Do I need to report a new car purchase to CalWORKs? Asset limits confusing me

Yes, you need to report the car, but don't worry too much. CalWORKs allows one vehicle per household that's exempt from the resource limit if it's used for transportation. Your 2018 Toyota should be fine. You'll want to report both the car and the loan since the loan affects the equity value. Just call your worker and let them know about the purchase - they'll tell you what verification docs they need. Usually they want to see the purchase agreement and loan docs. PS- That dealer was talking nonsense about higher registration fees for people on assistance. DMV fees are the same for everyone regardless of whether you receive benefits.

EVERYONE LISTEN UP! The county workers will absolutely use ANY info against you! I bought a car last year and reported it like I was supposed to and they DISCOUNTED my entire case saying I was over the resource limit! Turns out my worker counted the FULL car value not just my equity!!! Took me 3 MONTHS to get my benefits back after I proved the loan amount. They are TRAINED to find reasons to cut ppl off!!

my sister got a new car and didnt report it and nothing happened but idk maybe different counties have different rules? shes in san bernardino

To directly answer your question - yes, you need to report the car purchase, but not for the reason you might think. CalWORKs has a property reserve limit of $10,000 for most families (it increased recently). Your car is exempt from this limit if it's your primary vehicle, but you still need to report it. The important thing to understand is that they look at the EQUITY value (what the car is worth minus what you owe on it). In your case: - Car value: $13,800 - Loan amount: $11,800 - Your equity: $2,000 So only $2,000 would count toward your resource limit, and that's below the $10,000 limit. You should report this within 10 days since it's considered a change in property. Just call your worker and tell them you purchased a vehicle.

i tried calling my worker about something similar last month and was on hold for 2 HOURS before getting disconnected. tried again next day, same thing. total waste of time.

also they might ask for ur registration papers so have those ready when u call

Just to give you a bit more detail on the vehicle exemption policy: 1. One vehicle per family is exempt regardless of value if used for transportation (employment, education, etc.) 2. For additional vehicles, only the equity value (market value minus amount owed) counts toward your $10,000 resource limit 3. You should report this change within 10 days, even if your SAR7 isn't due soon 4. Documents they'll likely request: purchase agreement, loan documents showing amount financed, vehicle registration The dealer was incorrect about registration fees being higher for benefit recipients. However, if you received a tax refund through the Earned Income Tax Credit and used that for your down payment, you might want to mention that since EITC refunds are exempt resources for 12 months after receipt. Best of luck with your new car!

Congrats on the new car! Just wanted to add that when you call your worker, it's also helpful to have the VIN number ready since they might ask for it to verify the vehicle information. Also, if you're working part-time like you mentioned, make sure your car insurance shows you're using it for work commuting - that helps solidify the "transportation" exemption. Some counties are pickier about proving the vehicle is actually being used for approved purposes. Good luck with the call!

Just wanted to share my recent experience reporting a car purchase to CalWORKs - I bought a used sedan last month and was nervous about reporting it too. My worker was actually really helpful and walked me through exactly what they needed. The whole process took about 10 minutes on the phone once I got through. They asked for the purchase price, loan amount, and said they'd need copies of the loan paperwork and registration within 10 days. Like others mentioned, they only counted my equity ($3,200 car value minus $2,800 loan = $400 equity) toward the resource limit. The key thing I learned is to be upfront and report it quickly - my worker said it's much easier to process when people report changes right away rather than waiting months. Your situation sounds very similar to mine so you should be totally fine!

Hey Aaliyah! Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact situation last year. You absolutely should report the car purchase, but honestly don't stress too much about it. The vehicle exemption policy is pretty straightforward - your primary car doesn't count against the $10,000 resource limit regardless of value, as long as you use it for transportation (which you obviously do). Your equity calculation looks right based on what others have said - $13,800 value minus ~$11,800 loan = around $2,000 equity, which is well under any limits. The 10-day reporting requirement is the main thing to focus on, so definitely call your worker ASAP rather than waiting for your SAR7. One tip that helped me: when I called, I had all my paperwork ready (purchase agreement, loan documents, registration) and the conversation was super quick. My worker actually appreciated that I reported it promptly instead of waiting. The whole thing was way less scary than I thought it would be. You got this!

Just wanted to add something that might help ease your mind - I work as a community advocate and deal with CalWORKs cases regularly. The vehicle exemption is one of the most straightforward policies they have, and workers are generally pretty knowledgeable about it since car purchases are so common. Your situation is textbook - primary vehicle, used for transportation, equity well under the resource limit. The fact that you're being proactive about reporting it will actually work in your favor. Workers much prefer when people call to report changes rather than discovering them later during reviews. One small thing I'd suggest: when you call, you can mention that you bought the car because your previous one was unreliable and costing too much in repairs. This reinforces that it's a necessary transportation expense, not a luxury purchase. But honestly, with the numbers you've shared, you shouldn't have any issues at all. Good luck with the call!

Hey Aaliyah! I'm pretty new to CalWORKs myself but went through something similar recently. I was terrified about reporting changes because I kept hearing horror stories, but honestly it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. From reading all these responses, it sounds like your situation is really straightforward - you have one car that you need for transportation, and your equity is way below any limits. The 10-day reporting rule seems to be the main thing to focus on. I'm still learning all the rules myself, but one thing I've noticed is that the workers I've dealt with have been way more reasonable when I'm upfront and call them proactively rather than waiting for them to find out later. It shows you're trying to follow the rules, which I think matters. Good luck with your call! And congrats on getting a reliable car - having transportation you can count on makes such a huge difference when you're trying to get ahead.

Hey everyone! I'm pretty new to CalWORKs and this whole conversation has been super educational for me. I haven't had to deal with reporting a car purchase yet, but reading through all your experiences is really helpful for when I eventually need to buy a replacement vehicle. One thing that really stands out to me is how much the experiences vary - some people had really smooth interactions with their workers, while others ran into problems or had to deal with long hold times. It seems like being prepared with all your documents and being proactive about reporting changes is really key. @Aaliyah Jackson - your situation sounds really straightforward based on what everyone is saying. The fact that you're asking these questions ahead of time shows you're being responsible about following the rules. Hope your call goes smoothly tomorrow! Also wanted to say thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and knowledge here. As someone still learning how all this works, it's incredibly valuable to hear real stories from people who've actually been through these situations.

Hey Aaliyah! I'm also navigating CalWORKs for the first time and just wanted to say how helpful this whole thread has been. Your question about reporting the car purchase is exactly the kind of thing I would worry about too - it's scary when you're not sure what you're supposed to report and when. From everything everyone has shared, it sounds like you're totally in the clear with your car purchase. The fact that you're being proactive about calling your worker shows you're doing everything right. I love that you got a reliable Toyota - having dependable transportation is so important when you're trying to build stability. One thing I noticed from reading everyone's experiences is that the workers seem to appreciate when people call to report changes right away rather than waiting. It shows you're trying to follow the rules, which has to count for something. Plus your equity amount is so low compared to the $10,000 limit that it shouldn't be an issue at all. Thanks for asking this question and to everyone who shared their experiences - I'm definitely saving this thread for when I need to navigate something similar!