CalWORKs income limits for family of 4 after husband got laid off - urgently need max income threshold

The income limit for a family of 4 in 2025 for CalWORKs is around $3,150/month gross income (before taxes). With only your income at $2,400, you should qualify based on what you've shared. When you apply, they'll look at your last 30 days of income and any unemployment your husband receives will count too, once it starts. Each county might have slight variations, but that's the general guideline. Make sure you apply ASAP through BenefitsCal.com or in person at your county office. They'll backdate benefits to when you applied, not when you're approved.

ur prolly fine with that income but they mite count ur husbands last check b4 he got laid off when they calculate. my sister had like $2200 for 3 people and got approved. just apply ASAP don't wait cuz it takes FOREVER to get approved anyway. like seriusly it took me almost 2 months to get my first payment

U NEED TO REPORT EVERYTHING HONESTLY!!! my cousin lied about income and had to pay back over $3000!!! they check with EDD and will know bout unemployment when he gets it. they wanted bank statements from me when i applied too so be ready for that

When my bf lost his job last year we got on calworks with 3 kids. they check your property too. like if you have 2 cars they might make u sell one. and savings over $10,000 i think. the income limit changes all the time with inflation so what ppl are saying might not be right anymore. call your county office to ask!! and apply for calfresh too, its separate

I tried calling the CalWORKs office for THREE WEEKS straight when my husband lost his job and couldn't get through! So frustrating! I was literally in tears trying to figure out if we qualified or not. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a real person after waiting for weeks. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE - it saved me so much stress during an already stressful time. And btw, we qualified with just my part-time income for our family of 4 too. Got approved for about $1,200/month until my husband found work again.

It's worth noting that the income limit has different tiers in California. For initial eligibility, your gross income needs to be under the amount mentioned above (approximately $3,150 for a family of 4), but once you're in the program, you can earn slightly more and still receive partial benefits. This is called the "Income Reporting Threshold" or IRT. Also, don't forget to ask about the Welfare to Work (WTW) program when you apply. Since your husband is unemployed, he might be required to participate in job search activities or training to maintain eligibility. You might be exempt since you're already working, but policies vary by county.

Based on what you've shared, here's what I suggest: 1. Apply immediately through BenefitsCal.com (you can do it from home) 2. Gather your documents: ID, SSN cards for everyone, proof of address, last 30 days of pay stubs, husband's layoff notice 3. Be prepared to provide bank statements if requested 4. Apply for CalFresh in the same application (you can qualify for that even if your income is slightly too high for CalWORKs) 5. Ask for expedited processing if you have less than $150 in available funds and your rent/utilities are more than your current income Once approved, you'll receive benefits on an EBT card, and the benefits will be prorated from your application date.

To answer your question about SSI - that's actually very important. If your child receives SSI, that child is NOT counted in the CalWORKs household. So you would apply as a family of 3 (two adults + one child), not 4. The child receiving SSI cannot receive CalWORKs simultaneously. This actually changes your income limit calculation significantly. The SSI payment itself is not counted as income for the CalWORKs calculation, but the child receiving it is excluded from the assistance unit. Child tax credits are not counted as income for CalWORKs eligibility.

It's a bit complicated, but I can explain. You don't actively choose to exclude your child - the system does it automatically if the child receives SSI. The income limit for a family of 3 is lower (around $2,900/month), but it might still be beneficial because: 1. You keep the full SSI payment for your child 2. That child gets Medi-Cal through SSI 3. The CalWORKs grant would be for 3 people instead of 4 Whether it's better financially depends on the SSI amount vs. the difference in CalWORKs benefits. Your eligibility worker can actually calculate both scenarios during your interview and advise which is more beneficial for your family. Just make sure to disclose the SSI when you apply so they can do this calculation correctly.

Hey Jasmine! I just wanted to add that when you apply, make sure to ask about emergency aid if you really need help right away. Some counties can provide a small emergency payment while your regular application is being processed - it's not much but it can help with immediate needs like groceries or utilities. Also, if you're having trouble with childcare while job searching or going to appointments, ask about the CalWORKs childcare program. They can help pay for childcare so you can work or your husband can look for work. Good luck with your application! 🙏

Just wanted to share my recent experience since it might help! I was in a similar situation 6 months ago - family of 4, husband lost his job, I was making about $2,200/month part-time. We got approved for CalWORKs and received $1,087/month plus CalFresh benefits. The whole process took about 6 weeks from application to first payment, but like others said, they backdated it to our application date so we got a nice lump sum initially. One thing I wish I'd known earlier - keep ALL your documentation organized from day one. They asked for additional paperwork twice during our case review, and having everything ready made it so much smoother. Also, don't be discouraged if they ask for clarification on something - it doesn't mean you're getting denied, they just want to make sure they calculate your benefits correctly. You've got this! 💪