Do CalWORKs SAR7 recertifications require bank statements? (6-month vs. annual review)

For the SAR7 (6-month report), they typically don't require bank statements unless something has changed with your income or resources. The semi-annual report focuses mainly on income changes, household composition changes, and address changes. Bank statements are more common for the annual redetermination (RE form/SAWS 2). However, if you reported a change in income or started a new job since your last report, they might ask for verification including bank statements. Did you have any income changes recently?

they might ask for bank statements if they think somethings off with ur income... happened to me once when i got a small inheritance and didn't report it (big mistake). but normally for SAR7 they just want you to report if anythings changed for income or who lives in ur house. annual recert is the BIG one where they want EVERYTHING

Your cousin might be confusing the annual redetermination with the SAR7. I've been on CalWORKs for 3 years and they only ask for bank statements during the annual recert. The SAR7 is basically just a form asking if anything changed with your income, assets, housing costs, or household members. BUT... if you answer YES to any changes, then they might ask for verification of those changes, which could include bank statements. If nothing changed, you should be fine without them.

at my last sar7 they actually DID ask for my bank statement but my worker said it was because someone in my household started a new job so they needed to verify everyone's income. if you didn't have any changes you should be fine

Each county can have slightly different verification procedures for CalWORKs, but generally the SAR7 (Semi-Annual Report) doesn't require bank statements unless you're reporting changes. The annual redetermination (RD/RE) is when they do a complete review of eligibility including assets. However, I should mention that your county worker has the right to request verification at any time if they have a reason to believe there might be unreported income or resources. This is called "mid-period verification" and is allowed under CalWORKs regulations. If you're concerned about getting documents in on time, I recommend calling your county office and asking specifically what they'll need for your upcoming review. This will save you stress and prevent any benefit delays.

If you're having trouble reaching LA County DPSS by phone, I highly recommend trying Claimyr. I was in the same situation last month - kept getting disconnected after waiting forever. Claimyr connected me to a real person at the CalWORKs office in about 15 minutes instead of hours of trying and getting disconnected. They basically call and wait on hold for you, then call you when they have a worker on the line. Saved me so much frustration! You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE or just go to claimyr.com. Definitely worth it when you need to talk to someone before your SAR7 is due.

To directly answer your question: For the regular SAR7 mid-year report, bank statements are NOT typically required if: 1. You haven't reported any changes to income 2. Your household composition hasn't changed 3. You haven't received any new assets (like a vehicle, inheritance, etc.) 4. You don't have substantial changes to your resources The annual redetermination (SAWS 2) is when they do a complete review of all eligibility factors including resources and assets. That's when bank statements are routinely requested. If your worker does unexpectedly ask for bank statements, you can usually provide online printouts - they don't have to be official statements mailed from the bank. Most workers will accept screenshots or printouts from your online banking showing your balance and recent transactions.

my sister got her benefits cut off cuz she missed her sar7 deadline btw... make sure u turn it in on time even if ur still trying to reach someone about the bank statements question

One more thing I should mention - while bank statements aren't usually required for the SAR7, make sure you're still accurately reporting ALL income on the form. The Semi-Annual Report is how they track if you're staying under your Income Reporting Threshold (IRT). If you go over your IRT at any point, you're required to report it within 10 days, not just wait for your SAR7. If your county worker notices deposits in your bank account that don't match what you've reported as income (if they do request statements), that could lead to an overpayment situation or even a fraud investigation in serious cases. Just make sure everything you report is accurate and you should be fine!

Just wanted to add that if you're really worried about it, you can also check your MyBenefits CalWIN account online or through the app. Sometimes it will show what documents they're requesting for your upcoming SAR7 review. I've found that really helpful to see exactly what they want before the appointment. Also, if you do need to submit any documents last minute, you can usually upload them through the MyBenefits portal or drop them off at any DPSS office - you don't have to mail them. Hope your review goes smoothly!

I've been on CalWORKs for about 2 years now and have gone through several SAR7 reviews. In my experience, they only ask for bank statements during the SAR7 if you've reported changes to your income or household situation. Since you mentioned your income and WTW situation are exactly the same, you should be fine without them. The key thing is being honest on the SAR7 form - if nothing has changed, just mark "no" for the change questions and you typically won't need additional documentation. I'd still recommend trying to reach your worker through Claimyr like others mentioned, just to double-check what they need from you specifically. But based on what you've shared, bank statements shouldn't be required for your 6-month review. Also, don't stress too much about your cousin's experience - every case is different and workers sometimes request different things based on individual circumstances. Focus on getting your SAR7 submitted on time and you should be good!

I'm going through my first SAR7 review next month and this whole thread has been incredibly helpful! I was also panicking about bank statements because my printer is broken and I only have mobile banking. It's so reassuring to hear from multiple people who recently went through the process that bank statements typically aren't needed for the 6-month review when nothing has changed. I'm in a similar situation - same WTW placement, same income, same household composition. Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like I should be fine just reporting that nothing has changed and bringing my current paystub to verify my income amount. One thing I'm curious about - for those who've done multiple SAR7s, do they usually schedule these as in-person appointments or can you submit the form by mail/online? My county sent me a notice but it wasn't totally clear about whether I need to come in or if I can just mail the completed form back.