Do CalWORKs investigators check bank accounts not listed on CalFresh application?

Yes, for CalWORKs they do check bank accounts more thoroughly than for CalFresh. When you apply for Cash Aid, you need to report ALL assets including bank accounts, regardless of the amount. They can verify this information through an Asset Verification System that checks financial institutions. It's always better to be completely honest on your application - not reporting assets can be considered fraud and might result in an overpayment that you'd have to pay back or even a period of disqualification. The resource limit for CalWORKs is $10,000 for most households, so having $780 in your account won't disqualify you. Just make sure to report it on your SAWS 2 application.

they dont always check tbh, my friend got cash aid for 2 years and never listed her credit union account and they never found it. but if they catch u later it can be bad, better to just tell them

I was wondering same thing!! Just applied for cash aid last month after being on calfresh only. I did tell them about my account this time even tho I didn't for calfresh. Worker said different programs have different requirements so I wont get in trouble for past applications as long as I'm honest now. Hope that helps!

CalWORKs and CalFresh have different resource/asset verification requirements. For CalWORKs, you must report all assets including bank accounts, vehicles, property, etc. The county uses an Asset Verification System that electronically checks for accounts at financial institutions. The current resource limit for CalWORKs is $10,000 ($15,000 if household includes a disabled or elderly person), so your $780 is well below the limit. Just be completely truthful on your new application. Regarding your previous CalFresh application - technically bank accounts should be reported for CalFresh too, but CalFresh has more generous resource rules and many counties don't emphasize asset verification for CalFresh as much as they do for Cash Aid. I wouldn't worry about the past application as long as you're honest going forward.

Been on and off CalWORKs for years and YES they absolutely check bank accounts!!! They can see EVERYTHING. I had an account I didn't tell them about with only $340 in it and they found it during my redetermination and almost discontinued my benefits! Had to provide statements for the past 3 months and explain every deposit. Don't risk it.

I've been trying to call the CalWORKs office for days to ask a similar question about reporting requirements and keep getting disconnected. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a real person in 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE. The worker I spoke with confirmed they do verify bank accounts for Cash Aid applications, and they can see accounts even if you don't report them through their verification system.

dont stress about it too much, jsut be honest on ur new application. i didnt report my account either on calfresh but did when i applied for calworks and nobody even mentioned it. as long as ur under the $10k limit ur good

Thanks everyone for the advice! I'm going to be completely transparent on my CalWORKs application and list my bank account. Sounds like as long as I'm honest going forward it should be fine since I'm under the resource limits anyway. I appreciate all the help!

I went through this exact same situation last year! I had CalFresh for about 8 months without reporting a small savings account (had maybe $200 in it), then when I lost my job and needed to apply for CalWORKs, I was so worried about getting in trouble. My advice: just be completely honest on your CalWORKs application. List ALL your accounts and assets. When I met with my eligibility worker, I actually mentioned that I hadn't reported the account on my CalFresh application because I didn't think it was required. She said different programs have different verification processes and as long as I was being truthful now, it wouldn't be an issue. Your $780 is way under the $10,000 resource limit for CalWORKs, so it won't affect your eligibility at all. The stress of worrying about it is way worse than just being upfront about it. They really do verify bank accounts for cash aid, so it's better they hear it from you first rather than finding it during their checks.

I'm in almost the exact same boat! Been on CalFresh for about 6 months and didn't report my checking account because it barely had anything in it when I applied. Now I'm considering CalWORKs too after my hours got cut at work. Reading all these responses is really helpful - sounds like the consensus is to just be completely honest on the new application and not worry about the past CalFresh one since the programs have different requirements. It's such a relief to know that $780 won't disqualify you since it's way under the $10K limit. I was stressing about my account too (has about $450 from some side gig work). Thanks for asking this question - you probably helped a lot of people in similar situations!

I recently applied for calfresh and was asked if I had a bank account (which completely caught me off guard) and I said yes but I really wish I had said no because I don't like my information being out there would it have been better if I said no? would have had been made a difference?

I work for a nonprofit that helps people navigate benefit applications, and I want to emphasize what others have said - being honest on your CalWORKs application is absolutely the right approach. The Asset Verification System (AVS) that counties use can identify bank accounts at most major financial institutions, so it's much better for them to hear about your account from you directly. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that when you apply for CalWORKs, you'll likely need to provide bank statements for the past 30-60 days anyway, so they'll see your account activity regardless. Having $780 from your tax refund is completely normal and acceptable - tax refunds don't count against you as long as you report them. Also, don't worry about your previous CalFresh application. Different programs have different asset verification processes, and county workers understand this. The important thing is being truthful moving forward. Make sure to keep good records of your bank statements and any documentation they might ask for during the application process.

I'm a newcomer here but dealing with a similar situation! I've been on CalFresh for about a year and recently lost my job, so I'm considering applying for CalWORKs too. Like many others here, I didn't report a small savings account on my original CalFresh application because it only had about $150 at the time and I honestly didn't think it mattered. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. It sounds like the key takeaway is to be completely honest on the CalWORKs application and not stress too much about the past CalFresh application since the programs have different requirements and verification processes. My account now has about $900 from some freelance work I did before losing my main job, so I'm well under that $10,000 limit everyone's mentioning. It's such a relief to know that being transparent going forward is what matters most, and that county workers understand people might not have reported everything perfectly on previous applications for different programs. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is so helpful for navigating these confusing benefit systems!

As someone who just went through this process, I can definitely relate to your concerns! I was in almost the exact same situation - had CalFresh for over a year without reporting a small checking account that barely had anything in it when I first applied. When I lost my job and needed CalWORKs, I was terrified they'd deny me or accuse me of fraud. I ended up being completely honest on my CalWORKs application about ALL my accounts, including the one I hadn't previously reported. During my interview, the eligibility worker actually appreciated that I was being transparent and explained that different benefit programs have different asset verification requirements. She said CalWORKs does much more thorough banking checks than CalFresh typically does. Your $780 is nowhere near the $10,000 resource limit, so that won't be an issue at all. The worker told me that tax refunds are totally normal and expected - they just want to make sure you're reporting your current financial situation accurately. I'd definitely recommend just being upfront about everything on your application. The stress of hiding it isn't worth it, especially since they have systems to verify this information anyway. Better to have them hear it from you first than discover it during their verification process. You'll likely need to provide bank statements anyway as part of the application, so they'll see your account activity regardless. Don't let the worry about your past CalFresh application hold you back from getting the help you need now. Focus on being honest going forward - that's what really matters!

I'm new to this community but facing a very similar situation! I've been receiving CalFresh for about 10 months and didn't report a small savings account when I applied because it only had around $300 at the time. Now I'm unemployed and considering CalWORKs, but I was really worried about potential consequences for not reporting that account initially. Reading through everyone's responses here has been incredibly helpful and put my mind at ease. It's clear that the consensus is to be completely honest on the CalWORKs application going forward, regardless of what was or wasn't reported on previous CalFresh applications. The fact that different programs have different asset verification processes makes total sense. My account currently has about $650 (mostly from unemployment payments), so I'm well below the $10,000 resource limit. Based on all the advice shared here, I'm going to be completely transparent about all my assets when I apply for CalWORKs. It sounds like honesty is definitely the best approach, especially since they verify bank accounts through their system anyway. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread has been a lifesaver for those of us navigating these confusing benefit requirements!

I'm new here but going through almost the exact same situation! I've been on CalFresh for about 8 months and didn't report my checking account when I applied because it only had like $120 in it at the time. Now I'm unemployed and thinking about applying for CalWORKs, but I was really stressed about whether they'd find out about the unreported account and deny me or worse. Reading through all these responses has been such a huge relief! It's clear that being completely honest on the CalWORKs application is the way to go, regardless of what happened with previous CalFresh applications. The distinction between different programs having different asset verification requirements makes so much sense. My account currently has about $950 from my final paycheck and some side work, so I'm definitely under that $10,000 limit everyone's mentioning. Based on all the advice here, I'm going to be totally transparent about all my accounts when I apply. It sounds like the county workers actually appreciate honesty and understand that people might not have reported everything perfectly on past applications for different benefit programs. Thanks to the original poster for asking this question and to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread has been incredibly helpful for those of us navigating these confusing benefit systems! It's comforting to know so many people have been in similar situations and worked through it successfully by just being upfront about everything.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my recent experience since it might help others in similar situations! I was on CalFresh for about 6 months without reporting a small savings account (had maybe $200 when I applied), and when I lost my job last month and needed to apply for CalWORKs, I was really anxious about potential issues. I decided to be completely transparent on my CalWORKs application and reported ALL my accounts, including the one I hadn't mentioned for CalFresh. During my eligibility interview, I even brought up my concern about the unreported account. My worker was actually really understanding and explained that CalFresh and CalWORKs have different asset verification processes, so not reporting it previously wasn't going to be an issue as long as I was being honest now. She confirmed that CalWORKs does much more thorough bank account verification than CalFresh typically does, using their Asset Verification System. My account had about $800 at the time (well under the $10,000 limit), and she said that was totally fine - especially since some of it was from my tax refund. The whole process went smoothly, and I was approved! The key really is just being upfront about everything on your new application. Don't let worry about past applications prevent you from getting the help you need now. The county workers understand that different programs have different requirements, and they appreciate honesty over anything else.

I'm new to this community and wanted to thank everyone for sharing their experiences! I'm in a very similar situation - been on CalFresh for about 7 months and didn't report my checking account when I applied because it only had around $180 at the time. Now I'm facing possible job loss and considering CalWORKs, but I was really worried about the unreported account. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. The consensus seems clear - be completely honest on the CalWORKs application going forward, regardless of what was reported on previous CalFresh applications. It makes total sense that different programs have different asset verification requirements. My account currently has about $720 from some freelance work, so I'm well under the $10,000 resource limit. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm going to be totally transparent about all my accounts when I apply for CalWORKs. It's such a relief to know that honesty is appreciated by the county workers and that so many people have successfully navigated similar situations. This thread has been a lifesaver for understanding these confusing benefit requirements - thank you to the original poster for asking this important question and to everyone who shared their experiences!