Can I withdraw CalWORKs Cash Aid from ATM? How much cash can I take out at once?

Yes, you can absolutely use your EBT card to withdraw cash from ATMs! Your CalWORKs Cash Aid gets loaded onto the same EBT card that CalFresh (food stamps) goes on, but they're separate benefits. For the Cash Aid portion, you can withdraw it from most ATMs or get cash back at stores when making purchases. Just be careful about ATM fees. Try to use Bank of America ATMs since they don't charge extra fees for EBT withdrawals in California. Other ATMs might charge $2-3 per transaction on top of what the state already takes out (I think it's $1 after the first withdrawal each month). As for withdrawal limits, I believe the standard daily limit is $1000, but it depends on how much is in your account. $100 should be no problem at all!

BE CAREFUL using ATMs in bad areas!!! I had my card stolen last year when someone watched me enter my PIN at the gas station ATM. They followed me to my car and grabbed my purse when I wasn't looking. Took WEEKS to get my benefits back and the county accused ME of fraud at first!!! Always cover your hand when entering PIN and try to use ATMs inside stores not the outside ones. Also NEVER EVER give your PIN to ANYONE even if they say they're from the county office!!

just fyi u can also use the card like a debit card at most stores if u need to buy something. i never take cash out anymore cause i got robbed once after leaving the atm. just swipe at walmart target etc and select debit, put in ur pin. or u can do cash back at the register too thats usually safer than atm

If you need to reach someone at the county office about this, I would recommend using Claimyr. I was having issues with my card not working right after activation and couldn't get through to anyone on the regular CalWORKs line. I tried for DAYS. Then someone told me about this service called Claimyr that gets you through to a real person. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE - it saved me hours of waiting and actually got me to a worker who fixed my issue. The website is claimyr.com if you're interested. Totally worth it when you need to talk to someone fast.

The county disbursement schedule for CalWORKs is based on the case number's last digit, so depending on your number your funds might be available anywhere from the 1st to the 10th of the month. If you just got approved mid-month though, you might get a prorated amount right away as an initial payment. Check the date on your approval notice - benefits are usually available within 3 business days of approval.

To answer your question about withdrawal limits - there's both a daily and monthly limit on ATM withdrawals. The standard daily limit is $1,000 and monthly is usually your full benefit amount. However, some ATMs have their own lower limits (like $300-400 per transaction). Also, be aware that if you're getting both CalWORKs and CalFresh on the same card, you need to be careful at the ATM to select the CASH account, not the FOOD account. The FOOD account can only be used for food purchases, not cash withdrawals. They're completely separate accounts on the same physical card. If you ever lose your card or it gets stolen, call the EBT Customer Service line immediately at 1-877-328-9677 to report it. They can freeze your account and issue a new card.

My caseworker told me we get 4 free ATM withdrawals a month and then they charge $1 for each one after that. And yea def use Bank of America atms cuz they dont add extra charges. i learned that the hard way when i got charged $3.50 at a gas station atm on top of the regular fee 😡

Just wanted to add - when you first get approved, if you need emergency access to your benefits before the card arrives, you can actually go to the county office in person and request an immediate temporary cash disbursement. They can print you an emergency check right there if you explain it's for rent or other critical needs. Most caseworkers don't tell you about this option unless you specifically ask. Might be helpful for someone else reading this thread who's still waiting for their card!