What's the CalWORKs IRT income threshold for a family of 3 in 2025?

last time i checkd the IRT for family of 3 was like $2800 or something but that was last yr. they change it every oct i think. should be on ur last approval notice they send u

The Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) for a family of 3 on CalWORKs for 2025 is $3,276 per month (gross income). This amount increased in October 2024. Your IRT should be listed on your most recent Notice of Action or approval letter. Important: You only need to report income BETWEEN your SAR7 reports if your total monthly income goes ABOVE your IRT amount. If you stay below your IRT, you just report the income on your next SAR7. If you can't find your notice with the IRT listed, you should contact your county office to confirm your specific IRT - it can sometimes vary based on your situation.

i think ur county worker SHOULD have told u this info cuz its soooo important. if u go over the IRT even for 1 month and dont report it within 10 days u can get hit with an OVERPAYMNT and thats a NIGHTMRE to deal with trust me!!!! then they make u pay back $ and can even charge u with fraud if they think u did it on purpose. the system is designed to trip people up IMO

@Worried_CalWORKs_Mom, the IRT is based on GROSS income (before taxes/deductions). So when you're checking if you're over the IRT, always use the gross amount shown on your paystub, not what gets deposited in your account. And just to add to what others have said - the IRT letter sometimes comes separately from your regular approval notice. It might be a form called the "AR 2" or "Income Reporting Threshold Letter." If you can't find it, you can also check your online BenefitsCal account if you have one set up - sometimes the notices are available there too.

If you're having trouble reaching your CalWORKs worker after multiple attempts, you might want to try Claimyr. I was in the same situation last month - couldn't get through for days and kept getting disconnected. Used their service and got connected to a live person at my county office in about 15 minutes instead of spending hours on hold. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE They basically call for you and then connect you when they reach a real person. Saved me so much stress when I needed to confirm my IRT after starting a new job.

Just one more important thing about the IRT - it's for your WHOLE household's income combined, not just yours. So if you have other income sources or if someone else in your home who's included in your CalWORKs case gets income, you have to add all of that together to see if you're over the IRT. Also, if your family size changes, your IRT will change too. For example, if someone moves out or if you have another baby, you need to report that within 10 days regardless of your SAR7 due date, and then your IRT might be adjusted.

when i started working they never told me bout IRT and i got a $1200 overpayment cuz i went over by like $50 for 2 months and didnt kno i had to report it til my sar7. make sure u keep ALL ur paystubs too they made me provide them going back 3 months when they did my review

@concerned_recipient The overpayment stuff is SO TRUE. my friend got hit with a $3800 overpayment from 2023 and they're taking money out of her grant every month now. she's really struggling. all because she worked some overtime at her job for a few months and didn't realize she was supposed to report it mid-period. and they expect everyone to understand all these complicated rules!!!!

Just wanted to add that if you're getting close to your IRT, it's worth calculating your income carefully each month. I track mine on a simple spreadsheet with my gross pay from each paycheck. Also remember that some types of income don't count toward your IRT - like certain educational grants or some disability payments. But work income definitely counts, so with your $1,800/month you should be fine under the $3,276 threshold. Keep those paystubs organized though - you'll need them for your SAR7 and if they ever do a review. Good luck with the new job!

One more tip - if you do end up going over your IRT during the month, you have 10 calendar days from when you receive the income (not from when you get paid) to report it. So if you get your paycheck on Friday but it covers work from earlier in the month, the 10 days starts from when you actually received the check. You can report online through BenefitsCal, by phone, or in person. I always recommend getting some kind of confirmation when you report - like a screenshot if you do it online or asking for a receipt if you go in person. That way you have proof you reported on time if there's ever a question later.

I just went through this same situation a few months ago! The stress of not knowing the exact IRT amount is real. One thing that helped me was calling first thing in the morning right when the county office opens - I had better luck getting through then rather than calling during busy afternoon hours. Also, if you have your case number handy, sometimes the automated phone system will let you hear some basic case information including benefit amounts, which might include your IRT. It's worth trying before waiting on hold forever. And definitely keep documenting everything - dates you tried to call, any confirmation numbers if you report income, etc. The system can be overwhelming but you're being responsible by asking these questions upfront!