Moving out-of-state with CalWORKs - cancel here or transfer my case?

You can't actually transfer CalWORKs from California to another state because each state has its own version of cash assistance with different names, rules, and benefit amounts. You'll need to do two things: 1. Report to your county office that you're moving out of state and request to close your California case (you can do this through BenefitsCal online) 2. Apply for TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) in your new state as soon as you get there Make sure you don't just stop reporting or disappear without officially closing your case, as this could potentially lead to an overpayment that you'd have to pay back if you continued receiving benefits after moving.

exactly what the other person said! I moved from CA to Arizona last year and had to close my CalWORKs and then apply for their version (called TCEA in Arizona). each state has different benefit amounts too. mine went down almost $200/month in Arizona just fyi 😡 make sure u report ur move ASAP so u dont get overpayment. u can do it on benefitscal or call. i reported online and then couldnt get anyone to confirm they got it for 2 weeks and almost had problems

the 48 month time limit is different for each state so you'll have to check. some states have shorter limits like 24 months. but your CA months probably won't count in the new state since they all track separately. what state r u moving to?

If you're having trouble getting through to your caseworker about closing your case, try using Claimyr. I was in a similar situation last year and couldn't get through for days. Claimyr helped me reach a live person at the CalWORKs office in less than 30 minutes. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE - saved me so much stress when I needed to close my case before moving. The website is claimyr.com if you want to check it out.

MAKE SURE YOU GET PROOF that your CalWORKs case was closed!!! My sister moved to Nevada and thought her case was closed but they kept sending benefits for 2 months and then hit her with a $1400 overpayment notice at her forwarded address. The county said she was responsible because she didn't "properly" notify them even though she did!!! Always get everything in writing and screenshot any confirmation pages when you submit the move notice online.

On the bright side Colorado's TANF program sometimes has better benefits than California depending on your county! My cousin moved there and said the application process was actually faster. They have different names for everything though so it can be confusing. Their version of Welfare to Work is called Colorado Works and I think their monthly reporting is different too. Also don't forget about transferring your other benefits like CalFresh (SNAP in other states) and Medi-Cal (Medicaid). Those all have to be done separately!

To answer your earlier question - most states don't count time from other states toward their time limits. Colorado has a 60-month lifetime limit for their TANF program, and they won't count your CalWORKs months against that limit. For closing your California case properly: 1. Report your change of address and out-of-state move on BenefitsCal.com 2. Call your county office and specifically request case closure due to moving out of state 3. Ask for written verification that they've initiated the case closure 4. Keep checking your BenefitsCal account to confirm the case status changes to closed For Colorado, you can actually start the TANF application process online before you move through their PEAK system (Colorado's version of BenefitsCal). This might help reduce delays in getting benefits after you arrive.

Just adding that when I moved from California to Texas, I had to provide proof of my move to close my CalWORKs case properly. They accepted my new lease agreement and a statement explaining my reason for moving. I also printed a confirmation page from my BenefitsCal account showing I reported the move, and thankfully I did because they later claimed they never received notification! Always keep documentation of EVERYTHING you submit to them.

Regarding your question about when to close the case - ideally you should report your move as soon as possible, but request that they close the case effective on your actual move date. This way you'll receive benefits up until you leave California, but not after. Be very clear about your move date when you talk to them. Also, in Colorado you can apply for multiple benefits through their PEAK system with one application - it covers their TANF program, SNAP (food assistance), Medicaid, and more. Definitely easier than California's system in my opinion.

I just went through this same situation moving from California to Washington state last year! One thing I wish someone had told me - make sure to ask about your current month's benefits when you report the move. In my case, I moved mid-month and California still owed me a partial payment for the days I was still living there, but they initially said the case was "closed" so no more payments. I had to fight for 6 weeks to get that partial payment! Also, start gathering all your documents NOW (birth certificates, social security cards, proof of income, etc.) because you'll need them all again for the new state application. Colorado's system might be faster than California's but you still want to have everything ready to go. The transition period between states can be really tight financially so the more prepared you are, the better! Good luck with your move and taking care of your mom! 💙