Do I have to include my boyfriend on my CalWORKs renewal if he was mistakenly added before?

You're right that you probably didn't need to include him! CalWORKs has different household rules than CalFresh. For CalWORKs, you only need to include people who are related by blood or marriage, or the parents of a child on your case. If your boyfriend isn't the father of your children and you're not married, he's NOT required to be on your CalWORKs case unless he's giving you money regularly. During renewal, explain that there was a misunderstanding and request to have your household composition corrected. They may ask for verification that he doesn't financially support you.

u can take him off!! happened to me too, my bf was working and they counted his income against me but he wasnt helping with anything... made my cash aid super low. talk to ur worker durin renewal and tel them u want ur case fixed. have the convo in writing too so they cant say u didnt tell them

This is a common misunderstanding. Your eligibility worker likely confused the rules for CalFresh (where household composition includes everyone who purchases and prepares food together) with CalWORKs rules (which is based on blood, marriage, or parent-child relationships). When you complete your renewal, use the SAR7 or SAWS2 form to indicate the correct household composition. In Section 2 where it asks about household changes, clearly state that your boyfriend should not have been included as he is not related to you by blood or marriage and is not the father of your children. Bring documentation showing that he doesn't financially support you or your children - separate bills, rent receipts, etc. can help. If questioned during your interview, politely explain that you were following instructions but have since learned the correct policy.

Did your boyfriend ever sign the SAWS2 form? If he did, the county might give you trouble when you try to remove him. They did with me and kept saying we were in a "family unit" even though we weren't married and didn't have kids together. Took me THREE RENEWALS to finally get him off my case.

If you're having trouble getting through to someone at the county to fix this during your renewal, try using Claimyr.com - it helped me get through to an actual person at CalWORKs when I needed to fix a household composition issue similar to yours. They have a service that gets you through the phone queue and connects you directly with a worker. Saved me hours of waiting and hanging up/calling back. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE

be careful if u take him off they might think hes still giving u $ and just not reporting it. my cousin got investigated when she did this and they came to her house to check if the bf still lived there. make sure u have proof he doesnt help with bills!!!!

its dumb how they make the rules so confusing. my worker told me different things every time i asked about my bf being on my case. first he had to be on it, then he didnt, then he did. like make up ur mind!!!

For your renewal, explicitly state this correction on your SAWS2 form. In Section 9 where it asks about unrelated adults, check "No" where it asks if the person buys/prepares food separately. Also write a brief note explaining the situation. For the question about overpayments - they technically could create an overpayment if his income was counted and shouldn't have been. However, if the error was their fault (the worker telling you incorrect information), you might be able to request a waiver of the overpayment based on administrative error. Make sure to explain that you were following the guidance you received from your worker at the time.

The whole system is designed to CONFUSE US!!! They WANT us to make mistakes so they can cut our benefits. I had a worker straight up lie to me about who needed to be on my case. When I found out the truth and fixed it, they tried to say I committed fraud!! DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!!!

Update us after your renewal! I'm curious if this works out for you. Also, for anyone else reading this with the same issue - you can request copies of your case notes through a form called a "PA 29" to see what your worker has documented about household composition discussions.

This situation highlights how important it is to understand the difference between CalWORKs and CalFresh household rules - they're completely different programs with different requirements! For CalWORKs specifically, you only include people who are: 1) Related by blood/marriage, 2) Parents of children on your case, or 3) People who are legally responsible for the children. Since your boyfriend doesn't fit any of these categories, he should NOT have been included on your CalWORKs case. During your renewal, clearly explain this was an error and request the correction. Your benefits should increase once his income is no longer counted against your household. Keep records of all conversations and don't let them intimidate you - you're fixing their mistake, not committing fraud!

I went through this exact same situation last year! My worker also told me I had to include my boyfriend even though we don't have kids together and he doesn't help with my expenses. When I finally got it corrected, my cash aid went up by almost $200 a month because they were counting his income against me. Here's what worked for me: I brought a written statement explaining that I was following my worker's original instructions but learned the correct policy. I also brought proof that we keep separate finances - bank statements showing separate accounts, copies of bills in only my name, and a letter from my boyfriend stating he doesn't contribute to household expenses. The key is being polite but firm - you're not trying to deceive anyone, you're fixing an administrative error. Don't let them make you feel guilty about this correction - it's their job to know the rules correctly. Your kids deserve the full benefit amount you're entitled to!

I'm dealing with something similar right now! My caseworker also mixed up the rules when I first applied and included my partner who shouldn't have been on my case. What really helped me was calling the county's CalWORKs supervisor directly instead of just talking to my regular worker. Sometimes the frontline workers don't fully understand the household composition rules, but supervisors usually do. When you do your renewal, make sure to get everything in writing - either email your worker beforehand or bring a written statement to your interview explaining that this needs to be corrected. Also ask them to note in your case file that you're requesting this change based on correct CalWORKs policy, not trying to hide anything. One tip: if your current worker gives you pushback, politely ask to speak with their supervisor or request a fair hearing. You have the right to have your case reviewed by someone who knows the policies correctly. Don't let them make you feel bad for fixing their mistake!

I went through this EXACT same thing! My worker told me the same incorrect information about including my boyfriend on my CalWORKs case just because we live together. It took me 6 months to get it fixed, but when I finally did, my benefits increased by $180/month because they were wrongly counting his income against me. Here's my advice: Don't wait - start the correction process during your renewal. Bring a simple written statement explaining that you were following your worker's original guidance but have since learned the correct CalWORKs household composition rules. Also bring proof of separate finances (bank statements, bills in your name only, etc.). The most important thing is to be confident - you're not doing anything wrong by correcting their mistake. CalWORKs household rules are based on legal relationships and financial responsibility, not just who lives where. Since your boyfriend isn't the father of your children and doesn't financially support them, he shouldn't be on your case. Period. If your worker pushes back, ask for their supervisor or request the policy reference in writing. Don't let them intimidate you into accepting incorrect information again. Your kids deserve the full benefit amount you're entitled to!

I'm a CalWORKs advocate and want to emphasize that you're absolutely correct - your boyfriend should NOT have been included on your case! The worker gave you incorrect information, which unfortunately happens more often than it should. CalWORKs household composition is very specific: only include people who are related by blood/marriage, legal guardians, or parents of children on the case. Living together doesn't automatically make someone part of your CalWORKs household unit. During your renewal, be direct but professional. State clearly: "I was incorrectly advised to include my boyfriend on my case. Per CalWORKs policy, he should not be included as he is not related to me or my children and does not have legal financial responsibility for them." Request that your case be corrected immediately. Regarding overpayments - if they try to claim one, you can dispute it as an administrative error since you were following their guidance. Document everything and don't let them make you feel like you did something wrong. You were given bad advice and now you're fixing it. Your children deserve the correct benefit amount!

I'm going through my CalWORKs renewal right now and had a similar household composition issue! What really helped me was preparing a one-page summary before my appointment that clearly stated: 1) What the original worker told me, 2) What the correct CalWORKs policy actually is, and 3) What I'm requesting to be changed. I also recommend calling ahead of your renewal appointment to ask your worker to review your case file and note that you'll be requesting a household composition correction based on CalWORKs policy. This gives them time to research it instead of making a quick decision during your interview. Don't stress too much about the overpayment concern - from what I understand, if the error was due to worker misinformation (which it sounds like it was), you have a strong case for waiving any potential overpayment. The important thing is getting your benefits corrected going forward so your kids get the full amount they're entitled to. You've got this!

This thread is so helpful - I wish I had found it months ago! I'm dealing with the exact same situation and it's reassuring to see so many people have successfully gotten this corrected. One thing I wanted to add that helped me prepare: I called the CalWORKs Policy Unit directly (not my local office) and asked them to explain the household composition rules. They confirmed that boyfriends/girlfriends should NOT be included unless they're married to you or are the parent of a child on your case. The policy specialist even gave me the specific regulation numbers (Manual of Policies and Procedures sections 82-820 and 82-821) that I can reference if my worker pushes back. Having that direct policy confirmation from the state level gave me the confidence to advocate for myself. Sometimes local workers get confused about the rules, but the state policy unit knows them cold. If anyone else is struggling with this issue, that phone call really helped clarify everything for me! @Omar Zaki - you're absolutely doing the right thing by getting this fixed. Don't let them make you feel guilty about correcting their mistake!

I'm so glad you found this community and are getting this sorted out! Reading through everyone's experiences really shows how common this mistake is - workers mixing up CalWORKs and CalFresh household rules happens way too often and it costs families money they desperately need. Just to add one more resource that might help: if you run into any roadblocks during your renewal, you can also contact your county's CalWORKs Program Specialist or ask for a "supervisor review" in writing. Sometimes having that formal review request documented gets things moving faster than just talking to your regular caseworker. Also, don't forget that you have the right to keep receiving your current benefits while any household composition changes are being processed, so you won't lose aid while they're figuring this out. That's called "aid continuing" and it protects you during the review process. You're doing exactly the right thing by advocating for your family - your kids deserve every dollar they're entitled to under the correct CalWORKs policies. Keep us updated on how your renewal goes!

This is such an important thread - I see this household composition mistake ALL the time! What's really frustrating is how it affects people for months or even years before they realize they're not getting the benefits they're entitled to. For anyone else reading this who might be in a similar situation: if you're unsure about whether someone should be on your CalWORKs case, here's the simple test: Are they 1) related to you by blood or marriage, 2) the parent of a child on your case, or 3) legally responsible for your children? If the answer is no to all three, they shouldn't be included - regardless of living arrangements. @Omar Zaki - you've gotten excellent advice here. I'd especially emphasize documenting everything in writing and being prepared with those regulation numbers that @Luca Conti mentioned. Don't let anyone make you feel like you're doing something wrong by correcting their mistake. Your children's wellbeing depends on getting the full benefit amount you're legally entitled to under CalWORKs policy. Stand firm and advocate for your family - you've got this! Really hoping your renewal goes smoothly and you see that benefit increase reflected in your next payment!