When do CalWORKs supplements actually deposit? C-IV/CalSAWS vs CalWIN payment dates confusing me
Super confused about when CalWORKs cash aid supplements are supposed to hit our accounts this month. I'm on CalWIN in Alameda County and was told supplements would be loaded on the 18th, but my friend in LA County (who's on CalSAWS) swears she got hers on Saturday the 15th. Another mom at my kid's school said something about different counties having different deposit dates depending on which system they use? Can anyone confirm if CalWIN counties get their supplements on different days than CalSAWS/C-IV counties? My rent is due next week and I'm trying to figure out exactly when I'll have the money. Sorry if this has already been discussed a bunch of times.
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Jade O'Malley
Yes, CalSAWS (formerly C-IV) counties typically receive their CalWORKs supplements 1-3 days earlier than CalWIN counties. I work with several clients across different counties, and this has been consistent. CalSAWS supplements usually hit accounts on the 3rd weekend of the month (often Saturday), while CalWIN typically processes them on the following Monday or Tuesday. The reason for this is that they're different computer systems managed by different contractors, even though they're both administering the same CalWORKs program. Eventually all counties will transition to CalSAWS, but for now, the payment timing varies depending on which system your county uses.
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Caleb Stark
•Thanks for explaining! Is there a list somewhere of which counties use which system? I'm moving to Contra Costa next month and wondering if I'll have different payment dates there.
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Hunter Edmunds
i got mine saturday night and im in riverside (calsaws) but my sister in san diego didnt get hers till monday even tho shes also calsaws county. honestly its never the same day every month for me just sometime around the third weekend
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Ella Lewis
•Ughhh why is the system so INCONSISTENT?! I hate how we can't ever get a straight answer about when money is coming. My caseworker literally told me "it depends on your bank" but that doesn't explain why it's different days every month even when I have the same bank!! Anyone else notice it's been getting later and later the past few months? 🤬
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Andrew Pinnock
The difference between CalWIN and CalSAWS payment timing is definitely real. Here's the breakdown: - CalSAWS counties (formerly C-IV): Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, Sacramento, and 35 other counties typically receive supplements between the 14th-17th, usually hitting accounts on Saturday or Sunday. - CalWIN counties: Alameda, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Diego, Orange, and 13 other counties typically receive supplements between the 17th-20th, usually hitting accounts on Monday or Tuesday. So if you're in Alameda (CalWIN), you're likely to receive your payment Monday or Tuesday this week. The good news is that by 2025, all counties will be operating on the unified CalSAWS system, which should standardize payment dates. Until then, yes, it varies by county system.
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Caleb Stark
•That's actually really helpful, thank you! It's frustrating that they can't make it consistent across counties, but at least now I know to expect it Monday or Tuesday. Appreciate the detailed info!
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Brianna Schmidt
omg i had this same confusion. im on calworks in san diego and was told by my friend in riverside she already got her money but i didnt. called the countuy but got stuck in the automated system for 45 min before giving up. sooooo annoying. mine finally showed up monday night.
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Alexis Renard
•If you need to reach a CalWORKs worker and hate waiting on hold, try Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have this service that calls the county for you and then calls you when a real person answers. Saved me hours of hold time last month when my benefits were delayed. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE. Wish I knew about it sooner!
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Camila Jordan
Not to make things more confusing, but the payment dates are also affected by holidays, weekends, and sometimes system maintenance. I've noticed that when the 15th falls on a weekend (like this month), the timing gets even more unpredictable. Also, after you get your deposit, make sure to double-check the amount. I've had situations where the supplement amount was incorrect. If you're on CalWORKs and CalFresh, sometimes case workers accidentally enter the wrong amounts when processing supplements. Always good to verify!
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Tyler Lefleur
•this is such a good point! my last supplement was short $47 and when i finally reached someone they said it was a "system calculation error" and had to manually fix it. took 2 weeks to get the rest of my money
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Ella Lewis
The whole CalSAWS vs CalWIN thing is RIDICULOUS!!!! Why can't they have ONE system that works THE SAME for EVERYONE??!! I've been calling the county ALL DAY and keep getting hung up on. My neighbor got her supplement Friday night and I'm still waiting (it's Tuesday now). We both have cash aid for 2 kids each, both in same county, WHY is mine different??? This is seriously stressing me out every single month!!
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Andrew Pinnock
•I understand your frustration. Even within the same county and same system, deposits can be staggered over 2-3 days based on case numbers. The county processes thousands of payments, and they don't all go out simultaneously. If you and your neighbor have different case numbers, that could explain the different timing. If your payment normally arrives by a certain day and it's more than 3 business days late, definitely follow up with your worker. But a 1-2 day difference is unfortunately normal with the current systems.
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Tyler Lefleur
i switched counties last year (from riverside to alameda) and was so confused when my payment dates all changed! no one explained the calwin vs calsaws thing to me and i thought they had reduced my benefits or something cuz the payment was "late" compared to what i was used to. ended up having to take out a payday loan because i didnt know when the money was coming 😓
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Jade O'Malley
•That's unfortunately a common issue when switching between counties with different systems. For anyone moving between counties, always ask your new worker specifically about payment dates and any differences you should expect. The same benefits may be processed on different schedules depending on the county's system. Also, most counties offer emergency assistance if you're in danger of eviction or utility shut-off while waiting for your regular benefits. Always ask about emergency options before turning to payday loans, which can create a difficult cycle of debt.
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Hunter Edmunds
my worker told me its supposed to be the 15th every month but if that falls on weekend it goes to monday. but then sometimes its saturday?? makes no sense tbh
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Camila Jordan
•The official policy is that supplements should be available on the 15th, but in practice, it depends on: 1. Which system your county uses (CalWIN vs CalSAWS) 2. Weekends/holidays (payments don't process on non-business days) 3. Your bank's processing time (some banks hold deposits longer) 4. The volume of payments being processed that day That's why there's so much confusion - the target date is the 15th, but these factors create variations. The most consistent thing is which week of the month you'll receive it, rather than the exact day.
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