CalWORKs income limits for family of 7 - did they lower it from $6k to $3k?

same thing happnd to me last month!! family of 5 and my benefits got cut after i got a job offer. the income limits r super confusing and tbh i think they just make up different numbers every time u talk to them 🙄

You might be confusing the gross income limit with the net income limit. CalWORKs has both - and they also have an Income Reporting Threshold (IRT). For a family of 7, the monthly gross income limit is around $3,264 as of 2025. There's no way it would be $6,000 for CalWORKs - you might be thinking of CalFresh, which has higher limits. Remember that any income over the IRT has to be reported within 10 days - even if it's temporary income. If your income exceeds the gross income limit, you'll be discontinued.

I work as a benefits counselor, and this is a really common confusion. The $6,000 figure you're remembering is likely the CalFresh (food stamps) gross income limit for a household of 7, which is around $6,737 for 2025. The CalWORKs income limits are much lower because it's cash assistance. For a family of 7, the gross monthly income limit is $3,264. Here's a breakdown of how they calculate eligibility: 1. They look at gross income first (before deductions) - if you're over that limit, you're ineligible 2. If under the gross limit, they apply certain deductions (like a $450 earned income disregard plus 50% of remaining earned income) to calculate net income 3. Your net income must be below the Maximum Aid Payment (MAP) for your family size At $5,000/month, you're well over the gross income limit for CalWORKs, which explains why you were discontinued.

that doesnt seem rite... my cousin has 6 kids and makes like 4000 something and still gets calworks. maybe u need 2 talk 2 different worker? sometimes they make mistakes

I HATE how they keep changing these stupid rules!!! I got cut off twice last year because of income changes and each time I called they gave me different answers about what the limit was. Then when I finally got through to someone who knew what they were talking about, they said I could have appealed but it was too late!!!! The whole system is designed to keep us confused and kick us off benefits. 😡😡😡

You might still qualify for CalFresh (food stamps) and Medi-Cal even if your income is too high for CalWORKs. For CalFresh, the gross monthly income limit for 7 people is around $6,737, and Medi-Cal for children has even higher income limits. Also check if you qualify for the California Earned Income Tax Credit when you file taxes. One big issue I see all the time is people getting cut off without proper notice. If you didn't receive a Notice of Action at least 10 days before the discontinuance, you should appeal it immediately - you have 90 days from when benefits stopped to file for a fair hearing.

Have you tried calling the county to get clarification? I know it's super frustrating - I spent WEEKS trying to get through to someone about my benefits. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a real person in like 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE It's worth it to at least talk to a worker and understand exactly why you were cut off and if there's anything you can do. Sometimes they can direct you to other programs that might help. Also make sure all your deductions were properly counted.

With your income level, you should also look into: 1. P-EBT if you have school-age children 2. WIC if you have children under 5 or are pregnant 3. Housing Choice Voucher program (Section 8) - long waitlist but worth getting on 4. Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for utility bills 5. Reduced school lunch programs 6. Local food banks For a family of 7 earning $5,000/month, these programs can provide significant help even without CalWORKs. Also, make sure you're receiving any Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit you qualify for when filing taxes.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience since I just went through something similar. I'm a single mom with 4 kids and was making about $2,800/month when I got cut from CalWORKs last year. What really helped me was requesting a detailed breakdown from my worker showing exactly how they calculated my eligibility. Turns out they weren't counting some of my work expenses properly. Even though you're over the income limit now, I'd still recommend appealing if you feel the calculation was wrong or if your income fluctuates. Sometimes temporary income spikes can be handled differently. Also, if any of your kids have special needs or if you have high childcare costs, there might be additional deductions they can apply. The "benefits cliff" is real - where earning slightly more means losing way more in assistance. It's so frustrating but you're not alone in dealing with this. Hang in there! 💙

Hey everyone! I'm fairly new here but wanted to jump in because this conversation is so important. As someone who works with families navigating benefits, I see this confusion about CalWORKs income limits ALL the time. @Yara Khoury - you're definitely not alone in this! The $6k vs $3k confusion happens because different programs have wildly different income limits. It's honestly ridiculous how complicated they make it. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if your income varies month to month (like with freelance work), make sure your worker is calculating your eligibility correctly. They should be looking at your actual monthly income, not projecting based on one high-earning month. Also, if you just started earning more, there might be a grace period or transition benefits available. The system really does set families up to fail with these benefit cliffs. You shouldn't have to choose between earning enough to survive and keeping assistance that helps your family. Have you looked into any local emergency assistance programs while you figure this out? Many counties have short-term help for families transitioning off CalWORKs.

I'm new to this community but going through something very similar right now! I have 5 kids and just got my CalWORKs discontinued last month after my work hours increased. Like you, I was so confused about the income limits - my caseworker had told me different numbers at different times and I couldn't figure out what was accurate. What really helped me was going to my local legal aid office. They have advocates who specialize in benefits and they helped me understand that CalWORKs uses something called "prospective budgeting" - meaning they estimate your future income based on recent earnings. If you have irregular income, they're supposed to average it over a reasonable period, not just use your highest month. The legal aid advocate also helped me file an appeal and request a "continuing benefits pending" hearing, which means you can keep getting benefits while the appeal is being decided. You might still have time to do this if it hasn't been too long since your benefits stopped. I know how overwhelming this all is, especially when you're trying to take care of 7 people. The income limits really are impossibly low for California's cost of living. Hang in there and definitely try to get some advocacy help if you can - it made all the difference for me!