Will unpaid child support affect my CalFresh/SNAP benefits amount?

No, your CalFresh benefits won't be affected by child support that you're NOT receiving. CalFresh only counts income that actually comes into your household. If you're not receiving the full court-ordered amount (or getting anything at all), then only whatever you actually receive counts. When you do your recertification, just be honest about how much child support you actually get each month. You might need to show bank statements or child support payment records to verify the actual amounts. They shouldn't count the full court-ordered amount if you're not getting it.

i had the same problem last year my ex was supposed to pay $550 but would only pay like $100 here and there. they only counted what i actually got, not what i was supposed to get. but make sure u tell ur worker that the payments are inconsistant!!

When I was on CalFresh they made me assign my rights to child support to the county as a condition of getting CalWORKs. Are you on cash aid too or just food stamps? Because the rules are different depending on which programs you're on. If you're on CalWORKs (cash aid) then most of your child support goes to the county to "pay back" your benefits and you only get the first $100 (or $200 if you have 2+ kids).

You should definitely report ANY child support you DO get during recertification, even if it's way less than court-ordered. They will count what you actually receive as income. If you don't report it, that could be considered fraud. But they can't count money you never actually receive! That would be crazy unfair.

I work with CalFresh cases and can confirm that only child support ACTUALLY RECEIVED counts as income. If the court ordered $475 but you only get $87 sometimes, then only the $87 counts when it comes in. But here's the important part - you should report when you get payments, especially if they're irregular. CalFresh has income reporting thresholds (IRT), and if you suddenly got a big payment that puts you over your IRT, you would need to report it mid-period. For your recertification, bring documentation showing what you've actually received - bank statements, DCSS payment history, etc. The worker needs to see actual payment history, not just the court order.

My caseworker kept mistakenly counting the full amount my ex was SUPPOSED to pay even though I told her repeatedly I wasn't getting it!!! Took 3 months and multiple phone calls to fix! I had to call the county office like 18 times before someone helped me! SO FRUSTRATED with the system sometimes!!

u should contact child support services and tell them hes not paying. they can take his tax refunds, suspend his drivers license, even garnish his wages from his job. they have ways to make him pay but u gotta tell them hes not following the order.

wait im confused does snap and calfresh mean the same thing?? i thought they were different programs

Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! I feel much better now knowing that only the child support I actually receive will count toward my CalFresh eligibility. I'll make sure to bring my bank statements and DCSS payment history to my recertification appointment to show exactly what I've been getting (which isn't much!). Really appreciate all the advice, especially about the IRT reporting requirement. I'll check my notice to see what my threshold is, though I doubt I'll ever get enough child support to reach it at this rate.

You're so welcome! I'm glad we could help ease your stress about this. It's totally understandable to worry about these things - the system can be confusing and intimidating. You're doing everything right by being prepared with documentation and being honest about what you're actually receiving. Just remember that caseworkers see situations like yours all the time where court-ordered support doesn't match reality. Don't let anyone make you feel bad about the fact that your ex isn't paying what he's supposed to - that's on him, not you. You're working hard to provide for your kids and using the programs as they're intended. Good luck with your recertification!

As someone new to navigating CalFresh benefits, I really appreciate reading through this thread! It's so helpful to see real experiences from people who've dealt with similar situations. The distinction between court-ordered vs. actually received child support is really important - I had no idea they only counted what you actually get. @f3839b0cf18f your situation sounds really stressful, but it seems like you're handling it exactly right by keeping good records and being transparent with your caseworker. The advice about bringing bank statements and DCSS payment history is spot on. It's frustrating that deadbeat parents can make things so complicated for families just trying to get by, but at least the CalFresh system seems to recognize the reality that court orders don't always equal actual payments. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge - this kind of peer support is invaluable for understanding these complex programs!

As someone new to this community, I'm really grateful to have found this thread! I'm currently going through a similar situation with inconsistent child support payments and was worried about how it might affect my CalFresh benefits during my upcoming recertification. Reading everyone's experiences has been so reassuring - especially learning that only the child support you actually receive counts as income, not what's court-ordered. It makes perfect sense that the system works this way, but I had no idea and was really stressed about it. @f3839b0cf18f thank you for asking this question! Your situation sounds really challenging, but it's clear you're being proactive and responsible by keeping good records and preparing the right documentation. The advice everyone has given about bringing bank statements and DCSS payment history is exactly what I needed to hear too. This community is amazing - the willingness to share real experiences and practical advice is so valuable when navigating these complex systems. It's comforting to know there are people who understand these struggles and are willing to help others through them.

As someone new to this community and currently navigating the CalFresh system myself, this entire thread has been incredibly enlightening! I had similar concerns about how child support obligations versus actual payments would be handled, and everyone's experiences here have really helped clarify things. @f3839b0cf18f your proactive approach to gathering documentation is exactly right - it's so important to show the reality of what you're receiving rather than what's on paper. The stress you described about recertification really resonates with me, as I think many of us worry about how changes in our situations might affect our benefits. What really stands out to me is how this community comes together to share practical, real-world advice. The information about Income Reporting Thresholds, the distinction between CalFresh and CalWORKs rules, and even tips about services like Claimyr for getting through to caseworkers - this is the kind of peer support that makes such a difference when dealing with complex government programs. It's also reassuring to see that the CalFresh system seems designed fairly in this regard - counting actual income rather than theoretical income makes complete sense. Nobody should be penalized for money they're not actually receiving, especially when dealing with an uncooperative ex-partner. Thanks to everyone for sharing their knowledge and experiences!

As a newcomer to this community, I've been following this thread with great interest since I'm in a somewhat similar situation. I'm currently receiving CalFresh benefits and recently filed for child support, so I was really worried about how that might affect my food assistance. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly reassuring! The consistent message that CalFresh only counts child support you actually receive (not what's court-ordered) makes so much sense, but I had no idea that's how it worked. Like @f3839b0cf18f, I was stressed about my upcoming recertification and whether they'd expect me to be receiving money that I'm not actually getting. The practical advice about documentation has been invaluable - I'll definitely make sure to bring bank statements and payment records to show the actual amounts received rather than just the court order. It's also helpful to learn about the Income Reporting Threshold and when mid-period reporting might be necessary. What strikes me most is how supportive this community is. Everyone has shared their real experiences openly, and it's clear that many people have dealt with similar frustrations around inconsistent child support payments. It's comforting to know there are others who understand these challenges and that the CalFresh system does try to be fair by looking at actual circumstances rather than just paperwork. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this discussion - this kind of peer support makes such a difference when navigating these complex programs!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly helpful discussion! I'm currently on CalFresh and was actually wondering about this exact situation since I'm considering filing for child support but was worried it might complicate my benefits. Reading through all these experiences has been so educational - I had no idea that CalFresh only counts child support you actually receive rather than what's court-ordered. That seems like such a fair and logical way to handle it, but I never would have known without this community sharing their real-world experiences. @f3839b0cf18f your question was so important and I'm glad you asked it! The stress you described about recertification really resonates with me. It's clear from everyone's responses that being honest and bringing good documentation (bank statements, DCSS records) is the key to showing your actual situation rather than what's just on paper. I'm also grateful to learn about things like Income Reporting Thresholds and the difference between CalFresh and CalWORKs rules. This kind of practical information is so valuable when you're trying to navigate these systems. It's wonderful to see a community where people genuinely support each other through these challenges!

As someone new to this community, I'm so grateful to have found this discussion! I'm currently going through my first CalFresh recertification and was really anxious about how to handle my child support situation. My ex is supposed to pay $380/month but I maybe get $150 on a good month, sometimes nothing for months at a time. Reading everyone's experiences has been such a relief - I had no idea that CalFresh only counts what you actually receive rather than what's court-ordered. That makes so much sense but nobody ever explained it to me when I first applied. The advice about bringing bank statements and DCSS payment history is exactly what I needed to hear. What really strikes me is how supportive this community is. It's clear that dealing with unreliable child support is unfortunately common, but seeing how people help each other navigate these systems gives me so much hope. Thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge - this thread has completely changed how I'm approaching my recertification appointment next week!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to express how incredibly helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm currently navigating CalFresh benefits for the first time and had so many questions about how various income sources are handled, especially child support. The clarity everyone has provided about CalFresh only counting child support you actually receive (rather than court-ordered amounts) is such valuable information that I never would have found in official resources. It's reassuring to know the system recognizes the reality that court orders don't always translate to actual payments. What really impresses me about this community is the willingness to share real experiences and practical advice. The tips about documentation, Income Reporting Thresholds, and the differences between various programs have been educational beyond what any government website could provide. It's clear that many people here have walked similar paths and genuinely want to help others succeed. @f3839b0cf18f thank you for asking such an important question that has helped so many of us! Your proactive approach to gathering documentation shows you're handling this exactly right. To everyone who shared their experiences - this kind of peer support is invaluable when dealing with complex government programs. I'm grateful to have found such a knowledgeable and supportive community!