CalWORKs says I need an earnings and loss form for 1099 income - SAR7 rejected again

Unfortunately they're actually correct on this one. For CalWORKs, 1099 work (DoorDash, Uber, Instacart, etc.) is considered self-employment, which means you need to report expenses along with your income. The form they're sending is probably the Self-Employment Income Report (SEIR) where you'll list your gross earnings AND business expenses like gas, car maintenance, phone bill percentage used for apps, etc. Don't give up! This actually works in your favor because they only count your NET income after expenses, which could be significantly lower than your gross earnings. This could mean higher benefits for you.

def don't give up!! this happens all the time with gig workers, the system is so confusing. my sister drives for uber and she almost lost her cash aid last yr until she figured out the self-employment thing. just track ur gas, car stuff, part of ur phone bill, etc. u can even deduct part of ur car insurance i think

I went through this exact headache with my SAR7 in December. Once you get that form, make COPIES of everything before you submit it. And take detailed notes during any conversation with your worker. I had my self-employment paperwork "lost" TWICE and almost got discontinued. Finally I discovered Claimyr.com which helped me actually get through to a supervisor on the phone (check out their demo: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE). Once I got through to a real person, I was able to get it sorted out. The 1099 stuff is actually a good thing because of the expense deductions, but dealing with the paperwork is a nightmare.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU GIVE UP!!! I swear they hire people specifically to find reasons to deny our paperwork. My worker told me one thing and then the next month said something completely different about my reporting requirements. They WANT you to make mistakes so they can cut your benefits and save money. It's all a game to them while we're struggling to survive!!!

ya this exact thing happened with me when i started doing doordash. the earnings & expense form isnt that bad but make sure u keep track of miles u drive for work too, thats a big deduction. also dont do what i did and 4get to sign the form lol they sent mine back and i almost missed the deadline

The form they're sending is the Self-Employment Income Report. For gig workers, this actually works in your favor! You're allowed to deduct business expenses (gas, mileage, phone, etc.) from your gross income. This typically results in a LOWER countable income for benefit calculations than if you just reported your 1099 earnings. I recommend: 1. Download a mileage tracking app immediately (like Stride or Everlance - they're free) 2. Organize receipts from January for gas, car maintenance, etc. 3. Calculate what percentage of your phone/internet is used for gig work The CalWORKs regulations on self-employment are in MPP Section 44-113.21. You're entitled to ALL reasonable business expenses, and this can significantly reduce your countable income.

my cousin spent her ebt on crab legs last month when they threatened to cut her off and then her case worker magically found a way to fix her paperwork issue lol sometimes u gotta do what u gotta do

Something important that hasn't been mentioned yet: You have the right to request Retroactive Benefits if you've been reporting your income incorrectly (without deducting expenses) in previous months. File an NA 1291A Request for Case Review and explain that you weren't properly informed about expense deductions for self-employment income. If approved, you could receive additional benefits for past months where your grant was calculated incorrectly. Also, when you complete the self-employment form, be thorough but reasonable with your expenses. They do occasionally audit, so don't claim expenses you can't substantiate if asked.

When I was trying to explain my 1099 situation to CalWORKs, I spent 3 days trying to reach someone by phone. Kept getting disconnected after waiting for hours. Finally used Claimyr to get through to a real person at the county (seriously, check out their demo: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE). The worker I spoke with actually helped me fill out the self-employment form over the phone. Turns out I was eligible for more benefits after properly accounting for my business expenses!

I'm new to this whole CalWORKs thing and just started doing DoorDash a few weeks ago. Reading through all these comments is honestly overwhelming but also really helpful! I had no idea about the mileage tracking or that I could deduct expenses. I've just been reporting my gross earnings like an idiot. Should I be worried that I'm going to get in trouble for reporting wrong on my first SAR7? I literally just submitted it last week with my total DoorDash earnings and didn't mention any expenses because I didn't know I was supposed to. Now I'm freaking out that they're going to think I was trying to hide something or get more benefits than I deserve. Do I need to call them and tell them I made a mistake?