CalWORKs income limit for family of 5 - what's the current MAX in 2025?

i think its like $3700 or something for 5 ppl, my neighbor has 4 kids so thats 5 total and she makes like $3500 and still gets cash but not much

The income limit for CalWORKs depends on whether you're applying or already receiving benefits. For a family of 5 in 2025, the gross income limit for new applicants is $4,165 per month. If you're already receiving benefits, your income can go up to the Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) which would be listed on your most recent Notice of Action. And remember - not all income counts the same way. CalWORKs has something called the earned income disregard where they don't count the first $500 of earned income plus 50% of the remainder. So you could actually earn more than you think and still qualify for some benefits. Make sure you report your new job within 10 days - even if it doesn't put you over the limit, not reporting can cause problems later.

The CalWORKs income limits are RIDICULOUS!!! My sister is a single mom with 4 kids and they denied her because she made $100 over the limit! Meanwhile rent is $2700 for a 2-bedroom apartment in our area. HOW DOES THAT MAKE SENSE???? And when she tried to get them to reconsider they made her wait on hold for 3 HOURS and then got disconnected. The whole system is designed to keep people from getting help!!

Just to add to what others have said - make sure you're looking at your most current Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) listed on your Notice of Action. This is the amount you need to report if you go over, and it's specific to your household. Also, when you start your job, don't forget to request childcare assistance through the CalWORKs Welfare to Work program if you need it. They'll cover childcare costs while you're working, which is a huge help with a family of 5. Finally, remember that even if your income increases, you might still qualify for a reduced cash grant rather than losing benefits entirely. The county will recalculate your grant amount based on your new income.

To the OP - congrats on the new job! That's awesome. When I started working, I was terrified about losing CalWORKs too. One thing nobody mentioned - when you report your new job, be prepared for them to ask for pay stubs. If you haven't gotten any yet, a letter from your employer with expected hours and pay rate will work. I got caught in a mess where they discontinued my benefits because I couldn't provide pay stubs for a job I had just started! Have you tried using Claimyr to reach your worker? It's a service that calls CalWORKs for you and gets through the phone tree. Saved me SO much time when I needed to reach my worker about income changes. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE - seriously worth checking out if you're having trouble reaching someone.

I was in ur EXACT situation 2 months ago!!! Family of 5 and got a job at Target. Was so worried abt going over the limit. Here's what happened... I reported my job on BenefitsCal the day I started. My first paycheck was like $580 for 2 weeks. They reduced my cash aid but didn't stop it completely. They sent me a breakdown showing how they calculated everything. But then!!!! They also enrolled me in the Welfare to Work program which gave me: - Free childcare (saved me $1200/month!!!!) - Gas money for driving to work - Money for work clothes So even though my cash aid went down a bit, I ended up with MORE support overall. Just make sure u report it right away and keep all ur paystubs!!!

make sure you look at the income limit AND the property limit for calworks. my sister had her benefits stopped because she had like $10,500 in savings which is over the $10,000 limit. they dont tell you about that part

Good luck actually REACHING anyone to get clear answers about income limits! I've literally been trying for THREE WEEKS to talk to someone about my SAR7 and keep getting disconnected or they tell me "we'll call back" and never do. Then they'll probably discontinue my benefits for not submitting something on time that I never even received!! The whole system is designed to be confusing and impossible to navigate. They WANT people to lose benefits so they can save money.

Hey Alexis! Congrats on the new job - that's such a huge step! I went through this exact same worry when I started working while on CalWORKs. One thing that really helped me was using the CalWORKs income calculator on the CDSS website before I reported anything. It gives you a rough idea of how your benefits might change. Also, if you're having trouble reaching your worker, try sending them a secure message through BenefitsCal - sometimes they respond to those faster than phone calls. Don't stress too much about "getting in trouble" - as long as you report within 10 days of starting work, you're following the rules. They actually WANT people to work and there are so many supports in place to help the transition. You might be surprised at how much help is available through the Welfare to Work program that others mentioned. Keep us updated on how it goes! Rooting for you and your family! 💪