CalWORKs payment date confusion - why does my account only show 4th/10th without the extra allotment?
Just checked my BenefitsCal account to see when my CalWORKs payment is coming but I'm a little confused. Usually it shows the exact date of our next cash aid payment AND when we'll get the supplemental payment. But right now it only says '4th/10th' without any info about the extra allotment or CalSAWS payment. Is this normal? Does the extra payment not usually show up in the app until right before it's available? This is only my third month receiving benefits so I'm still figuring out how everything works. The worker who helped me apply mentioned something about payments coming in two parts but I'm worried something's wrong with my case since it's not showing both payment dates.
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Peyton Clarke
mine does the same thing. sometimes it just has those dates but the money still shows up. don't worry about it unless you don't get your $$ on those days
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Misterclamation Skyblue
•Thanks! That makes me feel better. Do you usually get your payment on the 4th or the 10th? I'm trying to plan for bills and don't know which day to expect it.
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Vince Eh
The 4th/10th refers to your regular issue date, which depends on the last digit of your case number. If your case number ends in 1-3, you get paid on the 1st. If it ends in 4-7, you get paid on the 2nd. If it ends in 8-0, you get paid on the 3rd. The 10th is actually for TANF, which is different than CalWORKs. The app often displays generalized information. As for the supplemental payment (which I think you're calling the "extra allotment"), it often doesn't show up in the app until it's actually processed. This is a limitation of the BenefitsCal system. If you received a Notice of Action (NOA) stating you're eligible for a supplemental payment, you'll still get it even if it doesn't show in the app. The CalSAWS reference just indicates the database system that processes your benefits - it's not a separate payment type.
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Misterclamation Skyblue
•Thank you for explaining! My case number ends with 5 so sounds like my payment should come on the 2nd. I did get a NOA saying I was approved for the full benefit amount for our family size (me + 2 kids) but it didn't say anything about it being split into two payments.
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Sophia Gabriel
The system's super confusing!! My payment always show up as 2 different deposits on my EBT card. One at the beginning of month and then another one happens like 2-3 days later. They never tell u when the second one comes, it just shows up. I think thats normal for everyone, app never shows both
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Tobias Lancaster
•Just to clarify, CalWORKs cash aid should typically come as a single payment on your issue date, not two separate payments. If you're seeing two deposits, it could be because: 1. One is your regular cash aid and the other is a special needs payment or supplement 2. One is your CalWORKs and the other is CalFresh (food stamps) 3. You had a previous underpayment that's being corrected The 4th/10th is just a general reference in the app for when benefits typically are issued, but your actual date depends on your case number as the helpful person above mentioned.
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Ezra Beard
you can never trust that stupid app it always says something different than what my worker tells me. i had to call like 10 times last month because my payment didn't come when the app said it would and nobody could explain why. literally spent hours on hold and getting hung up on. the whole system is designed to make us give up!!!
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Statiia Aarssizan
•I know waiting on hold is the WORST! I recently found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to a real person at the CalWORKs office without sitting on hold forever. It actually works - you go to claimyr.com and they call the office for you and then call you back when a real person answers. Saved me hours of frustration last week when my benefits weren't showing up correctly. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE - might be worth trying next time you need to get through!
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Reginald Blackwell
I was so confused about this too when I first got on CalWORKs! Don't worry, you'll get used to the weird system. My worker explained that sometimes the app doesn't display all the accurate info because it's not updated in real-time with their county systems. As long as you've been approved and haven't gotten any discontinuance notices, your benefits should arrive on schedule even if the app is being vague.
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Misterclamation Skyblue
•Thank you! Good to know I'm not the only one confused by this. I haven't gotten any discontinuance notices so hopefully that means everything is still on track.
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Tobias Lancaster
For CalWORKs, your payment date is determined by the last digit of your case number: - Case numbers ending in 1, 2, or 3: Payment on the 1st - Case numbers ending in 4, 5, 6, or 7: Payment on the 2nd - Case numbers ending in 8, 9, or 0: Payment on the 3rd The 4th/10th notation in the app is a generic placeholder and doesn't necessarily reflect your exact payment date. Also, CalWORKs is typically issued as a single payment, not split into multiple allotments (unlike CalFresh which sometimes has supplements). If you've been receiving two separate payments, it's worth calling your eligibility worker to understand exactly what each payment represents. Sometimes special needs payments (like for pregnancy or homelessness) are issued separately from your regular grant.
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Misterclamation Skyblue
•Thanks for the detailed explanation! I'll check my case number when I get home. I did receive a special needs payment last month for diapers for my youngest, so maybe that's why I was expecting to see two different payments listed. I'll try calling my worker to confirm everything is set up correctly.
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Peyton Clarke
my worker told me they somtimes split it if theres a change in ur case like if u reported more income or added someone to ur household. did u do ur SAR7 recently? that could be why
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Misterclamation Skyblue
•I actually just submitted my first SAR7 last week! That might explain it. I did report some part-time income from a job I started. I'll keep an eye on my account to see how the payment comes through.
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