 10 days if you go over your Income Reporting Threshold (IRT). Your IRT should be listed on your last approval notice. For a family of 4, the CalWORKs income limit is around $2,850/month (gross) in 2025. CalFresh has a higher limit - about $3,250/month for a family of 4. Based on what you shared, your husband makes approximately $2,208/month ($17.25 × 32hrs × 4 weeks). That's under both limits, but close to the CalWORKs one. Your benefits might be reduced rather than discontinued completely. Did the letter specifically mention which program might be affected?

If ur husband makes $17.25 for 32 hrs thats $552 a week or $2208 a month like the other person said. But if ur also making $900 that puts ur TOTAL at $3108 which is over the CalWORKs limit but still under CalFresh! Thats probably why ur getting the discontinuance notice for CalWORKs but u should still qualify for CalFresh. This LITERALLY just happened to me last month when my hours increased at work. Lost my cash aid but kept my food stamps.

They always send those scary letters!! The county should really explain things better instead of just saying "discontinuance" and making everyone panic. I had three kids on CalWORKs for years and every time our income changed even a little bit I'd get those notices. You definitely need to report both incomes on your SAR7. Make sure you're keeping all your paystubs too because they'll ask for them as verification.

THEY WiLL TAKE EVERYTHING AWAY THE MINUTE YOU START MAKING ANY MONEY!!!!! I got a $1 raise at my job and they cut my cash aid by HALF. The system is designed to keep ppl poor. If u make too much they take away benefits but not enough to actually live on. Its a trap!!!

Try using Claimyr.com to get through to a worker fast about this! I was in the same situation where I needed to know exactly what was happening with my benefits, spent 3 days trying to get through on the county phone line with no luck. Claimyr got me connected to a real worker in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE It's worth it to get a clear answer about your specific case rather than guessing. The worker was able to tell me exactly what my new benefit amount would be based on my income changes.

Since ur husband just started this job did u report the new income already? If not thats probably why they sent the notice, the system might have flagged your case for unreported income if they got notification from the employer or tax system. U should definitely call and report it ASAP even if ur under the IRT limit. Better to report it now than wait for SAR7 when it comes to new jobs.

my famly is 4 ppl too and we get calworks and calfresh. my worker said u have to report if u go over the IRT which for us was like $2700 sumthing. did u go on benefitscal to check ur case? sometimes it says more info there about why they sending notices

Just to add some important details: Even if your CalWORKs is discontinued, you may be eligible for transitional CalFresh benefits for 5 months without a reduction, regardless of your income. Also, don't forget to ask about transitional Medi-Cal, which can continue for up to 12 months after CalWORKs ends. Your children might qualify for Extended CalWORKs (which provides benefits just for the children) if your income is over the limit for the whole family. Make sure to ask about these programs specifically when you talk to your worker!

One last thing to consider - if your 14-year-old is in school full-time, their income is exempt from both CalWORKs and CalFresh calculations. I know you didn't mention your daughter working, but in case she does have a part-time job, that income shouldn't count against your benefits as long as she's a full-time student.

I went through something very similar last year! The key thing is to act quickly and get all your documentation together. Since your combined income is around $3,108/month, you're likely over the CalWORKs limit but should still qualify for CalFresh. Here's what I'd recommend doing right away: 1. Call and report both incomes immediately (don't wait for SAR7) 2. Gather all recent paystubs for both you and your husband 3. Ask specifically about transitional benefits when you talk to your worker 4. Request a fair hearing if they try to discontinue benefits without proper notice The income limits change slightly each year, so make sure you're getting current numbers from your worker. Also, remember that CalWORKs has earned income disregards that might help reduce how much of your income counts against your benefits. Don't panic - even if CalWORKs ends, there are other programs that can help bridge the gap while your husband's hours potentially increase. You've got this!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share what I learned when I was in a similar situation with my family of 4. The discontinuance letters can be really scary, but don't panic! A few things that helped me: - When you call, ask them to explain exactly WHY they're considering discontinuing benefits. Sometimes it's just because they need updated income verification, not because you're automatically over the limit. - Make sure you understand the difference between gross income (what you earn before taxes) and net income (after deductions). Some calculations use gross, others use net. - If you do lose CalWORKs, ask about the Cal-OAR (California Ongoing Assessment of Recipients) program - it provides job training and support services even after cash aid ends. - Document everything! Keep notes of who you talk to and when, because sometimes different workers give different information. Your combined income of around $3,100 does put you close to the CalWORKs limit, but there are still deductions and disregards that might help. The earned income disregard alone could make a significant difference in your benefit calculation. Don't give up hope - there are often more options available than the initial letter suggests!