Unexpected extra CalWORKs payment after adding newborn - confused about benefit amount changes

thts ur retroactive payment! congrats on the baby btw. when u add a kid they giv u back pay from when baby was born. so if u reported the baby like a month after birth, they owe u for that month u already had the baby but werent gettin benefits for them yet. its not a mistake, u can spend it :

This is completely normal and actually good news! When you add a child to your CalWORKs case, you get two separate changes: 1. Retroactive benefits: The $244 is likely covering the period from when your baby was born until when you reported the change. They're paying you the difference in benefits you would have received if the baby had been on your case from birth. 2. Increased monthly grant: Your regular payment (the $291) should increase on your next regular payment date. For a household of 2, you should see approximately $375-$425 depending on your county and any other income you have. Keep in mind you should also be eligible for a $30 monthly special needs diaper allowance for children under 3 years old. Make sure you specifically ask about this if it doesn't show up in your benefits automatically.

my sister just went through this!! they gave her back pay from when the baby was born even tho she waited like 3 weeks to tell them. and YES ur monthly amount will go up! she was getting like $300ish for herself and now gets like $450 for her and the baby. they should send u a notice in the mail confirming all this soon

You need to request the diaper allowance specifically - it's not automatic. Most workers don't tell clients about it unless you ask! Call your worker and say "I want to request the special needs diaper allowance for my infant." It's an extra $30/month until your child turns 3. For CalFresh, your benefits should increase automatically once they know about the baby, but sometimes they process CalWORKs and CalFresh changes separately. If you don't see an increase in your CalFresh within your next issuance, call to follow up. Also, make sure you apply for WIC if you haven't already! It's separate from CalWORKs but provides additional food benefits specifically for you and your baby.

dont spend that money!!! my cousins friend got extra once and then they made her pay it all back!! calworks makes mistakes ALL THE TIME and then u have to suffer. call ur worker first to confirm before u spend anything

Good luck calling your worker! I spent THREE DAYS trying to get through to mine when I had a similar situation. Kept getting disconnected or waiting on hold for hours. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that held my place in line and called me back when a worker was available. Saved me so much frustration! They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE showing how it works. Worth it because you definitely want clear documentation about these payments so there's no confusion later.

btw when u have a baby u should also apply for child support services they make the dad pay. my friend gets like $600 a month from her ex for her kid on top of calworks

One more thing - don't forget to report your newborn to Medi-Cal as well if you haven't already. Your baby is automatically eligible, but sometimes the systems don't communicate perfectly between programs. Also, request the infant supplement if you're receiving CalFresh benefits - that's separate from your CalWORKs increase.

this happened to me last year but then they said I was over the IRT because of some side work I was doing and I had to pay back everything!!! make sure u don't have any unreported income cuz they will find out eventually!! the system is setup to catch ppl!!!

Congratulations on your new baby! This is totally normal - what you received is called a "retroactive payment" or "back pay." When you add a child to your CalWORKs case, they calculate what your benefits should have been from the baby's birth date and pay you the difference. So if your baby was born 6 weeks ago but you only reported it 2 weeks ago, they're paying you for those 4 weeks when you should have been getting the higher amount for a family of 2. Your regular monthly payment should also increase going forward - instead of $291 for just yourself, you'll likely get around $375-$425 for you and your baby (exact amount depends on your county). You should get a notice in the mail soon explaining the changes. Also, make sure to ask about the $30 monthly diaper allowance for children under 3 - many workers don't mention it automatically but it's available if you request it!

Hey Emma! Congratulations on your baby! 🎉 What you received is definitely your retroactive payment - totally normal and not a mistake. I went through the exact same thing when I added my daughter to my case last year. Since your baby is 6 weeks old but you only reported the change 2 weeks ago, they're paying you back for those 4 weeks when you should have been getting benefits for both of you. The $244 sounds about right for that timeframe. Your regular monthly payment will definitely increase too - you should see it jump from $291 to somewhere around $375-$425 on your next regular payment date. And definitely ask about that $30 diaper allowance! I wish someone had told me about it sooner because diapers are so expensive. You can totally spend that money - it's rightfully yours! But if you want peace of mind, you can always call and confirm, though honestly the amount matches exactly what retroactive payments usually are for adding a child.

Hey Emma! Congratulations on your new baby! 💕 What you got is totally normal - it's your retroactive payment for the time between when baby was born and when you reported the change. I had the exact same thing happen and was so confused at first! Since you mentioned your baby is 6 weeks old but you only updated BenefitsCal 2 weeks ago, they're paying you back for those 4 weeks you should have been getting benefits for 2 people instead of 1. The $244 sounds exactly right for that timeframe. Your regular monthly amount will definitely go up too - probably to around $400ish instead of $291. And like others mentioned, definitely ask about that $30 diaper allowance! I didn't know about it until someone on here told me and it's been such a huge help. You can absolutely spend that money - it's yours! But I totally understand being worried about it. The county systems are actually pretty good about these retroactive payments when you add a child, it's one of the more straightforward things they do. Welcome to the club of CalWORKs parents! 🍼

Congratulations on your little one! 🎉 This is completely normal and you can breathe easy - that $244 is your retroactive payment for adding your baby to your case. Since your baby is 6 weeks old but you only reported the change 2 weeks ago, they're paying you back for those 4 weeks when you should have been receiving benefits for a household of 2 instead of 1. Your regular monthly payment will definitely increase going forward too - probably from $291 to around $375-$400 depending on your county. You should get a notice in the mail soon explaining all the changes. Definitely ask about the $30 monthly diaper allowance for children under 3 when you call your worker - many don't mention it automatically but it's available if you request it! With how expensive diapers are, every bit helps. You can absolutely spend that money - it's rightfully yours and not a mistake. The amount is consistent with what retroactive payments typically are when adding a child to a CalWORKs case. Welcome to parenthood and don't stress about this payment! 💕

Congratulations on your baby! 🍼 What you received is totally normal - it's your retroactive payment for the time between when your baby was born and when you reported the change to CalWORKs. Since your little one is 6 weeks old but you only updated your case 2 weeks ago, they calculated what you should have been getting for those 4 weeks as a family of 2 instead of 1, and that's your $244. Your regular monthly payment will definitely increase going forward too - probably from $291 to around $380-$420 depending on your county's rates. You should get an official notice in the mail soon explaining all the changes. And definitely ask about that $30 monthly diaper allowance for kids under 3! Most workers don't mention it unless you specifically ask, but it's such a help with how expensive diapers are. Just call and say "I want to request the special needs diaper allowance for my infant." You can absolutely spend that money - it's yours and not a mistake! The system is actually pretty reliable when it comes to these retroactive payments for adding children. Enjoy that extra help during this special time with your new baby! ✨

Congratulations on your new baby! 🎉 What you received is definitely your retroactive payment - this is completely normal and happens whenever you add a child to your CalWORKs case. Since your baby is 6 weeks old but you only reported the change 2 weeks ago, they're paying you back for those 4 weeks when you should have been getting the higher benefit amount for a household of 2. The $244 sounds exactly right for that timeframe! Your regular monthly payment will also increase going forward - probably from $291 to somewhere around $375-$400 depending on your county's rates. Make sure to ask about the $30 monthly diaper allowance for children under 3 when you call your worker! It's not automatic and many workers don't mention it unless you specifically request it. Just say "I want to request the special needs diaper allowance for my infant." You can absolutely spend that money - it's rightfully yours and not a system error. The amount is consistent with standard retroactive payments when adding a child. You should receive a notice in the mail soon confirming all the changes to your case. Welcome to CalWORKs parenthood! 💕

Congrats on your baby! 🎉 This is totally normal - you got a retroactive payment for the weeks between when baby was born and when you reported the change. I went through the same thing when I added my son to my case last year. The $244 sounds exactly right for about 4 weeks of back pay for adding a child. Your regular monthly payment should increase too - probably to around $380-$400 going forward. And definitely call about that $30 diaper allowance! I didn't know about it until someone here mentioned it and it's been such a huge help. You have to specifically ask for it though - they call it the "special needs diaper allowance for infants." You can absolutely spend that money, it's rightfully yours! The system is actually pretty reliable with these retroactive payments when you add kids. Don't stress about it being a mistake - the amount and timing are exactly what they should be. Enjoy that little blessing! 💕