CalWORKs income limits for family of 8 in 2025? Maximum allowed before discontinuance

i think its like $3,700 somethin but not sure tbh. my fam is 5 ppl and our limit is way lower. better call ur worker to make sure. they never pick up tho lol

The Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) for a family of 8 on CalWORKs for 2025 is $5,325 per month in gross income. This is different from your maximum income limit for eligibility, which is lower. If your monthly income goes over your IRT, you MUST report it to the county within 10 days - even if it's not time for your SAR7. However, your eligibility threshold (the amount where you'd actually lose benefits) depends on your specific aid code and whether you're exempt from certain requirements. The standard eligibility threshold for a non-exempt family of 8 is approximately $4,840 per month. If you're working through the Welfare to Work program, you may be eligible for work incentive deductions that let you keep more of your earnings before they affect your grant amount. Make sure you're reporting all your allowable deductions!

Be really careful with income limits! I lost my benefits last year because I didn't understand the difference between the IRT and the actual eligibility limit. They're TWO DIFFERENT NUMBERS and it's super confusing!!! Also, make sure you're calculating GROSS income (before taxes) not NET income (after taxes). I made that mistake and ended up with a $2,400 overpayment that I'm still paying back. 😭 Can I ask what county you're in? Some counties are better at explaining this stuff than others.

The most important work incentive deduction for CalWORKs is the $500 Earned Income Disregard plus 50% of the remaining earned income. This means they don't count the first $500 of your earnings, and then they only count half of what's left when calculating your grant amount. For example, if you earn $4,600: $4,600 - $500 = $4,100 $4,100 ÷ 2 = $2,050 So only $2,050 would count against your grant calculation, not the full $4,600. Also, if you're paying for childcare that isn't already covered by CalWORKs childcare benefits, those expenses can be deducted too. Make sure you're submitting receipts! Have you tried using the BenefitsCal website to check your case details? Sometimes it shows your specific IRT.

I went thru this exact same thing with my big family!! The IRT letters are always confusing and they send them like once a year and expect you to remember the number forever lol. BTW did you know the income limits also change if any of your kids get child support? My ex finally started paying support for 2 of mine and it messed up all my calculations because that income counts different than work income. The whole system makes my head hurt honestly

Have you tried calling your county office to confirm the exact amount for your specific situation? I know it's a pain to get through on those phone lines - I used to spend HOURS trying to reach someone at my local DPSS office. I recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually calls the CalWORKs office for you and connects you when a real person answers. Saved me from waiting on hold for 3+ hours last month when I had an issue with my SAR7. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE Just mentioning it because with income threshold questions, it's really best to get the official answer from your specific county rather than relying on general numbers.

This whole system is DESIGNED to be confusing!!! They WANT you to mess up so they can kick you off benefits or hit you with overpayments. I had a similar situation with my family of 6 and the worker gave me THREE different income limits in the span of two months. When I finally got something in writing and followed it exactly, I STILL got an overpayment notice! THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW THEIR OWN RULES half the time. Document EVERYTHING. Send messages through BenefitsCal so you have a record. Record phone calls if your state allows it. The system is stacked against us.

One more important thing about the income limits - make sure you're aware of your Semi-Annual Reporting (SAR) requirements. Even if your income is under the IRT, you still need to report all income accurately on your SAR7 form. And remember that for a family of 8, you also qualify for a higher CalFresh (food stamps) allotment with separate income guidelines. If you're working with Welfare to Work, you might also qualify for: - CalWORKs childcare assistance - Transportation allowance - Work clothing allowance - Diaper stipend for children under 3 Don't leave money on the table that your family is entitled to!

Did anyone here actually know that income limits are supposed to be on your Notice of Action letters? I just discovered this after 3 years on CalWORKs! Check your paperwork from when you were last approved - there should be a section that says what your specific IRT is. Mine was buried on page 4 of a 6-page notice!

This thread has been so helpful! As someone new to the CalWORKs system with a family of 4, I'm learning so much about income limits and reporting requirements. @Ravi Choudhury I'm glad you found your specific IRT in your paperwork - that's such a relief when you're worried about going over the limit! One thing I wanted to add for anyone else reading this: if you're having trouble understanding your Notice of Action letters, many counties have CalWORKs advocates or community organizations that can help you interpret the paperwork for free. I found one through my local library's resource center. They walked me through every page of my benefits letter and explained what all the different numbers meant. Also, for those mentioning overpayments - if you do end up with one, you can usually request a hearing to dispute it or ask for a payment plan. Don't panic if it happens, there are options to work with the county. The system is complicated but there are people who can help navigate it!