CalWORKs payment higher than approved amount - $175 extra on EBT card but not sure why?
I'm super confused about my CalWORKs payment this month. I had my redetermination in June and got approved for $680/month for me and my two kids. But when the payment hit my EBT card in mid-July, it was $855 instead of $680?? I'm definitely not complaining but worried they'll say I got an overpayment later. My mom mentioned something about CalWORKs recipients getting an extra $200 or so that deposits later in the month now? Is this some kind of supplemental payment I don't know about or did they make a mistake? Anyone else getting more than their approved amount? I don't want to call and accidentally lose money if this is something I'm actually entitled to, but also don't want an overpayment issue later.
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Aria Park
That extra amount might be the CalWORKs MAP increase that started in July 2025. They recently increased the maximum aid payment amounts for all family sizes. Your approval letter probably had the old MAP rates, but when July payments were issued, they used the new higher amounts. So if you were approved for the maximum aid for a family of 3 before the increase, you'd see that jump in your payment. Nothing to worry about - it's not a mistake!
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Lucas Notre-Dame
•Omg thank you! That makes sense. So this is my new regular monthly amount going forward? They didn't send any notice about an increase so I was worried.
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Noah Ali
yeahh i got more $$ too!!! thought they messed up lol. my worker said its bcuz of that MAP increase thing. they do it every few yrs i guess. my amount went from $537 to like $610 for me + my daughter. dont worry they wont take it back
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Lucas Notre-Dame
•That's such a relief! I was scared to spend the extra in case they wanted it back later. Thanks for letting me know!
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Chloe Boulanger
This is definitely the MAP (Maximum Aid Payment) increase that went into effect July 1, 2025. The California Department of Social Services adjusts these amounts periodically. Your county office should have sent a notice about this increase, but many counties are behind on sending these out. The increase should be reflected in all future payments as well. If you want to verify, you can call the customer service number on the back of your EBT card, but be prepared for very long wait times. Many people have been calling with the same question this month.
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James Martinez
•I've been trying to get through to my worker about this exact thing for THREE DAYS!!! The phone system is a joke - either busy signals or being on hold for hours just to get disconnected. So frustrating when you just need a simple answer.
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Olivia Harris
•If you're having trouble getting through on the phone lines, I'd recommend using Claimyr.com. It waits on hold with the CalWORKs office for you and calls you back when a worker is on the line. Saved me hours last month when I needed to speak to someone about my WTW hours. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE - totally worth it when you need to actually talk to someone instead of dealing with the automated system.
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Alexander Zeus
The increases aren't the same for everyone - they vary by region and family size!!! In Region 1 counties a family of 3 went from $651 to $743 and Region 2 from $620 to $708. Make sure you know which region you're in because some workers get this wrong! My sister got underpaid because they used wrong region and it took MONTHS to fix!!!
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Lucas Notre-Dame
•Wait there are different regions? How do I know which one I'm in? I'm in San Bernardino County if that helps.
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Chloe Boulanger
•San Bernardino is Region 2. With the new increase as of July 2025, a family of 3 in Region 2 should receive $708 if you qualify for the maximum grant amount. If you're getting $855, there might be something else going on. Do you also receive the CalWORKs Pregnancy Special Needs payment or any other special allowances? Those would be in addition to your regular grant.
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Lucas Notre-Dame
Oh wait I just remembered I get the special needs diaper allowance for my youngest who's still in diapers - that's $30 per month. And I think there was some kind of back pay for something? Maybe that's why it's higher? Now I'm confused again lol
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Aria Park
•That would explain it! If your regular grant is $708 now with the MAP increase, plus $30 for the diaper allowance, that's $738. The remaining amount could definitely be retroactive payments for the MAP increase if they owed you from a previous month, or some other adjustment. Your next payment should be more consistent (probably $738 if what you've shared is the complete picture). You can always check your BenefitsCal account for a breakdown of your benefits, though sometimes it takes them a while to update the details there.
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Alicia Stern
They never tell us ANYTHING!!! I got a different amount too but when I called my worker said it was an error and now I have an overpayment!!! They're taking $37 out of each check for the next 6 months. Check with your county ASAP because I thought mine was the MAP increase too but it wasn't!!
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Lucas Notre-Dame
•Oh no! That's exactly what I'm afraid of 😫 I'm gonna try to call tomorrow first thing and hopefully get through.
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Olivia Harris
I'd recommend checking your latest Notice of Action if you still have it. After the MAP increase, they're supposed to send you a notice showing your old amount and new amount. Or log into your BenefitsCal account - sometimes they post the notices there before they even arrive in the mail. The specific breakdown should show: - Base CalWORKs grant - Any special needs payments (like your diaper allowance) - Any supplements or one-time payments This way you'll know exactly what's happening with your case.
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Lucas Notre-Dame
•Thanks! I just checked BenefitsCal and I actually do have a notice there from July 3rd about the MAP increase! It says my new amount is $708 (up from $680) plus my $30 diaper allowance, and then there was a one-time adjustment of $117 for a retroactive payment. Mystery solved! So my regular payment going forward should be $738. I appreciate everyone's help!
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Noah Ali
make sure u report the extra money on ur next SAR7 tho!! they made me fill out a new income report even tho it was THEIR money they gave me lol. the whole system is so confusing sometimes
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Chloe Boulanger
•You actually don't need to report CalWORKs payments on your SAR7 as income - the county already knows about those payments since they're the ones issuing them. You only need to report other types of income like wages, child support, disability, etc. But it's true that the system can be very confusing!
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Natasha Petrov
•@Noah Ali Wait, they really made you report your CalWORKs payment as income?? That seems wrong - like @Chloe Boulanger said, that s money'they gave you, not income you earned. Did your worker maybe misunderstand what you were asking about? I d be'annoyed if they made me do extra paperwork for their own mistake!
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Emma Davis
I'm so glad you figured it out! This is exactly why I always tell people to check their BenefitsCal account first before panicking. The county is terrible at sending timely notices but they usually post them online pretty quickly. That retroactive payment makes total sense - they probably owed you the difference between the old and new MAP rates for part of June or something. It's really frustrating how they never explain these things clearly upfront. At least now you know your regular amount going forward and can budget accordingly!
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Ava Kim
•Yes! This whole thread has been super helpful for me as someone new to CalWORKs. I had no idea about the MAP increases or that they could give retroactive payments. It's crazy that they don't explain these things better - like you said, checking BenefitsCal first seems like the way to go instead of spending hours on hold. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, it really helps newcomers like me understand how the system actually works!
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Ayla Kumar
This is such a helpful thread! I'm also in San Bernardino County and noticed my payment went up last month but wasn't sure why. Reading through all these responses, it sounds like the MAP increase is pretty common and legitimate. I'm definitely going to check my BenefitsCal account like you all suggested - I had no idea they posted notices there first! It's frustrating that they don't communicate these changes better upfront, but at least this community helps fill in the gaps. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, it really helps those of us trying to navigate this system!
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Elin Robinson
•I'm new here too and this thread has been amazing! I just started CalWORKs a few months ago and had no idea about any of this stuff - the MAP increases, different regions, retroactive payments, none of it. It's so confusing when they don't explain anything clearly. I'm definitely bookmarking this community because it seems like you all know way more about how things actually work than the workers sometimes do! Going to go check my BenefitsCal account right now to see if I have any notices I missed.
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Chloe Martin
Welcome to the community @Elin Robinson and @Ava Kim! This thread is a perfect example of why this community is so valuable - the official channels often leave us in the dark about changes like the MAP increase, but members here share real experiences that actually help. I've been on CalWORKs for about 3 years and I still learn new things from posts like this. Definitely keep checking your BenefitsCal accounts regularly - I've found notices there weeks before they show up in the mail (if they ever do). And don't hesitate to post questions here - this community is super supportive and knowledgeable about navigating all the confusing aspects of the system!
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Jamal Carter
•@Chloe Martin You re'so right about this community being more helpful than the official channels! I just joined a few days ago after getting frustrated trying to get basic info from my county office. The phone system is impossible and when you do get through, sometimes the workers don t'even know about recent changes like this MAP increase. It s'reassuring to see people sharing actual real-world experiences here. I m'definitely going to be more active in this community - seems like the best way to actually understand how things work in practice vs what s'supposed to happen on paper!
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