Can I transfer my CalWORKs case to ex-husband when children stay with him? Need to remove myself completely

Yes, you can definitely have the case transferred to him since the children are living with him now. You'll need to report this change in household composition to your eligibility worker right away. The fastest way is to call your county office, but you can also report it through BenefitsCal or by submitting a written statement. Your ex-husband will need to apply for CalWORKs as the new head of household (with the children as his family members), and you'll need to request to be removed from your current case.

when me and my ex split up last year i had to do this exact thing!!! the county made me close my case completely and then he had to apply as new. took like 3 weeks but the kids didnt miss any benefits cause they backdated his. make sure u both call on same day so theres no confusion

actually this happened to my sister and they DIDNT backdate they made her ex apply as new and the kids had no benefits for almost 2 months!!!! make sure you bring proof of when he got custody and dont let the case close until his is approved!!!!

You need to submit a 'discontinuance request' for yourself while your ex-husband submits a new application. Technically it's not a transfer - it's ending one case and starting another. The critical thing is TIMING. If possible, have him submit his application BEFORE your case closes to avoid any gaps. Here's what you both need to do: 1. You: Submit Mid-Period Report showing the household change (you moved out, kids with dad) 2. Him: Complete a new CalWORKs application listing children as household members 3. Him: Provide documentation showing the children live with him (school records, medical docs, or written statements) 4. You: Request to be removed from the case entirely Do all of this ASAP because benefits are based on household composition, and right now the case is incorrectly set up.

Your husband needs to apply for CalFresh too if he hasn't already since that's seperate from CalWORKS. My cousin went thru this and forgot to apply for food stamps too and was scrambling for 2 weeks before she realized!!!

just be careful cause sometimes when cases change they audit everything and make u verify all income and stuff all over again which is super annoying. they might ask for proof of where ur living now too so have that ready.

The process everyone's describing is correct, but I want to clarify a few technical points: 1. Since there's no formal custody agreement, your ex-husband will need to complete an "Affidavit of Parental Relationship" (CW 2.1) form to establish that he's caring for the children. 2. You'll need to submit a "Request for Discontinuance" form for yourself (or contact your worker to request removal). 3. Your husband will need to submit a complete SAWS 1 application and attend an eligibility interview. 4. The children's eligibility should transfer without interruption if done correctly. One important note: If your case includes child support requirements, those obligations will shift with the case transfer. The county will expect your ex to cooperate with child support services regarding any support that might be owed by you.

Try calling your county welfare office to explain the situation but GOOD LUCK actually getting through to anyone!!! I spent 3 days trying to reach someone at my county office last month for a similar situation and kept getting disconnected. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to a real person in 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE. Basically they wait on hold for you and call you when they reach a real person. Worth it for something complicated like transferring a case!

One more thing - make sure both you and your ex understand how this affects the 48-month time limit. Any months you've already used on your CalWORKs clock stay with you, not the case. Your ex-husband will have his own 48-month clock (unless he's already received CalWORKs before). The children have separate time clocks that only start when they become adults, so this change doesn't affect their future eligibility.

BTW dont let anyone tell u that u need a court custody order!!! my worker tried to tell me that but its NOT TRUE. as long as both parents agree where kids are living its fine. they just need statements from both of u

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago! Just want to add that you should also check if you're receiving any other benefits like WIC or Medi-Cal for the kids - those will need to be transferred separately too. The county offices don't always automatically coordinate between different programs, so you might need to contact each one individually. Also, make sure your ex knows that he'll need to complete the eligibility interview within 30 days of submitting his application, and he should bring proof of income, rent/utilities, and any childcare expenses. The county will want to verify everything fresh since it's technically a new case. Good luck with the transition!