How to voluntarily terminate CalWORKs benefits due to income increase - proof required?
Hi everyone, I just got a new job and my income is going to be over the limit for CalWORKs. I want to do the right thing and terminate my benefits before they catch it and say I got an overpayment. Does anyone know the correct way to do this? Do I just call my worker or is there a specific form I need to fill out? Also, will they require proof of my new income even though I'm voluntarily stopping my benefits? Just trying to avoid any headaches down the road. Thanks for any advice!
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Sarah Ali
First, congrats on the new job! To properly terminate your CalWORKs, you should submit a written statement to your county office requesting voluntary discontinuance. You can do this through BenefitsCal.com or by submitting a signed letter/statement. While technically you don't HAVE to provide income verification when voluntarily terminating, I strongly recommend you do anyway. Without proof, they might just mark it as 'failure to cooperate' which could potentially cause problems if you ever need assistance again in the future.
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Megan D'Acosta
•Thank you for this info! I didn't know I could do it through BenefitsCal. Is there a specific section on there for terminating benefits? And how far in advance should I do this before my new income actually starts?
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Ryan Vasquez
just call ur worker n tell them u want 2 stop ur case. thats what i did last year. they didnt even ask for proof but i gave it anyway just 2 be safe. they closed my case the same day no problems
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Avery Saint
•While calling can work, I wouldn't recommend this approach. If your worker doesn't document it properly, you could end up with an overpayment situation. Always get something in writing when terminating benefits - either submit through BenefitsCal or get an email confirmation if you call. Documentation is your protection!
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Taylor Chen
When I had to stop my Cash Aid, I tried calling for THREE DAYS and couldn't get through to anyone!!! So frustrating! I ended up having to take time off work to go in person which was a huge hassle with my new job. The system is so broken it's ridiculous. They make it nearly impossible to do the right thing! Even when you're TRYING to save them money by stopping benefits you don't qualify for anymore!
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Keith Davidson
•I had the same problem trying to reach my worker last month. I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to a real person in like 15 minutes instead of waiting on hold forever. You might want to check it out at claimyr.com if you're still having trouble reaching someone. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE. Seriously saved me so much stress with my CalWORKs issues.
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Ezra Bates
make sure u report ur income change within 10 days even if ur terminating!!! i didnt know that rule and got hit with overpayment that i still paying back. they still expect u to report income changes even when ur trying to stop ur benefits cause of the Income Reporting Threshold rules. its stupid but thats how they do it.
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Megan D'Acosta
•Oh wow, I had no idea about the 10-day rule! Thanks for the warning. I definitely don't want to deal with an overpayment. My new job starts in 2 weeks so I'll make sure to report it right away.
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Ana Erdoğan
My cousin terminated her CalWORKs when she got a job at Amazon and they still sent her an overpayment notice six months later! Said she didn't provide proper documentation or something. She's still fighting it. The whole system is rigged to trip people up I swear.
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Sarah Ali
•This is exactly why documentation is so important. When you voluntarily terminate, make sure to: 1) Submit a written request with the specific date you want benefits to end, 2) Include proof of your new income, 3) Keep copies of EVERYTHING you submit, and 4) Get confirmation in writing that your case was closed. For extra protection, submit a final SAR7 even if it's not the regular reporting month.
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Avery Saint
Make sure you think carefully about the timing. If your new income won't put you over the Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) immediately, you might actually be eligible for partial benefits for a month or two during your transition. CalWORKs has averaged income calculations that sometimes allow you to receive partial benefits while starting a new job. Check your most recent Notice of Action which should list your specific IRT amount. Only report if you'll go over that amount.
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Megan D'Acosta
•This is really helpful, thank you! I just checked my last Notice of Action and my IRT is $2,743. My new job will pay about $3,200/month, so I guess I do need to report it right away. I'm wondering though - do they count gross income or net for the IRT?
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Ryan Vasquez
they want the gross income for reporting! not what u actually bring home after taxes!!! thats how they got me with an overpayment lol
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Sarah Ali
•Correct! The Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) is always based on gross income before any deductions. That's a common misunderstanding that causes a lot of overpayment issues.
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Ezra Bates
also think about ur medi-cal!! when u stop calworks ur medi-cal should continue but sometimes they mess up and terminate that too. make sure u tell them u still want medi-cal reviewed separately if u need it!!
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Megan D'Acosta
•That's a really good point I hadn't even thought about. I definitely still need Medi-Cal at least until my new job's health insurance kicks in after 90 days. I'll make sure to mention that specifically when I terminate the CalWORKs.
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Omar Hassan
Great advice from everyone here! Just want to add - when you submit your voluntary termination request, also ask them to send you a written confirmation letter stating the exact date your benefits ended. This saved me when the county tried to claim I didn't properly terminate my case a year later. Having that official letter with their letterhead made all the difference when I had to dispute it. Also, don't forget about any remaining CalFresh (food stamps) benefits - those have different income limits and you might still qualify even if your CalWORKs cash aid stops!
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