Does GI Bill BAH count as income for CalWORKs and CalFresh? Student veterans confused

This is actually a complicated topic with different rules for CalFresh vs CalWORKs. For CalFresh, your GI Bill BAH is NOT counted as income - it's completely exempt. This is federal policy for SNAP benefits (which is what CalFresh is). But for CalWORKs, it gets trickier. Generally, the BAH portion IS counted as unearned income for CalWORKs purposes. However, there are some educational expense deductions you might qualify for that could offset some of it. Make sure you clearly explain to both workers that you're receiving BAH from the GI Bill specifically, not regular income. Ask for a supervisor if they seem confused about the policy.

we were in the EXACT same boat last year!!!! my husband is the veteran and gets gi bill. calfresh didnt count it but calworks did count the bah part. we still qualified for some cash aid but not as much. bring your award letter that shows the breakdown of tuition vs housing money. thats what they wanted from us

I work with student veterans dealing with benefits, and this confusion happens ALL THE TIME. Here's the breakdown: • CalFresh (SNAP): GI Bill BAH is 100% EXEMPT from income calculations • CalWORKs: BAH *IS* counted as unearned income, BUT education expenses can be deducted Here's what you need to do: 1. For your CalWORKs application, gather ALL documentation of educational expenses including books, supplies, transportation to/from school, childcare during classes, etc. 2. Request a breakdown letter from VA showing exactly what portion is BAH vs. tuition 3. Ask your school's Veterans Resource Center for help - they often have staff who understand these benefit interactions Many eligibility workers don't understand veteran benefits well. Don't be afraid to ask for a supervisor if needed.

The county people always get this wrong!!! I had to fight for months about my sons gi bill. They kept denying us calfresh even tho it's NOT supposed to count. I had to file for a hearing before they finally fixed it. So frustrating!!!!

If you're struggling to get through to your CalWORKs worker to clarify this, I'd recommend trying Claimyr. I was in a similar situation with confusion about my student income and couldn't get anyone on the phone for weeks. Used claimyr.com and they got me through to a real person at the county within 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE Once I actually spoke with a knowledgeable worker (had to ask for a supervisor), they were able to correctly apply the rules about my education income. Saved me so much stress and prevented a denial based on incorrect information.

Yes, they just connect you to the county office, but the big difference is you don't wait on hold for hours. Once I got through, I specifically asked for someone who handles veteran cases or a supervisor who could clarify the GI Bill policy. It took asking a couple times, but I eventually got someone who knew exactly how to code it in their system.

theyre all wrong!!! i get gi bill to and they told me it ALL counts for calworks and calfresh! i got denied everything and now im behind on rent. someone said theres a law about this but idk what it is. does anyone have the actual regulation number or something i can tell them???? im so confused

I remember when I was on CalFresh they told me only certain types of educational income don't count but others do? So confusing!

One important thing to know - make sure you're reporting your student status on your application/SAR7 forms correctly. For CalFresh, being a student can actually make it HARDER to qualify unless you meet certain exemptions, even though the GI Bill itself isn't counted. Being a veteran actually helps here, as it's one of the student exemptions. For CalWORKs, your student status can count toward your Welfare-to-Work participation requirements, which is helpful. Make sure to provide your class schedule as verification.

Great question! If you and your husband file together as one household (which you should), then as long as ONE of you meets a student exemption (like being a veteran), you can both receive CalFresh. The student restrictions only apply if NOBODY in the household meets an exemption. So your veteran status should cover both of you for the student eligibility issue.

also make sure u tell them if u have kids!!! we get the diaper stipend for our baby thru calworks and that helps a ton

This thread has been so helpful! I'm a student veteran too and went through this exact same confusion last year. One thing that really helped me was getting a letter from my school's financial aid office that specifically stated which portions of my GI Bill benefits were for tuition/fees versus housing. Also, if you're getting pushback from workers, ask them to document in your case file exactly what they're counting and why. Sometimes just asking them to write it down makes them double-check the policy. And definitely keep copies of everything - your VA award letter, school enrollment verification, and any educational expenses. I had to resubmit documentation multiple times because different workers kept asking for the same things. The student veteran community at my school was a lifesaver for navigating all this. If your school has one, they might have other students who've been through the same process with the same county office.