Do I need to include rent receipts with my SAR7 for CalWORKs or just income verification?

For your SAR7, you definitely need to include proof of ALL income (pay stubs, statement from employer, etc). For the babysitting money, yes you should report it - write it as self-employment income. You can create a simple statement showing what you earned each week. Rent receipts are only required if you've had a change in housing costs since your last report. If your rent hasn't changed, you don't need to send those in. But if it has changed, then yes, include those handwritten receipts (they do count as verification). Make sure you answer every question on the SAR7 and sign it! That's the most common reason they get rejected.

you only need to send proof of what changed. if u got a new job send paystubs. if u moved send new lease. if nothing changed u dont need to send anything just fill out the form. they made me send in evrything once and then told me i didnt need too lol wasted my time

The SAR7 is specifically asking about what happened in the Report Month (the month listed on your form). For income, you need to provide verification for ALL income received in that month - doesn't matter if it's changed or stayed the same from before. For the babysitting income, since it's cash, you'll need to create a self-declaration. Write down each date you received money, how much, and from whom if possible. Sign and date it. This is considered acceptable verification for cash income. For housing costs, you only need to provide verification if there was a change since your last report. Since your rent increased, yes, include that handwritten receipt - it's valid proof. One important tip: Make a copy of EVERYTHING you submit before you send it in. The county offices sometimes lose documents, and having your own record has saved many people from benefit discontinuance.

You report what happened in March 2025 (the report month). The SAR7 is always looking backward at what already happened, not what's happening now. Report all income received in March, any property or resources acquired in March, and any household changes that occurred in March. Any changes that happened in April will be reported on your next SAR7 or through a mid-period report if it's something that needs immediate attention (like someone moving in/out of your home).

I HATE the SAR7!!! I've been on CalWORKs for 3 yrs and they discontinued me TWICE because of that stupid form!!!! Once because I didn't sign the second page (WHO KNEW THERE WERE TWO SIGNATURE LINES???) and once because they claimed they never got it even though I had proof I submitted it online through BenefitsCal. Had to do the whole reapplication process again. The system is DESIGNED to kick people off!!!

If you ever need to get through to your CalWORKs worker quickly (like if your SAR7 gets rejected), I'd recommend using Claimyr. I was in your same position last year - totally confused about my first SAR7, submitted it wrong, and then couldn't get through on the phone for days. My benefits got cut off and I was panicking. I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual human at the CalWORKs office in like 20 minutes when I had been trying for days. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE Their website is claimyr.com - was totally worth it because I got my issue resolved that same day instead of waiting weeks for a callback.

Make sure you answer the property/resource questions too! My friend forgot to check the 'no' boxes in that section and they sent her form back as incomplete. The SAR7 is looking for: - Income (ALL sources, even cash) - Property/Resources changes - Household composition changes - Address changes - Housing cost changes You don't need receipts for unchanged expenses, but since your rent went up, include that receipt. For babysitting, a self-declaration is fine.

my worker told me just send everything always better safe than sorry lol

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! I'm going to include my income verification, make a written statement for my babysitting money, and include my rent receipt since it changed. I'll make copies of everything before submitting. Fingers crossed I don't mess this up!

Just want to add one more tip that helped me when I was starting out - if you're ever unsure about anything on the SAR7, write "See attached explanation" in the margin and include a separate sheet explaining your situation. I did this when I had irregular income from gig work and it really helped my worker understand what was going on. Also, if you submit online through BenefitsCal, you'll get a confirmation number - screenshot that and keep it! It's your proof that you submitted on time if there are any issues later. Good luck with your first SAR7!

As someone who's been helping people with CalWORKs paperwork for years, I just want to emphasize a few key points that might save you headaches down the road: 1. For your babysitting income - create a simple log showing dates, amounts, and who paid you. Even if it's handwritten, sign and date it. The county accepts self-declarations for cash income. 2. Since your rent increased, definitely include that receipt. Handwritten receipts from landlords are totally valid - don't worry about that. 3. Double-check that you're reporting income for the correct month (March 2025 in your case). This trips up a lot of people. 4. Before you submit, go through the form one more time and make sure every single question has an answer - even if it's just checking "no" or "none." Blank spaces are the #1 reason forms get rejected. 5. If you submit online, take that screenshot of your confirmation! If you mail it, use certified mail. The "we never got it" excuse is unfortunately common. You're being really proactive by asking these questions upfront. That puts you ahead of most people doing their first SAR7. You've got this!