How to set up direct deposit for CalWORKs Cash Aid and ATM withdrawal limits?

Yes, you can absolutely set up direct deposit for your CalWORKs Cash Aid! I've had mine direct deposited for over a year and it's SO much better than dealing with the EBT card. You need to fill out the "Authorization for Direct Deposit" form (CA 183). You can get it from your county office or sometimes download it from your county's CalWORKs website. You'll need to include a voided check or a direct deposit authorization form from your bank. Once processed, it takes about 1-2 payment cycles to start. As for ATM withdrawals, the daily limit is usually $1000, but some ATMs have their own lower limits (like $300 or $500). Also be careful about ATM fees - only use Bank of America ATMs to avoid fees with your EBT card.

i tryed direct deposit last year and it was a NIGHTMARE!!!!!! took them 3 months to process my form and then they still put money on the EBT card anyway. ended up just sticking with the card. atms let me take out $500 at once when i use the cash side of my ebt

Just be aware that not all banks will work with CalWORKs direct deposit. I tried with my online bank (Chime) and they couldn't process it - ended up having to open an account at a traditional bank. For the form, make sure you include all the routing and account numbers EXACTLY right or it'll get rejected. For ATM withdrawals, the system limit is $1000 daily like someone mentioned, but I'd recommend breaking up large withdrawals over a couple of days just to be safe. I once tried to take out $800 at once and the machine only gave me $400 because of the ATM's own limits - had to go to another one for the rest.

with Wells Fargo it should work fine, thats what i have. took about a month for mine to start after turning in the paperwork. make sure u keep a copy of everything!! my county lost my paperwork the first time smh

dont forget you still need to keep your EBT card even with direct deposit because thats how your CalFresh comes if you get that too. But the cash part goes to your bank

Anyone trying to reach their CalWORKs worker to set up direct deposit or ask about ATM limits knows how frustrating those phone calls can be. After spending WEEKS trying to get through to someone about my direct deposit issue, I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to a live person in minutes. You basically bypass the whole phone queue nightmare. I was seriously amazed. Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE or go to claimyr.com. Saved me hours of redial hell!

I work at a community resource center and help clients with CalWORKs issues daily. Here's what you need to know: 1) Direct deposit is definitely available but processing times vary WIDELY by county. I've seen it take anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months. 2) You MUST submit an original voided check or bank letter - photocopies are often rejected 3) The ATM withdrawal limit is $1000/day systemwide but individual ATMs may have lower limits. Bank of America ATMs have the highest limits normally. 4) If you're paying rent, consider using the Cash Aid to get a money order instead of cash - safer and gives you proof of payment 5) Keep a copy of EVERYTHING you submit for direct deposit and get a receipt! And yes, you'll keep your EBT card for CalFresh benefits even after direct deposit is set up for Cash Aid.

One thing no one mentioned yet - in 2025 they're upgrading the whole system and direct deposit will be easier to set up through the BenefitsCal website. My worker told me this last month. But for now you still need to do the paper form.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I went to my county office today and picked up the direct deposit form. The worker said it should take 30-45 days to process once I submit it. I'm going to keep my expectations low based on what you all said about delays. For now I'll just use the EBT card and be careful about ATM limits. Really appreciate all the tips!

Great to hear you got the form! One more tip that really helped me - when you fill out the direct deposit form, use a black pen (not blue) and write very clearly. Some counties scan these forms and blue ink doesn't always scan well. Also, if your bank has multiple routing numbers (like for wire transfers vs ACH), make sure you use the ACH routing number - that's usually the one on your checks. I made that mistake initially and it delayed my setup by another month. Hope yours goes smoother than mine did!

Just wanted to add one more thing about ATM withdrawals - if you're planning to take out a large amount like $800+ for rent, call ahead to your bank and let them know. Sometimes large EBT withdrawals can trigger fraud alerts and temporarily freeze your account. Happened to me once when I tried to withdraw $900 and had to wait 24 hours for them to unlock it. Also, some grocery stores like Safeway and Walmart let you get cash back when you buy something small, which can be another way to get cash without ATM fees if you're near your daily limit.

For what it's worth, I just went through this process in Los Angeles County and it took exactly 6 weeks from when I submitted my direct deposit form to when it actually started working. A few things that helped me: 1) I called my bank first to confirm they accept government direct deposits (some credit unions have weird rules), 2) I submitted the form in person and got a stamped copy as proof, and 3) I followed up every 2 weeks by calling the county office. The squeaky wheel gets the grease! Also, about ATM limits - I found that Cardtronics ATMs (the white ones you see in lots of stores) often have lower limits than Bank of America ATMs, so if you need to withdraw a lot, stick with BofA locations. Good luck with everything!

I just want to echo what everyone has said about keeping copies of everything! I submitted my direct deposit form twice because the first one got "lost" - having my own copies saved me from having to fill everything out again from scratch. Also, if you're worried about the processing time, you might want to ask your county office if they have a status check system. Mine has an online portal where I can see if my forms are being processed or if there are any issues. It's not available in every county but worth asking about. And regarding ATM fees - some credit unions will reimburse EBT ATM fees if you're a member, so that might be worth looking into if you use ATMs frequently. The whole CalWORKs system can be frustrating but this community really helps make it more manageable!

Just wanted to share my recent experience since I see this thread is still active! I'm in Riverside County and just got my direct deposit set up last month. The whole process took about 5 weeks, which seems pretty typical based on what everyone's shared here. One thing that really helped was that I went to my local CalWORKs office during their "walk-in Wednesday" hours when they have extra staff available to help with paperwork - got my form reviewed on the spot to make sure everything was filled out correctly before submitting it. Also want to mention something about the EBT card ATM limits that I discovered recently - if you have both CalWORKs Cash Aid and CalFresh on the same card, the $1000 daily limit applies to BOTH programs combined, not separately. So if you use some of your daily limit for cash back at the grocery store with CalFresh, it reduces how much cash you can withdraw from Cash Aid that same day. Just something to keep in mind if you're planning larger withdrawals!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! As someone who just started receiving CalWORKs benefits this month, I was completely lost about the direct deposit process and ATM limits. Reading everyone's experiences has given me a much better roadmap for what to expect. I'm planning to submit my direct deposit form next week, and based on all your advice, I'm going to: 1) Use black ink and write very clearly, 2) Make multiple copies of everything, 3) Get a stamped receipt when I submit, 4) Follow up every 2 weeks, and 5) ask about any online status tracking systems they might have. The tip about the combined $1000 daily limit for both CalWORKs and CalFresh is something I never would have known - that could have caused some real problems when I need to pay bills! And I had no idea about calling your bank ahead of time for large withdrawals to avoid fraud alerts. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, both good and bad. It really helps newcomers like me know what to expect and how to navigate the system more effectively. This community is such a valuable resource!

I'm going through the same direct deposit setup process right now and this thread has been a lifesaver! Just wanted to add one more tip I learned from my caseworker yesterday - if you have a joint bank account, make sure BOTH account holders sign the direct deposit form. My caseworker said they've seen applications get delayed because people forget this step. Also, she mentioned that if you move or change banks after submitting the form but before it's processed, you need to submit a completely new form rather than trying to update the existing one. The system apparently can't handle changes mid-process. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here - it makes such a difference having real people explain how this stuff actually works instead of just reading the confusing official documents!

This has been such an informative thread! I'm also new to CalWORKs (just got approved 2 weeks ago) and had the exact same questions about direct deposit and ATM limits. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly helpful - way more useful than the vague information I got from my worker. One thing I wanted to ask - for those of you who successfully set up direct deposit, did you notice any difference in timing of when your benefits are available? Like, does the money show up in your bank account on the same day it would normally load onto the EBT card, or is there any delay? I'm trying to plan my bill payment schedule and want to know what to expect once the direct deposit kicks in. Also, has anyone had issues with their bank asking questions about the government deposits? I'm a little worried my bank might flag large deposits as suspicious since I don't usually have that kind of money coming into my account regularly. Thanks again to everyone who's shared their experiences - this community is amazing!

This thread has been so helpful for someone like me who's still figuring out the CalWORKs system! I'm about 3 months into receiving benefits and honestly wish I had found this community sooner. One thing I learned the hard way that might help others - when you're filling out that direct deposit form, double and triple check that your bank's routing number is correct. I copied it wrong from an old check (apparently my bank had changed routing numbers for my branch) and it caused a 6-week delay while they sorted everything out. My bank had to send a letter confirming the error wasn't on their end before CalWORKs would let me resubmit. Also wanted to mention for anyone worried about ATM fees - some Costco locations have fee-free ATMs that work with EBT cards, and you don't need a Costco membership to use them. Just walk in and tell them you're using the ATM. Could be helpful if you're trying to avoid those $2-3 fees that add up quickly. Really appreciate everyone sharing their real experiences here instead of just the official "call your caseworker" responses you get everywhere else!

Just wanted to jump in with my recent experience since I see lots of helpful advice here! I submitted my direct deposit form about 8 weeks ago in San Bernardino County and it finally went through last month. A couple things that might help others: 1) When I called to follow up, I found that calling right at 8 AM when they open got me through much faster than calling later in the day. The hold times were way shorter in the morning. 2) My bank (Chase) required me to bring in the government deposit form to verify my account details before they would accept the deposits. Not all banks do this but it's worth asking yours about their requirements for government direct deposits. 3) Something I didn't see mentioned here - you can actually check if your direct deposit is active by looking at your most recent CalWORKs notice. Once it's set up, it will show your bank account info (last 4 digits) instead of just saying "EBT Card" for the payment method. The whole process was definitely frustrating but so worth it in the end. Having the money just appear in my account instead of dealing with ATM limits and fees has been a game changer. Hope this helps someone else going through the same process!

This thread is incredibly comprehensive! As someone who just started the CalWORKs application process last week, I'm bookmarking this for when I get approved. The detail about checking your CalWORKs notice to see if direct deposit is active is genius - I never would have thought to look there for confirmation. One question for those who've been through this: if you submit the direct deposit form but then need to update your address with CalWORKs (I'm moving next month), does that affect the direct deposit processing at all? I'm worried about timing issues if I submit the form now but then have to update my contact info while it's being processed. Also, for the ATM withdrawal limits, does anyone know if the $1000 daily limit resets at midnight or is it based on a 24-hour rolling period? I want to make sure I understand exactly how the timing works for planning larger withdrawals. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world guidance that makes navigating the system so much easier!