CalWORKs cash aid amounts suddenly reduced this month - anyone else see cuts?

Mine got cut too!!! I'm down $178 from what I normally receive and I'm freaking OUT. I didn't report any changes either. I've been trying to call my worker for 2 days but keep getting voicemail. The automated system just says my case is 'active' but doesn't explain the decrease. Could it be related to the IRT maybe? But I haven't had any income changes that would put me over the IRT limit.

This sounds like it could be several things: 1. There may have been a system-wide recalculation of benefits based on cost-of-living adjustments 2. Your SAR7 might have been due and something was flagged 3. The county might have received income verification from another source (like quarterly wage data or UIB) 4. Someone in your household might have hit their 48-month time limit 5. There could have been a WTW participation issue You need to call your county office ASAP to find out. They are required to send a Notice of Action explaining any benefit reduction, but sometimes these arrive late. Check your BenefitsCal account too - sometimes notices are posted there before they arrive by mail.

they mess up ALL THE TIME. i bet u they miscalculated something or put in wrong info. my cash aid was cut by $300 last summer for NO REASON AT ALL and when i finally got ahold of someone, they said it was a "system error" and fixed it but didn't backpay me for the missed amount for 3 months!!!! the system is broken and they don't care if we can't pay rent

I had a similar issue last month! After days of trying to reach someone at the county, I tried using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through. It helped me skip the phone queue and got me connected to a worker in about 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE Turns out the county had recorded income from 3 months ago twice, which pushed me over the income limit temporarily. The worker fixed it while I was on the phone and restored my full benefit amount. Definitely worth calling to figure out what happened in your case.

Wait, has anyone got a letter about the COLA (cost of living adjustment)? My cousin works for the county and said sometimes when they adjust the payment standards up, they also adjust the deduction amounts which can actually lower some people's benefits if they have certain types of income. idk if thats wats happening but maybe

update: i went to the office in person today and waited 3 hours to talk to someone. they said in my case it was because my 16yr old turned 17 last month and the way they calculate the payment changed for her age group!!!! why couldn't they just explain that in a letter?? they're sending me a written explanation now. might be something similar for some of you?

For those experiencing unexplained benefit reductions, here's what to do: 1. Check your BenefitsCal account for any uploaded notices 2. Review your last SAR7 to confirm all information was reported correctly 3. Calculate if anyone in your home reached their 48-month time limit 4. Check if a teenager aged up to a different benefit calculation category 5. Verify all Welfare to Work participation is up to date 6. Call your eligibility worker (document date/time of calls) 7. If needed, request a state hearing within 90 days If the reduction was a county error, you're entitled to restored benefits. Make sure to get any explanation in writing.

I'm glad you finally got answers! This whole thread has been so helpful - I'm dealing with a similar issue right now where my payment dropped by about $150 this month. Based on what everyone shared, I'm going to check my BenefitsCal account first, then try that Claimyr service if I can't get through by phone. It's ridiculous that they don't send proper notices when they make these changes. At least now I know what questions to ask when I do reach someone. Thanks for updating us on what caused your reduction!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm new to CalWORKs (just started receiving benefits 3 months ago) and seeing all these stories about unexpected cuts is honestly terrifying. I had no idea there were so many reasons why benefits could suddenly change - like when kids age up or system errors. I'm going to bookmark that BenefitsCal tip and the Claimyr service just in case I ever need them. It's really frustrating that the county doesn't send clear explanations when they make changes. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and solutions - this is exactly the kind of information new recipients like me need to know!

Wow, this thread has been eye-opening! I've been on CalWORKs for about 8 months and had no idea there were so many potential reasons for benefit changes. Reading about the age-up issue, system errors, and income recalculations really makes me want to be more proactive about monitoring my case. I'm definitely going to start checking my BenefitsCal account regularly and keep better records like some of you suggested. It's concerning that proper notices aren't always sent out - that seems like such a basic requirement. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and the practical tips about Claimyr and what questions to ask when calling. This community is such a valuable resource for navigating this complicated system!

This thread is incredibly valuable - thank you all for sharing your experiences! As someone who's been on CalWORKs for about 6 months, I had no idea there were so many potential causes for sudden benefit reductions. Reading about system errors, age-up calculations, income recalculations, and missing notices is both enlightening and concerning. I'm definitely going to start monitoring my BenefitsCal account more closely and keep detailed records of all my interactions with the county office. It's really disappointing that proper notification seems to be such an issue - we shouldn't have to detective our way through figuring out why our benefits changed. The Claimyr tip sounds really helpful for getting through those impossible phone queues. Thank you to everyone who took the time to explain the appeals process and document everything - this kind of peer support and knowledge sharing is exactly what we need to navigate this complex system!

This thread has been so incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation where my CalWORKs payment was reduced by about $95 this month with no explanation. Reading everyone's experiences has given me a roadmap of what to check - I'm going to look at my BenefitsCal account first, then verify my SAR7 status and see if there were any household changes I might have missed. It's really frustrating that the county doesn't proactively communicate these changes clearly, but I'm grateful for this community sharing practical solutions like the Claimyr service and tips about calling early in the morning. I'll definitely update here once I figure out what caused my reduction - hopefully it helps the next person going through this stress!

This thread has been so educational! I've been on CalWORKs for about 4 months and honestly had no idea there were so many reasons benefits could suddenly change without clear notice. Reading about the age-up calculations, system errors, income recalculations, and missing notices is both helpful and alarming. I'm definitely going to start checking my BenefitsCal account monthly and keep better documentation of everything like several of you suggested. It's really concerning that proper notification seems to be such a widespread issue - we shouldn't have to play detective to figure out why our benefits changed! The tips about Claimyr and calling right when offices open are super valuable. Thank you everyone for being so generous with sharing your experiences and solutions - this kind of community support makes navigating this confusing system so much more manageable.

This thread is exactly what I needed to see today! I just noticed my CalWORKs payment was reduced by $134 this month and I've been panicking about it. Reading everyone's experiences has really helped me understand that this happens more often than I thought and there are actual steps I can take to figure out what's going on. I'm going to check my BenefitsCal account right away and then try the early morning calling strategy or that Claimyr service if needed. It's so frustrating that they don't automatically send clear explanations when they make changes to our benefits - we're already dealing with enough stress without having to chase down basic information about our own cases! Thank you all for sharing your stories and solutions. I'll definitely update once I find out what caused my reduction in case it helps others going through the same thing.