Will my CalWORKs Cash Aid reduce my CalFresh benefits? Confused about income counting

Yes, CalWORKs Cash Aid does count as income when calculating your CalFresh benefits. When you receive Cash Aid, your CalFresh amount will likely decrease, but the total combined benefits will be higher than just having CalFresh alone. The system automatically accounts for this since both programs are typically managed together. You don't need to separately report your Cash Aid as income to CalFresh - the county will make the adjustment when they approve your CalWORKs. It's still definitely worth applying for both!

When i got approved for cash aid last year my foodstamps went down by about $200 but i was getting $925 in CalWORKs so overall i had more money. just be prepared for the foodstamps to drop the month after u get approved. they dont always tell u its gonna happen and then suddenly ur EBT card has less and ur like wtf???

I had this EXACT problem! Yes, CalWORKS counts as income for CalFresh BUT you'll end up with more total benefits. The county doesn't explain this clearly and it causes so much unnecessary stress. Make sure to keep track of your Semi-Annual Report (SAR7) deadlines for BOTH programs - I missed my CalFresh one because I thought submitting for CalWORKs covered everything and they cut my food stamps completely for a month! The system is designed to be confusing and punish small mistakes, I swear. 😠

The other comments are correct - Cash Aid is counted as income for CalFresh, but you should definitely still apply for both programs. Here's how it works: For every $1 increase in household income, CalFresh benefits typically decrease by about $0.30. So if you get approved for $600 in CalWORKs, your CalFresh might decrease by roughly $180. You'll still come out ahead by about $420 in total resources. One important thing to know is that both programs share the same SAR7 reporting form in California, so you'll submit just one form that covers both programs. Just make sure you include ALL income sources when you report.

My caseworker told me its like 30 cents lower food stamps for each dollar of cashaid. but ya you should apply anyways imo. also you can use cashaid for anything you want but foodstamps only for food obviously. so even tho i get like 200 less foodstamps with cash aid, i can use that cashaid to help with rent and utilities and my car payment and stuff like that.

Just a follow-up point: When your CalWORKs application is approved, you'll receive a Notice of Action (NOA) for BOTH programs - one showing your new CalWORKs approval and another showing your adjusted CalFresh amount. Keep both notices for your records. If the CalFresh reduction seems too large based on the 30% rule others mentioned, you can request a benefit calculation breakdown from your worker. And to answer your question about reporting - no, you don't need separate SAR7 forms. In California, the SAR7 form covers both programs, which makes things a bit easier!

Its so frustrating that they do this!!! Why should getting CASH AID for poor families mean you get LESS FOOD?? Make it make sense!! My caseworker didnt even warn me and suddenly my food stamps dropped by $230 the month after I got approved. I was counting on that money for groceries and had to go to a food bank that month. Just be prepared for them to slash your food budget with no warning.

make sure ur reporting the same income on both applications!!! i accidently put different amounts when i applied and they flagged me for potential fraud even tho it was just a mistake. had to do this whole interview to explain why the numbers were different. so stressful!!

Hey! I went through this same situation last year and it was definitely confusing at first. Everyone here is giving you good advice - yes your CalFresh will go down but you'll have more money overall. One thing I wish someone had told me is to take a screenshot of your current CalFresh amount before you apply for CalWORKs, so you can compare later and make sure they calculated the reduction correctly. Also, if you're doing gig work or babysitting like you mentioned, just make sure you're reporting that income consistently on both applications. The county workers are usually pretty helpful during the interview if you ask them to explain exactly how they calculated your new benefit amounts. Good luck with your interview next week!