Does a teenager's part-time job count against our CalWORKs and CalFresh benefits?
My 16-year-old daughter just got her first part-time job at a grocery store (so proud of her!). She's making about $400 a month working weekends and some evenings after school. I'm confused about whether I need to report this on our SAR7, and if her income will impact our CalWORKs cash aid and CalFresh benefits. Our caseworker is NEVER available when I call. Does anyone know if a minor's income counts against the household income for benefits? And if it does count, does ALL of it count or is there some kind of exemption for kids in school? I'm worried about our benefits getting reduced right when I'm finally getting back on my feet.
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Grace Lee
Good question! For CalWORKs: A minor child's earned income IS exempt if they're a student (full-time status). For CalFresh, it's more complicated: if the minor is under 18 AND in school at least half-time, their income is COMPLETELY exempt. So for your daughter, her $400 monthly income should NOT count against either program as long as she maintains her student status. Make sure to still report it on your SAR7 though! You need to document it even if it's exempt.
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William Rivera
•Thank you so much! That's a relief. I was getting so stressed thinking we might lose benefits just because she's being responsible and working. I'll definitely still report it on the SAR7. Do I need to provide her pay stubs too or just write down the amount?
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Mia Roberts
my daughter worked last summer n i didnt report it cuz i didnt think it mattered shes in highschool... nobody said anything but now im worried i shoulda told them???
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Grace Lee
•You should always report ALL income for everyone in the household on your SAR7, even if it's exempt. Not reporting can be considered an overpayment situation if they find out later. I'd recommend reporting it on your next SAR7 and just explain it was summer employment that ended. Better to be upfront now than deal with potential overpayment issues later.
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The Boss
WRONG INFO ABOVE!! My teen daughter worked and they ABSOLUTELY counted her income against our CalWORKs! Cut our benefits by almost $200!! They said only SOME teenage income is exempt and it depends on if they're in school full time AND the money is for school expenses. The workers all tell you different things, it's RIDICULOUS!!!
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Evan Kalinowski
•I think what happened in your situation might be that they incorrectly applied the rules. According to MPP Section 44-111.22, earned income of a child who is a full-time student is exempt for CalWORKs purposes, regardless of what they spend it on. It sounds like your worker might have confused this with a different rule. You should request a state hearing if you think they calculated your benefits incorrectly. You have 90 days from the notice date to appeal.
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Victoria Charity
Congrats to your daughter on her new job! My son started working last year and I had the same worries. For us, his income didn't affect our benefits because he's in school full-time. The worker explained that student income is exempt for both programs. But definitely report it on your SAR7 - I made the mistake of not reporting at first and got a scary letter about potential fraud investigation. Just be transparent and you'll be fine!
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William Rivera
•Thank you! Glad to hear your benefits weren't affected. I definitely will report it right away. Did you have to provide any proof that your son was a student? Like school enrollment verification or anything?
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Jasmine Quinn
I've spent HOURS trying to reach someone at the county office to ask similar questions about my nephew's income who lives with me. Finally tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to a real person in 10 minutes. They confirmed student income is exempt but said I still needed to report it. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE - honestly worth it to avoid the frustration of calling over and over.
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Oscar Murphy
•does that service cost money??? i tried calling my worker 9 times yesterday and kept getting disconnected
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Jasmine Quinn
•Yes, there is a fee but I figured it was worth it compared to missing work hours trying to get through. Once I was connected, I asked all my questions at once to make the most of it. Got everything sorted in one call instead of spending days trying to reach someone.
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Mia Roberts
i think it depends on how old ur kid is i heard if there 18 or older it counts but under 18 doesnt??? but my cousin said they counted her 17 yr old sons income so idk the system makes no sense 🙄
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Grace Lee
•The key factor isn't just age - it's whether they're a student. For CalWORKs, if they're under 18 OR a full-time student (any age) AND part of the assistance unit, their earned income is exempt. For CalFresh, if they're under 18 AND at least half-time students, their income is exempt. Your cousin's situation might be different if her son wasn't considered a student or wasn't part of her assistance unit. The rules can be confusing!
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Oscar Murphy
u should ask for the policy in writing!!! they always try to count EVERYTHING against us but there are RULES they have to follow. i always ask them to show me where it says that in the regulations. i bet ur daughters job is exempt cause shes in school, my sons was.
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Evan Kalinowski
For CalWORKs: According to MPP Section 44-111.22, earned income of a child who is a full-time student is exempt regardless of age. For CalFresh: Per 7 CFR 273.9(c)(7), the earned income of a household member under 18 is exempt if they're attending school at least half-time. Since your daughter is 16 and in school, her income should be exempt from both programs. Make sure to still report it on your SAR7 and check the box indicating she's a student. If they incorrectly count her income, request a state hearing within 90 days of receiving the Notice of Action.
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William Rivera
•Thank you for the specific regulations! That's super helpful to have if I need to dispute anything. I've been worried about this for weeks. I'll definitely make sure to mark that she's a student on the SAR7. Our recertification is coming up next month too - should I mention this during the interview?
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Evan Kalinowski
•Yes, absolutely mention it during your recertification interview. Bring proof of her school enrollment and her work income (pay stubs). Even though her income should be exempt, having all documentation ready will prevent delays. During the interview, specifically ask them to confirm that her income is being exempted because she's a student. Get the worker's name too, in case you need to reference the conversation later.
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Mason Lopez
This is such great information everyone is sharing! I'm in a similar situation with my 17-year-old who just started working at a local restaurant. Based on what I'm reading here, it sounds like as long as our kids are in school, their income shouldn't count against our benefits. But I'm definitely going to follow the advice about reporting it anyway and being upfront about everything. The last thing any of us need is to deal with overpayment issues later. @William Rivera - you're doing the right thing by asking these questions and being proactive about reporting. Your daughter should be proud of her job, and you shouldn't have to worry about it hurting your family's benefits!
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