Why can't I access all my CalWORKs Cash Aid from ATMs? Different banks giving different amounts

theres withdrawal limits on ebt cards. usually like $200 or $250 per day from atms. plus atm fees add up!! try walmart customer service desk or grocery store, u can ask for cash back when u buy something small and its usually cheaper than atm fees

There are several reasons why this happens: 1. EBT cards have a daily ATM withdrawal limit (usually $1,000 per day in California, but this varies by county) 2. Individual ATMs often have their own lower limits (typically $200-$400) 3. Some banks charge higher fees for non-customers using their ATMs Your best options are: - Use a bank that participates in the MoneyPass network (they usually have lower/no fees) - Get cash back at grocery stores when making small purchases - Some check cashing places will let you withdraw larger amounts for a fee Also, you should have received a brochure with your EBT card that lists surcharge-free ATMs in your area.

Just to add to what others have said, different banks have different policies about EBT cash withdrawals. Wells Fargo has been problematic lately with CalWORKs - they sometimes block EBT transactions entirely. Chase allows withdrawals but usually limits them to $200-$300 per transaction. For your rent, you might want to plan ahead and withdraw the maximum each day for a few days until you have enough. Or you can try purchasing a money order at the post office or some grocery stores using your EBT card - that way you can get the full amount in one transaction for your landlord.

When I first got Cash Aid I had the EXACT same problem!! So frustrating! What I found out is that you can actually check your balance and find no-fee ATMs by calling the number on the back of your EBT card (877-328-9677). They can tell you exactly where to go to avoid those stupid fees. Did your worker explain ANY of this to you? Mine didn't tell me ANYTHING about how to actually access my benefits once approved. I was so lost at first!

I had this exact same problem when I started receiving Cash Aid. It was so frustrating trying to get my money out! If you're struggling to reach anyone at the county to explain how this all works, I recommend Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was getting nowhere with the EBT customer service line, so I used their service to actually reach a real person at my county office who walked me through all the ATM options and limits. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE After I finally got through to someone, they explained that Bank of America ATMs generally work best for full access to Cash Aid in California. Saved me so much stress!

you can go to grocery stores like food 4 less or food maxx and get cash back when you buy something small like a candy bar. thats what i always do cuz the atm fees are like $3-4 each time and that adds up fast. most stores let u get up to $300 cash back and its free

I want to clarify something important about your EBT card and Cash Aid. There are actually two separate accounts on your card: 1. Your CalFresh (food stamps) balance - can ONLY be used for food purchases 2. Your Cash Aid balance - can be withdrawn or used for purchases When you see your balance on a store receipt, make sure you're looking at the Cash Aid portion, not the CalFresh portion. This confuses a lot of new recipients. Also, if you need to make a rent payment but can't withdraw enough at once, ask your landlord if you can make partial payments over a few days. Most will understand if you explain the withdrawal limits.

Has anyone else noticed that Wells Fargo seems to be getting worse with EBT transactions? Last month they worked fine for me but this month I got declined at THREE different Wells Fargo ATMs! I had to drive across town to find a Bank of America that would accept my card. It's ridiculous how hard they make it to access OUR OWN MONEY!!

I'm dealing with the same issue right now! Just got my first Cash Aid payment and it's been such a nightmare trying to figure out how to actually use it. The caseworker literally gave me zero instructions - just handed me the card and said "your benefits are on there." I've been reading through all these comments and it sounds like Bank of America ATMs work best? I'm going to try that tomorrow. Also going to call that number someone mentioned (877-328-9677) to find fee-free ATMs near me. It's so frustrating that they don't explain ANY of this when you first get approved. Like, we're already stressed enough dealing with everything else, and then they make accessing our own benefits this complicated puzzle to solve! Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread is more helpful than anything my caseworker told me.

I'm going through this exact same thing right now! Just started receiving Cash Aid two weeks ago and the ATM situation has been a total headache. I tried three different banks yesterday - Wells Fargo completely declined me, Chase let me get $200 but that's it, and I finally found a Bank of America that let me withdraw $400. What's really annoying is that nobody at the county office explains any of this when they approve you. They just hand you the card and expect you to figure it out on your own. I had to learn about daily limits, ATM fees, and which banks actually work with EBT cards through trial and error. One tip I discovered: if you download the EBT Edge mobile app, you can check your balance and find nearby fee-free ATMs. It's been a lifesaver since some ATMs charge $3-5 per transaction which really adds up when you're already on a tight budget. Also, for anyone needing larger amounts quickly (like for rent), I found that some Walmart locations will let you withdraw up to $500 at customer service, though there might be a small fee. Still cheaper than multiple ATM transactions!

I'm dealing with this exact frustration right now! Got approved for Cash Aid last month and nobody prepared me for how confusing the ATM situation would be. After reading all these comments, I'm realizing I've been doing everything wrong - I was trying random ATMs and getting hit with fees left and right. The EBT Edge app that @Mei Zhang mentioned sounds like a game changer - downloading it now! And I had no idea about the cash back option at grocery stores. I've been paying $4 ATM fees multiple times just to get small amounts out when I could have been getting cash back for free at the store I shop at anyway. It's really frustrating that caseworkers don't explain any of this basic stuff. Like, how are we supposed to know about MoneyPass networks or that different banks have different policies for EBT? We shouldn't have to figure this out through trial and error when we're already dealing with enough stress. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread has been more educational than my entire intake appointment! Definitely going to try Bank of America ATMs and call that customer service number this week.

I'm so glad I found this thread! Just got approved for Cash Aid last week and I've been having the exact same issues with ATMs. My caseworker literally just said "your benefits will be loaded on your card" and that was it - no explanation about daily limits, fees, or which banks actually work! I tried three different ATMs yesterday and had completely different experiences at each one. Wells Fargo declined me entirely (which seems to be a common problem based on what everyone's saying), Chase let me get $200, and Bank of America worked the best. The EBT Edge app that people mentioned here is a total game changer - I had no idea it existed! Just downloaded it and found several fee-free ATMs near me. And I definitely didn't know about getting cash back at grocery stores instead of paying those ridiculous ATM fees. It's honestly ridiculous that we have to learn all this stuff from each other instead of getting proper guidance when we're approved. We're already dealing with enough stress without having to play detective just to access our own benefits! Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - this has been more helpful than anything official I've received.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation - just got my first Cash Aid payment and had no clue about any of these ATM limitations. My caseworker didn't explain anything either, just handed me the EBT card and said "good luck" basically. I've been trying different ATMs all week and getting so frustrated. Wells Fargo has been completely useless - declined every time. I had better luck at a local credit union but they still limited me to $200. Reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm definitely going to: 1. Download that EBT Edge app ASAP 2. Try Bank of America ATMs since multiple people said they work better 3. Start getting cash back at grocery stores instead of paying those crazy ATM fees 4. Call the customer service number (877-328-9677) to find fee-free locations It's honestly sad that we have to crowdsource this basic information instead of getting proper guidance from our caseworkers. Thank you everyone for sharing your trial-and-error experiences - you've saved me a lot of time and frustration! Has anyone had luck with credit union ATMs? There's a big one near me but I haven't tried it yet.