Do I have to report an inheritance to CalWORKs? Worried about getting discontinued

YES you absolutely need to report it! It counts as income in the month you receive it. Any changes to your household income - even one-time payments - must be reported within 10 days if it puts you over your Income Reporting Threshold (IRT). If you don't report it and they find out later (which they often do through bank account records or other means), you could be charged with welfare fraud and have to pay back benefits with penalties.

dont freak out, u will probly just get less cash for one month. my cousin got an insurance settlement last year for like $3000 and they just reduced her cash aid for that month then it went back to normal the next month. its not worth riskin fraud charges trust me!!

Listen, the SYSTEM is designed to keep you poor. They make these rules so complicated on purpose! They don't want you to have ANYTHING. I didn't report a $2500 insurance check last year and nothing happened, but that's just my experience. Do what you want but remember the county has access to bank records and they do random checks!!! The whole thing is a trap - if you don't report they can hit you with fraud, but if you DO report they cut your benefits when you actually need help!!!

Have you tried calling your county worker to ask about this? I was in a similar situation last year (got a $5k life insurance payment when my mom passed) and I could NOT get through on the phone for like a week. I kept getting transferred around and disconnected. So frustrating when you're trying to do the right thing!

my brother got an inheritance while on calworks and didn't report it and they found out somehow and made him pay back like $1200 in benefits plus he got a 6 month penalty where he couldn't get benefits but his kids still could. not worth the stress honestly

Here's what you need to know about inheritance and CalWORKs: 1. You must report it within 10 days of receiving it 2. It counts as income in the month you receive it 3. Any amount remaining after that month counts as a resource 4. The resource limit for CalWORKs is $10,000 (as of 2025) 5. If your total resources (savings, property, etc.) stay under $10,000 after the month you receive it, your eligibility continues Using the money for necessary expenses like car repairs is actually smart financial planning. Just make sure to keep receipts of how you spent the money in case you need to verify your resource level later.

btw when u report it make sure u do it in writing not just over the phone. my friend had a problem where she reported something on the phone but the worker never documented it and she ended up with an overpaymnt. get proof that u reported it!

I went through something similar when my grandmother passed and left me about $3,500. I was terrified about losing benefits but here's what actually happened: I reported it right away to my caseworker, my CalWORKs payment was $0 for that one month because it put me over the income limit, but the next month everything went back to normal. The key is that inheritance counts as income for the month you receive it, but then any leftover amount just counts toward your resource limit ($10,000). I used most of the money for emergency expenses anyway (dental work and car registration), so it didn't really affect my ongoing eligibility. It's definitely scary but being honest upfront saved me from way worse problems down the road. You've got this!

I'm going through something similar right now - waiting to hear about a small inheritance from my aunt. Reading through everyone's responses has been really helpful, especially hearing from people who actually went through this process. It sounds like the consensus is definitely to report it right away, even though it might mean one month of reduced benefits. I'd rather deal with that temporary setback than risk fraud charges or having to pay back benefits later. @Bethany, I hope everything works out smoothly for you when you report it! It's good that you're thinking ahead about using the money for necessary expenses like car repairs.

I work for a nonprofit that helps families navigate CalWORKs and I see this situation come up a lot. Everyone here has given you solid advice about reporting the inheritance. One thing I'd add is that when you report it, ask your worker about the "good cause" provisions for missing work due to car problems. If your car repairs help you maintain employment or job searching activities, that's actually supporting the program's goals. Also, some counties have emergency assistance programs that might help bridge any gap if you do lose benefits for that one month. The most important thing is that you're being proactive about reporting it - that shows good faith and caseworkers appreciate clients who communicate openly about changes.

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago when I inherited $3,200 from my grandfather's estate. I was terrified about losing benefits but I reported it right away. Here's what happened: my CalWORKs payment was reduced to $0 for that month because it put me over the income limit, but the following month my benefits resumed at the normal amount. The key thing is that inheritance is treated as income for the month you receive it, then any remaining amount just counts toward your $10,000 resource limit. I used most of the money for car repairs too (new brakes and transmission work), which was actually perfect timing since I needed reliable transportation for my job. Make sure to report it in writing, not just by phone, and keep all your receipts. The temporary one-month reduction is SO much better than the stress and penalties of them finding out later. You're doing the right thing by asking about this beforehand!

I'm really glad you asked about this here instead of just hoping for the best! Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear that reporting inheritance is definitely required, but the good news is that it's typically just a temporary one-month reduction in benefits rather than losing eligibility completely. What really stands out to me is how many people have been through this exact situation and came out okay on the other side. The $4,000 for car repairs sounds like a smart use of the money since reliable transportation is so important for work. I'd recommend calling your caseworker as soon as you know when you'll receive the inheritance, and like others mentioned, follow up with written documentation. It might feel scary to report it, but from what everyone shared, being honest upfront saves you from much bigger headaches later. The system may be frustrating, but at least there's a clear process to follow!

I'm new to this community and just wanted to say thank you to everyone who shared their experiences with inheritance reporting! I'm not currently dealing with this situation myself, but reading through all these real-world examples has been incredibly educational. It's really clear that the consensus is to report inheritance right away - even though it might mean one month of reduced benefits, that's so much better than risking fraud charges or having to pay back benefits with penalties later. What really stands out to me is how many people have successfully navigated this exact situation and had their benefits resume normally the following month. @Bethany, it sounds like you've gotten some excellent advice here from people who've actually been through this process. The fact that you're asking about it beforehand shows you're being responsible, and using the money for necessary car repairs sounds like a smart financial decision. This community seems like such a valuable resource for getting real advice from people who understand the CalWORKs system firsthand!

I just want to echo what everyone else has said - definitely report the inheritance! I went through a similar situation last year when I received about $3,800 from my dad's estate. I was so scared about losing benefits that I almost didn't report it, but I'm so glad I did. Yes, my CalWORKs payment was $0 for that month because it put me over the income limit, but the next month everything went back to normal. The most important thing is to report it in writing (not just a phone call) and keep copies of everything. I also kept detailed receipts for how I spent the money - car repairs, past-due bills, etc. - just in case they ever asked. The temporary loss of one month's benefits was way better than the stress of worrying about them finding out later. You're being smart by asking about this ahead of time instead of just hoping for the best. This community has been such a lifesaver for getting real advice from people who actually understand what we're going through!