Can't tell if my CalWORKs direct deposit form got approved - submitted in October but no confirmation

u shud check ur benifitsCal account to see ur payment history. sometimes it says how the payment was issued (direct deposit or check). if its still saying check after 4 months somethin probly went wrong with ur paperwork

Direct deposit forms usually take 30-45 days to process, so something definitely went wrong if it's been 4 months. Common reasons for direct deposit not going through: 1. The bank account information wasn't clear or had an error 2. The form wasn't fully completed (missing signature or date) 3. Your paper got lost in processing 4. The form might have gone to the wrong department You should call your county office and specifically ask to speak with someone in the "Electronic Benefits Transfer" or payment processing department. They can check the status and tell you exactly what happened. If your form was rejected, they need to notify you, but sometimes those notices get lost.

This just happened to me!!! I turned in my direct deposit form TWICE and they still send me checks. So frustrating. My cousin said her worker told her they have a huge backlog of paperwork at our county office right now. Maybe that's why?

I waited 3 months for my direct deposit to start after I submitted the form. I finally just went IN PERSON to the office and asked them about it. Turns out they never processed it because the teller who took my form put it in the wrong stack or something. They processed it while I was there and my next payment came through direct deposit. Sometimes you just have to show up.

I work for a community organization that helps people with benefits issues. The direct deposit forms for CalWORKs get sent to a centralized processing unit - not your regular eligibility worker. That's why your worker might not know the status. There's no automatic notification for direct deposit approval or denial unless there's a problem with your form. Your best option is to call the main CalWORKs customer service line (not your specific worker) and ask them to check if your direct deposit request was received and processed. Be prepared to wait though - the hold times are terrible lately. If you're struggling to get through on the phone lines, check out Claimyr.com. They have a service that holds your place in the phone queue and calls you back when a representative is about to answer. I've recommended it to several clients who couldn't get through to their county offices. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE

When i did mine last year they told us there would NOT be any notification that direct deposit was approved. You just know it worked when your payment shows up in your bank account instead of getting a paper check. But it should NOT take 4 months!!! That's crazy!!!! I'd file a complaint with your county tbh.

Does anyone know if there's a way to check direct deposit status on BenefitsCal? I looked around but couldn't find anything about payment methods in my account. Also, if I submit a new direct deposit form, will it cancel out my old one or just confuse things more?

did u make sure ur bank even accepts govt direct deposits? my friend couldnt get hers to work cuz her bank was some online thing that didnt do govt direct deposits. just a thought.

Quick update - there's been a system-wide issue with direct deposit processing in several California counties since late 2024. The state is working on fixing it, but many requests are severely delayed. If you call, specifically mention the "direct deposit backlog issue" and ask if your county is affected. That will help them give you more accurate information about your situation.

I'm dealing with the exact same issue! Submitted my direct deposit form in November and still getting paper checks. After reading all these responses, it sounds like there's definitely a system-wide problem affecting multiple counties. I'm going to try calling the main customer service line tomorrow and mention the "direct deposit backlog issue" that @Jamal Washington mentioned. It's so frustrating having to cash these checks every month when direct deposit should be simple. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - at least now I know I'm not the only one dealing with this mess!