CalWORKs benefit amount different than my recertification approval - $235 approved but only $158 showing?

ya mine was difrent 2. i got aproved for like $512 but then they only gave me $398. turns out they took money out cuz i didnt report some income from my sister who was staying with us for like 2 months. did u have any unreported income maybe? or maybe child suport? they take that out sometimes

This is likely due to a recalculation based on verified income after your recertification was processed. The initial approval notice ($235) was probably based on the income information you reported, but when they finalized everything in the system, they might have used slightly different calculations or included income verification you provided that changed the amount. Another possibility is that they're applying some kind of sanction or recovery of an overpayment from a previous period. Did you receive any official Notice of Action in the mail or on BenefitsCal explaining the change? They're required to send you a detailed breakdown of how your benefit was calculated. Look for that in your BenefitsCal notifications or expect it in the mail soon.

Check if they're taking out money for overpayment!!! This happened to me last year and it took FOREVER to figure out. They claimed I was overpaid 3 months earlier by $300+ and started taking like $75 out each month without clearly telling me why. The Notice of Action explaining it came like 2 weeks AFTER they already reduced my benefits. So frustrating!

Based on my experience working with CalWORKs recipients, here's what might be happening: 1. The $235 could be your *gross* benefit amount, while the $158 is your *net* after deductions 2. Common deductions include: - Overpayment recoupment (they can take up to 10% of your grant) - Child support assignment (if collected on your behalf) - Penalties for missed WTW appointments - Sanctions for not meeting participation requirements You need to speak with your worker ASAP to get a clear explanation. The discrepancy should be explained on your Notice of Action, which sometimes takes a few days to appear in BenefitsCal or arrive by mail after benefit amounts change. The NOA will have the calculation breakdown and your appeal rights if you disagree with their determination.

Have u checked ur semi annual report? i think theres an income reporting threshold (IRT) and if u went over that maybe thats why? my cousin had that happen where she made like $200 extra one month and didn't report it and they reduced her cash aid by a lot more than she even earned lol

I've been through this exact situation! After days of trying to call with no success, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a CalWORKs worker in about 20 minutes. They basically call for you and then connect you once they get through. Saved me like 3 days of constant redialing. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE When I finally got through, it turned out they were taking money out for an overpayment from 2 years ago that I knew nothing about! I was able to set up a payment plan with a smaller monthly deduction since I explained my situation. Definitely worth getting this sorted out ASAP because those deductions can go on for months.

This sounds EXACTLY like what the county did to me!! First they approve you for one amount then suddenly it's less with NO EXPLANATION! The system is designed to confuse us so we give up fighting for what we deserve. I had to go to my local office IN PERSON after weeks of no callbacks to finally get answers. Turns out they miscalculated my work hours and thought I was working more than I actually was. Triple-check their math because the workers make mistakes ALL THE TIME and we're the ones who suffer!!!!

One more thing to check - look at your Welfare to Work status. Sometimes if there's an issue with your WTW participation or if you missed an appointment, they can reduce your grant. Also, verify if this is just your Cash Aid amount or if it includes your CalFresh benefits as well. Sometimes people confuse the separate benefit amounts, especially if you're used to seeing them combined on your EBT card transaction history.

Keep us updated on what happens! I'm curious to know if it was an overpayment thing like what happened to me. The whole system is such a mess right now.

I almost forgot - check if this might be related to the mid-year grant adjustment that California implemented in 2025. CalWORKs had a cost-of-living increase in some counties but also changed how they calculate certain deductions. Your worker should be able to explain exactly what happened in your case. Be sure to ask for a detailed breakdown of the calculation and request that they send you an updated Notice of Action if you haven't received one.

This is so frustrating and unfortunately way too common! The same thing happened to my neighbor last month - approved for one amount, then got something completely different with no clear explanation. A couple things that might help while you're waiting to get through to someone: 1. Screenshot everything in BenefitsCal showing the $158 amount so you have proof 2. Keep that text message about the $235 approval - that's your evidence 3. If you have a local CalWORKs office, sometimes going in person gets better results than calling (I know it's a pain but might be worth it) 4. Check if there's a "Messages" or "Notices" section in BenefitsCal that might have more details The fact that it's exactly $77 less makes me think there's definitely a specific reason - could be an overpayment recovery, income miscalculation, or some kind of penalty. Don't give up! You deserve to know exactly why there's a difference and they're required to explain it to you clearly. Hoping you can get through to someone soon!