CalWORKs cash aid not loaded on EBT card - rent due but money missing

This happened to me back in January! So frustrating. Did you check if you hit your IRT (Income Reporting Threshold) recently? Even if you submitted your SAR7, sometimes if you reported income close to your IRT, they might put a hold on benefits for further verification. Also, check if you missed any WTW (Welfare to Work) appointments or verification deadlines - those can cause payment delays without actually showing your case as discontinued.

u should go in person to ur county office RIGHT NOW!! dont wait 4 callbacks. take ur ID and ur case # and ur EBT card with u. sometimes theres a glitch in the system but if u go in person they can fix it same day. happened to me twice last year

I used to work for the county, and this is often a system issue rather than a case issue. When your CalFresh loads but not your Cash Aid, it usually means there was a processing error. The most important thing is to speak directly with a CalWORKs eligibility worker who can check the payment issuance system. They might need to manually release your payment. One thing to check: did you recently replace your EBT card? Sometimes benefits get sent to old card numbers by mistake. Also, check if you have any outstanding overpayment collection - sometimes they'll hold funds to recoup previous overpayments without proper notice.

Have you tried using Claimyr to reach someone at the county? I was having similar issues last month - my benefits didn't load and I couldn't get through on the regular county line. Claimyr got me connected to a real eligibility worker in like 20 minutes! I showed them my case was active but payment was missing and they fixed it that day. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE They basically call and wait on hold for you, then call you when they get a real person. Way better than waiting for a callback that never comes.

its because the SYSTEM IS RIGGED against us!!!! ive had my benefits "disappear" 3 times this year and EVERY TIME the county gives different excuses. first it was "system error" then it was "verification needed" (which i already sent!!!) then it was "processing delay" ITS ALL BS!!! they WANT us to miss rent so we get evicted and then they can close our cases!!!!

One more thing to check - log into BenefitsCal and look at your case details. Sometimes there are notices or actions showing there that never actually get mailed to you. I've seen people have their benefits delayed because they supposedly "missed" an appointment they were never notified about, or because they needed to submit some random verification document. Also, does your case show the actual AMOUNT you're supposed to receive each month? If that's suddenly changed or shows $0, it could explain why nothing was loaded.

Are you SURE you met your Welfare to Work hours last month? Because I thought my benefits not loading was a system error too, but it turned out I was 2 hours short on my WTW requirement the month before and nobody bothered to tell me. They just didn't load my cash aid! When I finally got through to someone, they said I should have gotten a notice (which I never did) and had to do a compliance plan to get my benefits back. The whole system is designed to trip us up, I swear.

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at the county using that Claimyr service someone recommended above. Turns out there was a "payment processing error" on their end! The eligibility worker I spoke with was actually helpful and said she could see the payment was approved but got stuck in their system. She's processing an emergency payment that should be on my EBT card within 24 hours. She also said I could request reimbursement for any late fees I get charged because of their error - I just need to submit receipts. So relieved this is getting fixed before rent is due!

This is why I always keep an emergency fund even though it's hard on CalWORKs. Every month when my benefits load I put $20 aside if I can because the system messes up so often. But I'm glad you got it resolved! Did they explain WHY it happened or how to prevent it next time?

For anyone else reading this who might experience the same issue: If your Cash Aid doesn't load but your case shows active, always request an "immediate need" payment. Counties are required to issue emergency payments within 3 business days if you demonstrate that you're at risk of homelessness, utility shut-off, or other serious consequences. Just be prepared to provide documentation of the emergency (like a late rent notice or utility shut-off warning). Also, this is a good reminder for everyone to sign up for text or email alerts through BenefitsCal. Sometimes they'll notify you about payment issues before you'd otherwise notice them.

I'm so glad you got this resolved! This exact same thing happened to my sister last year - benefits just disappeared for no reason and it took forever to get someone on the phone who could actually help. It's scary how often these "system errors" happen right when people need their money most. For anyone else dealing with this, I'd also recommend documenting everything - take screenshots of your BenefitsCal account showing your case is active, write down the date your benefits were supposed to load, and keep notes of every phone call you make. When my sister finally got her payment, she had to provide all this documentation to get reimbursed for the overdraft fees she got hit with. The whole system puts so much stress on families who are already struggling. Thanks to everyone who shared helpful resources like Claimyr - I'm saving that info in case we ever need it!

This is such a relief to read that you got it sorted out! I've been dealing with CalWORKs for 3 years now and these "system errors" seem to happen way too often, especially right before major bills are due. It's like the system knows the worst possible timing! I'm definitely bookmarking that Claimyr service - I had no idea something like that existed. I've literally spent entire days trying to get through to someone at the county office, only to get disconnected or transferred around in circles. Having a service that can actually get you to a real person sounds like a lifesaver. Also really appreciate everyone sharing the tips about emergency payments and documenting everything. I learned the hard way last year when my benefits got held up for "additional verification" (which turned out to be a mistake on their end) and I didn't know I could request immediate assistance. Ended up having to borrow money from family just to keep the lights on. It's so frustrating that we have to become experts in navigating their broken system just to get the help we're supposed to receive, but at least we have communities like this to share information and support each other through it!