Cash Aid amount for 2 kids when boyfriend gets SSI - will it reduce our CalWORKs or CalFresh?
I'm applying for benefits and trying to figure out how much CalWORKs we might qualify for. I have 2 kids (ages 3 and 5) and my boyfriend lives with us. He receives SSI ($1,243/month). I don't have any income right now. I heard that SSI recipients are excluded from the CalWORKs household, but does his income still count against us? Also confused about if we'll get less Cash Aid or reduced CalFresh because he gets SSI? The eligibility worker I talked to wasn't clear about this. Has anyone been in this situation? Really need to know what to expect for budgeting next month.
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Demi Hall
Your boyfriend's SSI won't count against your CalWORKs grant for the kids! Since he gets SSI, he's excluded from your CalWORKs household, AND his income doesn't count against your Cash Aid amount. Your children should qualify for the full 2-person child-only grant (about $696 as of 2025). For CalFresh (food stamps), it's a little different though. His SSI income WILL be considered for the household food budget, but since 2019, SSI recipients can also get CalFresh. So you'll apply as a household of 3 (you and kids) for CalWORKs and as a household of 4 (including boyfriend) for CalFresh.
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Elliott luviBorBatman
•Thank you so much! The worker kept saying something about 'child only' but didn't explain what that meant. Do u know if we need to do separate applications for CalWORKs and CalFresh? And will they ask for proof of my boyfriend's SSI?
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Mateusius Townsend
when I was in your situation last year they made me do a non-needy caretaker application or something like that. the SSI person is totally seperate for cash aid but yes they still count thier income for foodstamps. they gave me like $712 for my 2 kids
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Kara Yoshida
•Yes! Non-needy caretaker relative (NNCR) is exactly what this situation calls for. But actually she may not need that specific application since it sounds like she's the biological parent. NNCR is typically used when a grandparent or other relative is caring for the kids. She'll just need a regular application but will be approved for a 'child-only' grant since her boyfriend with SSI is excluded from the CalWORKs assistance unit. The $712 you mentioned sounds right for 2025 rates for 2 children in a child-only case. They adjust the amounts every year.
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Philip Cowan
Don't forget to apply for the diaper benefit too, since you have a 3-year-old! It's an extra $30/month per child under 3 years of age who receives CalWORKs. You have to specifically request it - they won't automatically give it to you. And make sure your worker correctly excludes your boyfriend from the CalWORKs household since he gets SSI. Sometimes they get confused and calculate benefits wrong.
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Caesar Grant
ive been trying to reach someone at my county office for 2 WEEKS about this exact situation!! they either hang up on me or i sit on hold for 3 hours and then get disconnected. how did u even talk to a worker??
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Lena Schultz
•I had the same problem until I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to a real person at my county office in under 20 minutes. You might want to check them out at claimyr.com - they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE They basically call the county for you and then connect you when they reach a real person. I was skeptical but it worked when I needed to get my CalWORKs case sorted out after being on hold for hours. Way better than trying to call yourself and getting disconnected all the time.
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Gemma Andrews
WRONG INFO ALERT!!!! all this advice about SSI is not current! my cousin got denied cash aid completely cause her boyfriend got SSI and lives with them! they said something about the MFG rule?????
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Demi Hall
•You're confusing two separate policies. The MFG rule (Maximum Family Grant) was actually repealed in 2016, so it doesn't exist anymore. It used to limit benefits for newborns in families already receiving CalWORKs. Your cousin's case sounds different. If her boyfriend is the father of the children, and they declared him as living in the home, there might be other factors. But SSI recipients are definitely excluded from the CalWORKs household, and their income is exempt from CalWORKs calculations. This is current policy. She should request a case review if she was denied incorrectly.
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Elliott luviBorBatman
Thanks for all the replies everyone! I'm going to fill out my application tomorrow and make sure to specify that my boyfriend gets SSI so he should be excluded from the CalWORKs household. And I'll definitely ask about that diaper benefit too! Will update when I find out what we get approved for.
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Philip Cowan
•Good luck! One more tip - make sure to ask about childcare assistance if you're planning to look for work. CalWORKs offers childcare benefits that can cover your costs while you're in job search, working, or in approved training programs. It's a huge help and many people don't know about it!
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Philip Cowan
Childcare is a separate benefit on top of your Cash Aid! Once you're approved for CalWORKs, you'll work with a Welfare to Work counselor who will help you apply for childcare. They'll connect you with the local Resource and Referral agency that handles the childcare payments. They can pay for licensed providers or even family members (except the other parent) to watch your kids while you work. It's honestly one of the most valuable parts of CalWORKs.
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Pedro Sawyer
wait i thought if someone in the house gets ssi nobody can get snap?? when did that change?
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Kara Yoshida
•That changed in June 2019! Before then, SSI recipients in California couldn't get CalFresh, and households with SSI members had the SSI income excluded from CalFresh calculations as a trade-off. But now SSI recipients CAN get CalFresh, and their income IS counted for household CalFresh calculations. It was a major policy change called 'SSI Cash-Out Reversal.' Most households ended up better off with the change, especially single SSI recipients who previously got no food assistance.
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Toot-n-Mighty
Just want to add - when you apply, make sure you bring documentation of your boyfriend's SSI award letter. Even though he's excluded from your CalWORKs case, they'll still need to verify his SSI status to process your application correctly. Also, if you're having trouble getting through to your county office by phone, try going in person early in the morning or checking if they have online appointment scheduling. Some counties let you upload documents online too which can speed things up. The whole process took about 3 weeks for me from application to first payment, so hang in there!
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Elijah Brown
•Thanks for the tip about bringing the SSI award letter! I'm new to all this and wasn't sure what documents I'd need. Quick question - do you know if they need the current award letter or will an older one work? My boyfriend's is from like 6 months ago but the amount hasn't changed. Also wondering if anyone knows if the 3-week timeline is pretty standard or if some counties are faster/slower? I'm in LA County if that makes a difference.
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