What's the CalWORKs IRT for family of 2 with $2000 monthly income?
Hi everyone, I'm trying to figure out what the Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) is for CalWORKs when it's just me and my daughter (5 years old). I currently work part-time and make about $2,000 per month. I know I'm supposed to report if I go over the IRT, but I can't remember what that amount is for us and I don't want to mess up my Cash Aid. The paper they gave me is somewhere in my moving boxes (just relocated last month). Is $2,000 already over the limit for a family of 2? My caseworker takes forever to call back and I'm worried about accidentally breaking the rules.
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Giovanni Colombo
For 2025, the IRT for a CalWORKs family of 2 (one adult, one child) is $2,635 per month. So your $2,000 income is under the threshold, but getting close. You don't need to report until you go over that $2,635 amount. You should have received a SAR 7A form that lists your specific IRT - they mail it out whenever your IRT changes. Also, make sure you're reporting your income correctly on your Semi-Annual Report (SAR 7)!
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CosmicCommander
•Thank you so much! That's a relief. I was getting anxious thinking I might have already gone over. I'll keep an eye out for the SAR 7A form in my mail. I know my SAR 7 is due next month so I'll make sure all my income info is on there too.
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
the IRT depends on your specific cash grant amount too, not just family size. it should be on your last notice of action they sent you. did you check your benefitscal account? sometimes they upload the notices there too
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CosmicCommander
•I didn't think to check BenefitsCal! I'll log in and see if I can find it there. My last notice is probably in one of my moving boxes but who knows which one 🤦♀️
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Dylan Cooper
ur probly already over income for cash aid tbh. i think the limit is like $1800 for 2 people. they cut mine off when i started making $1900 and its just me and my kid
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Giovanni Colombo
•You're confusing the income limit for initial eligibility with the IRT (Income Reporting Threshold). They're two different things. For existing recipients, the IRT is higher than the initial eligibility limit. That's why someone can get Cash Aid and then continue receiving it while working, as long as they stay under their IRT. The IRT is typically around 130% of the Federal Poverty Level.
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Sofia Ramirez
The 2025 Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) for a family of 2 is $2,635 monthly. Your $2,000 is under this amount, so you're still eligible. However, keep in mind that CalWORKs uses a variety of income calculations and deductions. You should always report: - When your income exceeds your IRT - Address changes (which you mentioned you moved) - Household composition changes Are you having trouble reaching your caseworker? I've been using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to my county worker without waiting on hold for hours. They have a service that gets you a callback from the CalWORKs office. I watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE) and decided to try it when I couldn't get through about my WTW hours. Actually got a call back from my worker the same day.
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CosmicCommander
•Thank you for explaining! I did report my address change when I moved last month. I've been trying to reach my worker for a week with no luck. I'll check out that service - sounds way better than sitting on hold forever just to get disconnected.
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Dmitry Volkov
omg the IRT rules drive me CRAZY!!! they change it like every 6 months and never clearly explain it!!! I got hit with an overpayment because I didn't report going $50 over my IRT that I didn't even know had changed. Now I'm paying back $340 from my already tiny cash aid check. THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED TO MAKE US FAIL!!!!!
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StarSeeker
•That happened to my sister too. So frustrating! She had to request a fair hearing to get it sorted out.
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Ava Martinez
Just want to add something important - even if you're under the IRT, you still need to report all income correctly on your SAR 7 every 6 months. The IRT is just for mid-period reporting. And if you get a raise or new job that puts you over the IRT, you have to report it within 10 days, not wait for your next SAR 7. I learned this the hard way lol.
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CosmicCommander
•That's good to know! My SAR 7 is due next month, so I'll make sure to include all my pay stubs. I'm trying to pick up more hours at work, so I'll keep the 10-day reporting requirement in mind if I go over the threshold.
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Giovanni Colombo
Also, since you mentioned having a 5-year-old, make sure you're getting the CalWORKs childcare benefit if you need it for work. With your income level, you qualify for subsidized childcare which can save you a ton of money. You'll need to fill out a CCP 7 form to request it through your Welfare to Work plan.
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CosmicCommander
•I actually didn't know CalWORKs could help with childcare! My mom has been watching my daughter while I work, but she's having health issues and might not be able to continue. I'll definitely ask about the CCP 7 form. Thank you!
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
i just wanna say, make sure ur putting away some money each month if u can. im in a family of 2 also and was making about what u make. when i got a small raise that put me at $2700, i suddenly lost ALL my cash aid. the cliff is real and it HURTS
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Miguel Ortiz
•This is so true. Same thing happened to me and then I had to reapply all over again when my hours got cut. The system makes no sense sometimes.
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LordCommander
Hey! Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been through the CalWORKs system with similar income. Everyone's given you great info about the $2,635 IRT for family of 2. One thing I'd add - since you just moved, make sure your county office has your correct address on file for ALL programs (Cash Aid, CalFresh, Medi-Cal if you have it). I moved counties last year and it was a nightmare getting everything transferred properly. Also, if you're planning to increase your work hours, consider doing it gradually so you don't accidentally jump way over the IRT all at once. The "benefits cliff" that others mentioned is real - going from $2,600 to $2,700 can mean losing hundreds in aid. Good luck with everything!
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Levi Parker
•Thanks for the heads up about the address update! I did notify them when I moved last month, but I should probably double-check that it's updated across all my programs. The gradual hours increase is really smart advice - I was actually thinking about taking on more shifts, but now I'll be more strategic about it. Maybe I'll aim for small increases and track my monthly totals carefully so I don't accidentally hit that cliff. Really appreciate everyone's help in this thread!
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Aisha Khan
Just wanted to add something that might help - if you're having trouble keeping track of your income month to month, I've found it helpful to keep a simple spreadsheet or even just a notebook where I write down my hours and pay each week. Since you're at $2,000 now and the IRT is $2,635, you have about $635 of wiggle room, but it can creep up faster than you think with overtime or extra shifts. Also, don't forget that the IRT calculation includes ALL income sources - not just your main job but any side gigs, unemployment, disability payments, etc. I made that mistake once and got confused about why my numbers didn't match what the county had on file. Stay organized and you'll be fine!
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Leslie Parker
•That's really smart advice about tracking everything! I've been pretty disorganized since the move, but you're right that $635 wiggle room can disappear quickly if I'm not careful. I like the spreadsheet idea - I could set it up to automatically calculate my monthly total so I know exactly where I stand. Good point about ALL income sources too. Right now it's just my part-time job, but I was thinking about maybe doing some gig work on weekends to help with moving expenses. I'll make sure to factor that into my tracking if I do. Thanks for the practical tips!
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Vanessa Figueroa
Just joining this community and this thread was super helpful! I'm in a similar situation - single mom with one kid, working part-time. Reading everyone's experiences here has been eye-opening, especially about the benefits cliff and the importance of tracking income carefully. I had no idea about services like Claimyr to help get through to caseworkers faster - that's going to be a game changer for me since I've been playing phone tag with mine for weeks. Also really appreciate the tip about CalWORKs childcare benefits through the CCP 7 form. I've been struggling with childcare costs eating up most of my paycheck, so I'm definitely going to look into that. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences - this community seems like such a valuable resource for navigating the system!
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Drew Hathaway
•Welcome to the community! I'm also pretty new here but this thread has been incredibly helpful. I was in the exact same boat - single mom, part-time work, and totally overwhelmed trying to navigate all the CalWORKs rules after moving. Everyone here has been so generous with sharing their knowledge and real experiences. The Claimyr tip alone is worth its weight in gold - I was spending hours on hold just to get disconnected! And definitely look into that childcare benefit - I had no idea it existed until someone mentioned it here. This community really does make the whole system feel less intimidating when you have people who've been through it willing to share what they've learned. Good luck with everything!
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