What's the Sacramento County CalWORKs income limit for 2025?

The income limit depends on your household size. For a family of 3 in Sacramento County (you + 2 kids), the Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) in 2025 is $2,743 per month of gross income. At $16.50/hour for 25 hours weekly, you'd make about $1,782 monthly (before taxes), which is UNDER your IRT. You won't lose all your Cash Aid immediately, but your grant amount will be reduced because of your earnings. They don't count all your income though - CalWORKs has an earned income disregard where they don't count the first $450 plus 50% of the remaining earnings when calculating your grant.

i started workin last year and they do a weird calculation. they dont count all ur income. its like they ignore the first $450 and then half of the rest. so if u make $1782 they'd ignore $450 and half of $1332 which is $666, so theyd only count like $666 of ur income against ur cash aid. BUT u gotta report it on ur SAR7 form and make sure u save ur paystubs!!!! if u dont report they'll say u commited fraud and make u pay it all back. happened to my cousin

You also need to make sure you're meeting your Welfare to Work hours if you're not exempt! For a single parent with a child under 6, you need to do 20 hours per week. Your new job at 25 hours would cover that requirement perfectly!

TAKE THE JOB!!!!! The system is DESIGNED to keep us poor and dependent. I was so scared to start working too but its actually BETTER when u work cuz of that income disregard thing. U end up with MORE total money even tho ur cash aid goes down some. Plus u get childcare benefits while ur working!!! Did they tell u about that??

The Stage 1 Child Care program will cover your childcare costs while you're working! You need to apply through the county - your Welfare to Work worker should help you with this. They'll pay for licensed childcare providers or even some family members (though not those in your CalWORKs household). Also, since you mentioned worry about stability - there's a program called Transitional CalWORKs that gives you up to 12 months of cash aid AFTER you'd normally lose eligibility due to earnings. It's specifically designed to help people transition to work without that sudden cliff of losing benefits.

Good luck getting through to your worker! I spent THREE DAYS trying to reach mine last month about a similar question. Kept getting stuck in the automated system or waiting on hold for hours only to get disconnected. So frustrating! I finally used Claimyr.com and got a callback from my worker in less than 30 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE - saved me so much stress when I needed to sort out my new job reporting.

Yeah, it actually worked great for me. I was skeptical too, but after waiting on hold forever the regular way, I gave it a try and got a callback from my worker that same day. Way better than the usual runaround.

One more thing worth mentioning - when you start working, you'll also qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) on your taxes. With two children and part-time work at that wage, you could get a pretty significant tax refund next year. It's another way the system tries to reward work. Make sure to file taxes even if you don't owe any!

Also, don't forget that when you report your new job, the county will recalculate your CalFresh (food stamps) too. Your CalFresh might actually go UP when your Cash Aid goes down, which helps offset the changes. The system is complicated, but it's designed to gradually reduce benefits as you earn more, not cut everything off at once.

I had almost this exact same situation last year!!! I was making $16.75/hr and working 24 hours a week with 2 kids and my cash aid went down some but I was still getting it. Plus the childcare benefit is seriously amazing, totally free childcare while you work!!! My older one goes to afterschool program and little one goes to a daycare, I don't pay a penny.

They gave me a list of licensed providers in my area but I still had to call around myself to find ones with openings. If you need help finding childcare you can also try the Child Action resource and referral agency for Sacramento, they help match families with providers. My WTW worker gave me their number.

Congratulations on the job offer! I went through something really similar about 6 months ago. I was terrified about losing benefits but it actually worked out better than I expected. The income disregard calculation that others mentioned is key - you'll still have some cash aid plus your work income, so your total monthly income will be higher than what you're getting now on just benefits alone. One thing I wish someone had told me - when you report your new job, ask your worker to walk you through the exact calculation so you know what to expect each month. They can do a budget projection for you. Also, make sure to ask about the childcare assistance right away because there can be a waiting list for some providers, especially good ones. The sooner you get on that list, the better! You've got this - taking that job is definitely the right move for your family's future!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been lurking in this community for a while but never posted before. I'm in a really similar situation - single parent with one 5-year-old, getting $639/month in Cash Aid, and I just got offered a receptionist job at a dental office. They're offering $17/hour for 30 hours a week, which would be about $2,210/month gross. Reading everyone's responses here has been SO helpful because I was literally about to turn down the job out of fear! I had no idea about the income disregard calculation or that there were programs like Transitional CalWORKs and the childcare assistance. I thought it was just "work and lose everything" or "don't work and stay on benefits forever." The part about asking the worker to do a budget projection is brilliant - I'm definitely going to request that. And I'm going to look into that Claimyr service too because trying to reach my worker is always a nightmare. Thank you all for sharing your real experiences. It's one thing to read the official rules somewhere, but hearing from actual parents who've been through this transition makes all the difference. You've given me the confidence to accept this job opportunity!

This is such an encouraging thread to read! I'm a case worker in a neighboring county and I love seeing community members supporting each other through these transitions. Everything shared here about the income disregard and IRT limits is accurate for Sacramento County. One small tip I'd add - when you do call to report your new job, have your offer letter or employment verification ready with your start date, hourly wage, and expected hours per week. This helps your worker process everything faster and more accurately. Also, don't panic if your first month's calculation seems off - sometimes it takes a pay period or two to get the exact amounts right, especially if your hours vary slightly week to week. You're making the right choice taking this job! The path from benefits to self-sufficiency isn't always linear, but every step forward builds toward long-term stability for your family. And remember, if circumstances change (job loss, reduced hours, etc.), you can always reapply for full benefits. The safety net is still there while you build your independence.

This entire thread has been incredibly valuable to read! As a newcomer to this community, I'm amazed by how supportive and knowledgeable everyone is here. I'm currently on CalWORKs with my 8-year-old son and have been hesitant to look for work because I was terrified of losing our benefits and ending up worse off financially. Reading all these real experiences - especially the detailed breakdowns of how the income disregard actually works and seeing actual dollar amounts from people who've made this transition - has completely changed my perspective. I had no idea about programs like Stage 1 childcare assistance, Transitional CalWORKs, or that Medi-Cal has much higher income limits. The tip about asking your worker for a budget projection is brilliant, and I'm definitely going to look into that Claimyr service since reaching workers by phone is such a nightmare. It's also really reassuring to hear from @Vincent as an actual case worker confirming that all this information is accurate. I think I'm finally ready to start seriously job searching knowing that the system is actually designed to help people transition to work gradually rather than cutting everything off immediately. Thank you all for sharing your journeys and creating such a supportive space for people navigating these challenges!