How long for CalWORKs Cash Aid direct deposit to start working? Benefit theft happened twice already

it took like 3 or 4 weeks for mine to start. something about the payment cycle and verification. the county has to verify your bank info firts. but OMG the stolen benefits thing is terribel!! happened to my cousin 2x as well

Direct deposit for CalWORKs usually takes 1-2 payment cycles to begin after your paperwork is processed. Since Cash Aid is issued twice monthly in California, that's typically 2-4 weeks depending on when in the cycle you submitted your request. In the meantime, here are some tips to protect your benefits: - Change your PIN immediately and use unique numbers (not birthdays) - Only use ATMs inside grocery stores or banks (avoid gas stations) - Check your balance frequently through the app - Report any unauthorized transactions immediately Also, if you've had theft twice already, make sure you've submitted the EBT-2259 form for benefit replacement each time. There's a new state policy that makes it easier to get stolen benefits replaced.

I swtiched to direct deposit about 6 months ago and it was the BEST DECISION EVER!!! But yeah it took like almost a month to kick in. The stupid thing is they don't tell you when it starts so you have to keep checking both your EBT card AND your bank account during that time because they don't notify you which payment method they're using!!! And then when it finally did start, they didn't deposit the full amount at once - they split it into two payments which was confusing. But now it works fine.

when i did mine it took like 10 days but my friend waited 6 weeks so idk seems random

I work with CalWORKs recipients, and direct deposit timing varies by county and your specific payment cycle. The key is making sure your direct deposit form was completely filled out with no errors. Here's what affects the timing: 1. When during your payment cycle you submitted the request 2. Whether your bank account verification went through correctly 3. If your county has a backlog of processing requests Typically, if everything is correct, your next scheduled payment after the processing period (7-14 business days) should go to direct deposit. However, I've seen it take up to 6 weeks in some counties. For anyone dealing with EBT theft - California has dramatically improved the replacement process in 2025. Make sure to file a police report and submit the EBT-2259 form. Replacements should process within 10 days now, though I still see delays.

If you're having trouble getting through to your CalWORKs worker about this, I highly recommend trying Claimyr. After my benefits were stolen last year, I couldn't get anyone on the phone for days. With Claimyr, they got me through to a live person in under 30 minutes. It basically holds your place in line so you don't have to keep calling back. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE - their website is claimyr.com. It was seriously worth it to get my direct deposit set up properly and make sure my account was secure.

Same thing happened to me!!! I had my cash stolen 3 times before I finally got direct deposit set up. Its ridiculous how the county doesnt make it easier to get direct deposit right away especially with all the card skimming going on!!!! Just a heads up they told me 2 weeks but it took over a month for mine to actually start working. And even now sometimes they randomly put money on my EBT card instead of my bank account with NO EXPLANATION. The whole system is a joke.

Update: I called my worker this morning and she said it should take 10 business days for processing, and then the next payment after that should go to direct deposit. So basically like 3 weeks total if everything goes smoothly. I'm going to just avoid using my EBT card completely until then. Thanks everyone for the advice!

Good luck with the direct deposit switch! I went through the same thing last year after my benefits got stolen. One thing I learned is to keep checking both your EBT balance AND your bank account during the transition period because sometimes they don't switch over exactly when they say they will. Also, even after you get direct deposit working, keep your EBT card somewhere safe - don't throw it away. Sometimes the county will randomly revert back to the card for certain payments (like emergency aid) and you'll need it. The whole system is confusing but direct deposit is definitely safer once it's working properly.