Will CalWORKs approval reduce my CalFresh benefits for large family of 7?

yes they will lower ur calfresh when u get calworks its so stupid tbh. happened to me last year with my 3 kids. they say its cuz the cash aid counts as income for calfresh calculations. idk exactly how much ull lose with 6 kids tho

Yes, your CalFresh will likely be reduced, but the total benefits you receive will be greater overall. CalWORKs cash aid counts as income when calculating CalFresh eligibility. For a family of 7, your maximum potential CalWORKs grant would be approximately $1,945 in 2025 (depending on your county). This will reduce your CalFresh, but the combined total should give you more resources than CalFresh alone. Make sure to ask your eligibility worker to explain exactly how the benefits will interact during your interview.

mine went down but not that much!! the calworks helped more then what i lost in calfresh. plus with calworks u can also get childcare help if u need it for work or school and diaper money for kids under 3!!!

The CalFresh reduction follows a specific formula - for every $1 of countable income (which CalWORKs cash aid is), your CalFresh typically goes down by about 30 cents. So yes, it will go down, but you'll still come out ahead financially. Also, don't forget that with CalWORKs you can access: - Childcare assistance - Welfare to Work services (job training, etc) - Medi-Cal coverage - Diaper stipend for children under 3 - Homeless assistance if you ever need it - School supplies allowance Make sure to ask about ALL available benefits during your interview!

I HAD THIS EXACT PROBLEM!!! been on calfresh for years with my 4 kids. when i finally applied for calworks last summer my calfresh dropped from $1070 to like $680!!! I WAS SO MAD. but then realized with the cash aid of $1375 i was actually getting way more total. jut had to budget different since some was cash now instead of all food. took adjusting but we're better off now for sure

I'm a benefits counselor who works with these programs. Yes, your CalFresh will decrease when you receive CalWORKs, but here's what you need to know: 1. CalWORKs for a family of 7 provides substantially more than the reduction in CalFresh 2. The CalFresh reduction is NOT dollar-for-dollar (it's based on a net income calculation) 3. Your total combined benefits will be significantly higher 4. You'll qualify for additional benefits through CalWORKs One tip: During your interview, ask specifically about the Welfare-to-Work services, as you may be eligible for childcare assistance and transportation reimbursement, which can save you hundreds each month.

Getting through to someone who can properly explain how your benefits will change can be really frustrating. When I was trying to understand my CalWORKs/CalFresh situation, I kept getting disconnected or waiting forever on hold. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a real person at the county office in about 15 minutes instead of waiting for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE Totally worth it to get clear answers about your specific situation rather than guessing what might happen to your benefits.

u might wanna ask bout the IRT too. thats the income reporting threshold. its different for calworks vs calfresh n u need to know both so u dont get in trouble if u start working!

One more thing to consider - when you get CalWORKs, you'll switch to Semi-Annual Reporting (SAR7) forms. You'll need to report any income changes every 6 months, or immediately if you go over your Income Reporting Threshold (IRT). Make sure they explain this clearly, as missing reports can cause both benefits to stop. Also, for a family your size, you should qualify for expedited CalWORKs if you have less than $100 in resources and immediate needs. Ask about this if your situation is urgent.

Just wanted to add that you should also ask about the CalWORKs car repair program if you have transportation issues! Many people don't know about it but they can help with emergency car repairs up to like $1000 if you're working or in their job training program. With 6 kids, reliable transportation is so important for getting to appointments, school, work, etc. Also make sure to get copies of all your benefit calculations at the interview - sometimes there are errors and it's easier to catch them if you have the paperwork right away.

Hey Sean! I'm in a similar situation - single mom with 5 kids and just got approved for CalWORKs last month. Yes, your CalFresh will go down but honestly the total amount you get is SO much better. My CalFresh dropped from about $1200 to around $750, but I got $1600 in CalWORKs cash aid so we're way better off overall. The hardest part was just adjusting my budget since I was used to having it all be food money. Now I have to be more careful about how much of the cash I spend on groceries vs other necessities. But having that flexibility to pay for things like school fees, clothes, and unexpected expenses has been amazing. Also definitely ask about ALL the other benefits - the childcare assistance alone has saved me hundreds! Good luck with your interview!