Will my CalFresh benefits decrease if I start receiving CalWORKs Cash Aid?

Yes, your CalFresh benefits will likely decrease when you start receiving CalWORKs Cash Aid. This happens because Cash Aid counts as income when calculating your CalFresh eligibility and benefit amount. The exact reduction depends on your household size and other factors, but generally for every $1 of additional income, your CalFresh decreases by about 30 cents. However, the total amount of benefits (Cash Aid + CalFresh) will be higher than just CalFresh alone. So while your food stamps will go down, your overall assistance will increase. When your Cash Aid gets approved, they'll automatically recalculate your CalFresh benefits and send you a Notice of Action explaining the new amount.

When I got CalWORKs last year my CalFresh went down by like $250 which shocked me at first. BUT! The cash aid was over $900 so I was still getting way more total. Don't stress too much - the math usually works out in your favor overall. Just be prepared for the adjustment on your EBT card that first month so you're not surprised when you go to buy groceries!

it depends on ur exact situation but yeah theyll go down some. Mine went from 650 to 420 when i started gettin cash aid but overall i had more $ to work with so it was fine

The reduction follows a specific formula. For every $3 in Cash Aid, your CalFresh typically decreases by about $1. So if you're getting $863 in Cash Aid, your CalFresh might decrease by approximately $287, meaning you'd get around $453 in CalFresh instead of $740. But look at the total: $863 (Cash Aid) + $453 (reduced CalFresh) = $1,316 total benefits, compared to just $740 before. That's a net increase of $576 in total assistance. The county should send you a Notice of Action (NOA) before making any changes to your CalFresh. This letter will show the exact calculation and your new benefit amount. If you think there's a mistake in their calculation, you have 90 days to request a fair hearing.

The COUNTY NEVER EXPLAINS THIS PROPERLY!!! They just tell you you're approved for cash and don't warn you about the food stamps going down! Then you're at the store and suddenly don't have enough on your card. Happened to me and my kids were HUNGRY for days until I could figure out what happened!! Always put aside some emergency food when switching benefits!!!!

I had this exact same worry when I applied last month! Been trying to call my worker for DAYS to ask about it but kept getting stuck in the phone tree or disconnected. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a real person at the CalWORKs office in like 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE Anyway the worker explained that yes my CalFresh would go down but confirmed I'd get more total benefits. They also helped me calculate exactly what I'd get so I could budget properly. Definitely worth getting through to someone who can look at your specific case.

Wait don't get confused about one thing - CalWORKs and CalFresh are two totally different programs with separate benefits. CalWORKs is cash aid that goes to your bank account or EBT card (cash side) and CalFresh is food assistance that goes to the food side of your EBT card. They calculate them differently but both are based on your income and household size. When you get Cash Aid, that's considered income when they calculate your food benefits. And yes, your CalFresh will probably decrease, but your total benefits will be more than before. My cousin just went through this same thing.

make sure u report the cash aid on ur next SAR7 or they might give u an overpaymnt later tht you'll have to pay back

One REALLY important tip: You can use some of your Cash Aid to maximize your food budget. Like I use my Cash Aid to buy all the non-food items (toilet paper, soap, diapers) that CalFresh doesn't cover, which lets me use all my CalFresh just for actual food. Also, don't forget that when you get Cash Aid, you automatically qualify for the CalWORKs childcare program if you need it for work or school!

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago! Yes, your CalFresh will decrease, but don't panic - you'll still come out ahead financially. In my case, my CalFresh went from around $700 to about $450, but I was getting $800+ in Cash Aid, so overall I had way more to work with each month. One thing that really helped me was calling my eligibility worker before the Cash Aid kicked in to ask for the exact numbers so I could plan my first month's grocery shopping. That way I wasn't caught off guard at the checkout line. Also, if you have any WIC benefits, those won't be affected at all by the Cash Aid. The transition period can feel scary, but once you adjust your budgeting it actually makes things easier having both types of assistance. Good luck with everything!

I'm in a similar situation right now - just got approved for CalWORKs last week and have been stressing about this exact thing! Reading everyone's responses here is so helpful. It sounds like even though the CalFresh will go down, we'll still be better off overall with the Cash Aid. I'm definitely going to try calling my worker to get the specific numbers like some of you suggested. Has anyone had luck getting through to the county office lately? I keep getting busy signals when I call. Also wondering - do they usually give you advance notice before they change your CalFresh amount, or does it just happen automatically once the Cash Aid starts?

I just wanted to add something that helped me when I went through this transition - try to stock up on some non-perishable foods before your CalFresh amount changes, especially if you're worried about that first month. Things like rice, beans, pasta, canned goods, etc. That way you have a buffer while you're adjusting to the new amounts. Also, don't forget that many food banks and pantries are available if you need extra help during the transition. I used a local food pantry for a couple weeks when I was figuring out my new budget and it really took the stress off. There's no shame in using all the resources available to feed your family! One more tip - if you shop at stores that accept EBT, many of them also participate in programs that give you extra money for buying fresh fruits and vegetables. Like at farmers markets you can sometimes double your CalFresh dollars for produce. Every little bit helps stretch that food budget further.