How to cancel CalWORKs Cash Aid - phone call enough or must visit the county office?

You can just call and tell them. That's what I did when I got my job last year. Just make sure you say specifically that you want to "discontinue" your CalWORKs, not just report income. They might try to keep u on if you only report income but still qualify for partial aid.

You have several options to cancel your CalWORKs benefits: 1. Call your eligibility worker (fastest way but sometimes hard to reach them) 2. Submit a written request through BenefitsCal.com 3. Mail or fax a signed statement requesting discontinuance 4. Visit the office in person (not required but an option) The most important thing is to specifically state you want to "voluntarily discontinue" your Cash Aid. Just reporting your new job income isn't the same as requesting discontinuance. Make sure to get confirmation of your request - either in writing or a case number for your call. This helps prove you tried to stop benefits if there's ever an overpayment issue later.

i went thru this last month. phone worker said everything was cancelled but then i still got money on my ebt card the next month and now they sayin i have an overpayment of $637 i gotta pay back!! so definately get something in writing whatever u do!!

A call is legally sufficient to request discontinuance, but county offices are notorious for not processing verbal requests properly. I always recommend submitting the request in writing (through BenefitsCal or by submitting a signed statement) AND following up with a call. Important: Make sure to specify you want to discontinue effective immediately. Otherwise, they'll typically process it for the end of the current month, which could still trigger an overpayment if you're over the Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) before then. Also, if you're keeping MediCal or CalFresh, make that clear so they don't accidentally terminate those benefits too when they stop your Cash Aid.

Trying to reach someone at the county by phone is almost impossible these days. I spent 3 hours on hold last week trying to report an address change!! I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that holds your place in line and calls you back when a worker is available. Worked great and I got through in about 20 mins after they called me back. Check out their demo video if you want to see how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE Definitely better than going in person and waiting all day!

Ur making a HUGE mistake cancelling before ur first paycheck!!! Wait till u actually GET PAID from the new job before u cancel! So many ppl get a job offer then something happens - hours get cut, start date delayed, or job falls thru completely. Then ur left with NOTHING while u reapply which takes forever!!!!

To answer the follow-up questions: @OP - Yes, you should receive a Notice of Action (NOA) confirming your discontinuance. This is important to keep as proof you requested termination. @commenter above - Yes, they can stop benefits mid-month if you specifically request immediate discontinuance. However, most workers will process it for the end of the month unless you're very clear about wanting it stopped immediately. And I agree with the last comment - reporting your new job (while stating you expect to be over the IRT) is often safer than cancelling before you've received your first paycheck. If you report the change within 10 days of getting the job, you're protected from overpayment claims even if processing takes time.

To add to what others have said, when you report your new job, make sure to include: 1. Your start date 2. Expected hours per week 3. Hourly wage/salary 4. First expected pay date This gives them all the info needed to determine if you'll still be eligible for partial benefits or if your case should be closed. And definitely keep documentation of when and how you reported the change (screenshots, confirmation numbers, certified mail receipt, etc). Congratulations on the new job, by the way! That's a big accomplishment worth celebrating.

One more thing to consider - if you're also getting CalFresh (food stamps) or Medi-Cal, make sure to specify that you only want to cancel the CASH AID portion of CalWORKs. A lot of people accidentally lose their food benefits or health coverage when they only meant to stop the cash payments. You might still qualify for those other programs even with your new job income, especially if you have kids or other qualifying circumstances. Also, once you do cancel, keep that EBT card! If there's any delay in processing and money gets deposited after you've cancelled, you don't want to be accused of not returning overpayments. Just don't spend anything that comes in after your cancellation date.

Just wanted to share my experience - I successfully cancelled my CalWORKs cash aid about 6 months ago when I got a full-time job. I did it through the BenefitsCal website by submitting a written request, and it was actually pretty straightforward. The key things that worked for me: - I specifically wrote "I request to voluntarily discontinue my CalWORKs Cash Aid effective immediately" - I included my case number and contact info - I specified that I wanted to keep my CalFresh and Medi-Cal (which I was able to do) - I got a confirmation email right away, then received the official Notice of Action about a week later The whole process took about 10 days from when I submitted the request online to when my benefits actually stopped. No overpayment issues, and I still have my other benefits which has been a huge help during the transition to my new job. Good luck with your new position! The online route through BenefitsCal might be your best bet if you can't get through by phone.

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago! Here's what I learned the hard way: DO NOT just call - get everything in writing. I made the mistake of only calling my worker and even though she said she'd process my cancellation, nothing happened for weeks. I kept getting benefits I didn't want. What finally worked for me: 1. I logged into BenefitsCal and submitted a written request saying "I request to voluntarily discontinue my CalWORKs Cash Aid effective [specific date]" 2. I also called the same day and referenced my online submission 3. I kept screenshots of everything The written request is key because it creates a paper trail. Even if your worker is great, things can get lost or misunderstood over the phone. Plus, if there's ever an overpayment dispute later, you'll have proof of when you requested cancellation. Also agree with others - wait until you actually start the job and get that first paycheck before canceling completely. Job offers can fall through, hours can get cut, etc. It's much easier to report income changes than to reapply for benefits if something goes wrong. Congrats on the new job though - that's awesome! Just protect yourself with proper documentation.

Just went through this process myself last month! Here's what worked for me: I did both - submitted a written request through BenefitsCal AND called my worker the same day. The written request said "I request to voluntarily discontinue my CalWORKs Cash Aid effective [date]" and I kept screenshots of the submission. When I called, I referenced the online request and got a confirmation number. Pro tip: When you submit online, you can upload a simple signed letter as an attachment too. I wrote something like "I, [your name], case #[number], request immediate discontinuation of my CalWORKs cash benefits due to new employment. Please confirm receipt of this request." The whole thing was processed within a week and I got the Notice of Action in the mail. No issues with overpayments because I had clear documentation of exactly when I requested cancellation. Also agree with waiting until you get that first paycheck - I've seen too many people cancel early only to have their job fall through or hours get cut. Report the job income first, then cancel once you're sure the income will put you over the limit. Good luck with the new job! Having that paper trail will give you peace of mind.

I'm in a similar situation - just accepted a job offer and want to handle this properly. Reading through everyone's advice, it seems like the consensus is to: 1. Use BenefitsCal to submit a written request for documentation 2. Follow up with a phone call for confirmation 3. Wait until you actually receive your first paycheck before canceling completely 4. Be very specific about wanting to "voluntarily discontinue" cash aid only One question I have - for those who used BenefitsCal, how long did it take to get the Notice of Action confirming your benefits were stopped? I want to make sure I have that documentation before my first month of higher income kicks in. Also, has anyone had experience with what happens if your new job income still keeps you eligible for partial CalWORKs benefits? Do they automatically adjust your grant amount or do you need to specifically request that instead of full cancellation? Thanks for sharing all your experiences - this thread is super helpful for navigating this process!

I work for a county eligibility office and wanted to clarify a few things I'm seeing in this thread: First, YES you can cancel by phone call alone - it's legally sufficient. However, I always recommend doing it in writing too because verbal requests sometimes get missed or not processed correctly due to high caseloads. The key phrase to use is "I request to voluntarily discontinue my CalWORKs Cash Aid" - don't just say you got a job or want to report income. Those are different processes. For timing: If you request discontinuance, we can process it effective immediately OR at the end of the current month - your choice. Just be specific about what date you want it effective. About overpayments: If you report your job change within 10 days of starting work AND your income puts you over the limit, you're protected from overpayment claims even if we're slow to process the change. But if you receive benefits after requesting cancellation and don't report/return them, that's a different issue. My advice: Report the new job first, then request discontinuance once you're sure about the income level. And always keep documentation of when you made these requests. The BenefitsCal online route creates an automatic paper trail which is great. Hope this helps clarify the process from the county side!

As someone who went through this exact situation about a year ago, I'd strongly recommend doing both the written request through BenefitsCal AND a follow-up phone call. I learned the hard way that relying on just one method can lead to delays or miscommunication. Here's what worked best for me: 1. First, I reported my new job income through BenefitsCal within the 10-day window (this protects you from overpayments) 2. Once I received my first paycheck and confirmed my income would put me over the eligibility limit, I submitted a written discontinuance request 3. I used the exact phrase "I request to voluntarily discontinue my CalWORKs Cash Aid effective [specific date]" 4. I called the same day to reference my online submission and got a confirmation number The county worker who helped me was great about explaining that reporting income changes and requesting discontinuance are two separate processes - definitely make that distinction clear. I got my Notice of Action about 8 days later confirming everything was properly cancelled. One more tip: if you have kids and want to keep CalFresh or Medi-Cal, specifically mention that in your request so they don't accidentally close those benefits too. Congrats on the new job - it feels amazing to take that step toward financial independence!

Just wanted to add my experience since I went through this same situation about 6 months ago. I was super anxious about getting overpayments too, so I understand your concern! What I ended up doing was calling the CalWORKs customer service line first (not my specific worker, but the general line) and they walked me through exactly what to say. They told me to use the phrase "I want to voluntarily discontinue my CalWORKs cash benefits effective [date]" - apparently the word "discontinue" is really important because it's different from just reporting income changes. I then submitted the same request through BenefitsCal online so I'd have a paper trail. The online system actually has a specific section for requesting benefit changes, and you can upload a signed letter too. I wrote a simple one-paragraph letter stating my request and attached it. The whole process took about 2 weeks from start to finish, and I got an official Notice of Action in the mail confirming my benefits were cancelled. No overpayment issues at all! One thing I wish I'd known - you can actually request the cancellation to be effective on a specific future date, like your first day of work or when you expect your first paycheck. That way you're not scrambling to cancel after you've already started earning income that might put you over the limit. Good luck with your new job! It's such a good feeling to be able to transition off benefits when you're ready.

I just successfully went through this process last month and wanted to share what worked for me! After reading all these great responses, I followed the advice about doing both written and phone requests. Here's exactly what I did: 1. Logged into BenefitsCal and found the "Report Changes" section 2. Submitted a written request saying "I request to voluntarily discontinue my CalWORKs Cash Aid effective [my first payday date]" 3. Uploaded a simple signed letter with the same request 4. Called the general CalWORKs line the same day and referenced my online submission 5. Got a confirmation number from the phone call The key things that made it smooth: - Using the exact phrase "voluntarily discontinue" (not just saying I got a job) - Setting the effective date for my actual payday, not immediately - Having both online documentation AND a phone confirmation number - Being specific that I only wanted to cancel cash aid, not CalFresh or Medi-Cal I received my Notice of Action exactly one week later confirming everything was cancelled properly. No overpayment issues and I was able to keep my food benefits and health coverage. The peace of mind from having everything properly documented was totally worth the extra steps. Congratulations on your new job - you've got this! The fact that you're being proactive about cancelling properly shows you're handling this transition really responsibly.

I went through this exact same process about 3 months ago when I landed my first full-time job after being on CalWORKs for almost 2 years. The anxiety about overpayments is so real - I was terrified of messing something up! Based on all the great advice in this thread, here's what I ended up doing that worked perfectly: 1. First, I reported my new job through BenefitsCal within the 10-day window (including start date, hourly wage, expected hours, and first pay date) 2. Waited until I actually received my first paycheck to confirm my income level 3. Then submitted a written discontinuance request through BenefitsCal saying "I request to voluntarily discontinue my CalWORKs Cash Aid effective [date of my second paycheck]" 4. Called the same day and got a confirmation number The timing worked out perfectly - by setting the effective date for my second payday, I knew for sure my income would consistently put me over the limit, and there was no confusion about overlapping benefits. I got my Notice of Action about 10 days later and everything was clean. Still have CalFresh and Medi-Cal which has been a huge help during the transition. The key really is using that specific "voluntarily discontinue" language and having solid documentation. Honestly, taking the time to do it right gave me so much peace of mind. Congratulations on your new job - you're handling this transition really thoughtfully and that's going to serve you well! The freedom of being financially independent is amazing.

I just want to echo what everyone else is saying about getting everything in writing! I made the mistake of only calling my worker when I got a job about 18 months ago, and even though she seemed to understand and said she'd process it, I ended up with an overpayment situation that took months to resolve. Here's what I learned from that experience: - Always use the specific phrase "voluntarily discontinue" - don't just say you got a job - Submit through BenefitsCal for that automatic paper trail - Keep screenshots of everything you submit - Get a confirmation number if you call The BenefitsCal route is definitely your best bet. It's way more reliable than trying to reach someone by phone, and you'll have documented proof of exactly when you submitted your request. Plus, like others mentioned, you can set a specific effective date which gives you more control over the timing. One thing I wish I'd known - if you're keeping other benefits like CalFresh or Medi-Cal, make that crystal clear in your request. I almost lost my food benefits by accident because I wasn't specific enough about only wanting to cancel the cash aid portion. Congratulations on the new job! Taking the time to cancel properly now will save you so much stress down the road. The documentation route might seem like overkill, but trust me, it's worth it for the peace of mind.

Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like the safest approach is definitely the BenefitsCal written request combined with a phone call for confirmation. I've been on CalWORKs for about 8 months while looking for stable work, and I'm finally in a position where I might be able to transition off too. What I'm taking away from this thread: - Use the exact phrase "voluntarily discontinue CalWORKs Cash Aid" - Submit through BenefitsCal for documentation - Follow up with a phone call for confirmation number - Wait for first paycheck before setting effective date - Be specific about keeping CalFresh/Medi-Cal if you want those The stories about overpayment issues are definitely scary, but it seems like having proper documentation really protects you. I'm bookmarking this thread because the step-by-step advice from people who actually went through this successfully is invaluable. @Connor - sounds like you have a solid plan now! Congratulations on the job offer and good luck with the transition. It's inspiring to see someone taking such a thoughtful approach to getting off benefits the right way.

This is such a valuable thread! I'm currently on CalWORKs and just started interviewing for some promising positions, so this information is incredibly timely for me. Reading through everyone's detailed experiences has given me a much clearer understanding of how to handle the transition properly when my time comes. The consistent advice about using the specific phrase "voluntarily discontinue" rather than just reporting income changes is something I definitely wouldn't have known otherwise. And the emphasis on creating a paper trail through BenefitsCal while also getting phone confirmation seems like the smartest approach to avoid any overpayment issues down the road. I'm particularly grateful for the tips about timing - waiting for that first actual paycheck before setting the effective date, and being specific about keeping CalFresh/Medi-Cal if you're still eligible for those programs. The stories about people who ran into overpayment problems by relying only on phone calls really drive home how important proper documentation is. @Connor - congratulations on your new job! It's clear from this discussion that you're going to handle this transition the right way. Thanks for asking the question that generated such helpful responses from the community. This thread is definitely going to be a resource I refer back to when I'm ready to make my own transition off benefits.