Am I eligible for CalWORKs?

CalWORKs is for families with children who need support because at least one parent is unemployed (defined as working less than 100 hours per month), disabled, absent, in jail or prison, or dead, and for needy caretakers of foster child(ren).[1465]

If you’re a parent or caretaker with at least one child in your home, you may be able to get CalWORKs if all of the following requirements are met:

    You, the parent or caretaker, must (1) be a California resident and (2) be legally present in the U.S. (either a citizen or legal permanent resident).[1466]
    At least one child in your home must (1) be under age 18,[1467] and (2) need support because at least one parent is unemployed, disabled, absent, in jail or prison, or dead.[1468]
    Your family’s resources must be no greater than the CalWORKs resource limit.
    For CalWORKs, resources include cash or property that you own, can convert to cash, or can use to support yourself. Some examples are savings accounts, stocks, and bonds. The resource limit is slightly higher for families that include a senior citizen (age 60 or over).
    For CalWORKs, certain things that do NOT count as resources are: your home, household goods (like furniture or appliances), some types of trusts, and your car if it’s worth $4,650 or less. For more information, please visit CalWORKs resource income glossary at http://ca.db101.org/glossary_item.aspx?item-id=1388.
    Your family’s income must be no greater than the CalWORKs income limit.[1469]
    For CalWORKs eligibility, your family’s income includes (1) earned income, or money you earn by working, plus (2) unearned income, or money you receive from sources other than work.[1470] For example, unearned income includes: public benefits, interest from a trust or investment, or spousal support. For CalWORKs eligibility, income does not include SSI, loans and grants, Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Federal Relocation/Disaster benefits, and certain other items, family size, and where you live.

IMPORTANT: Counting your income to see if you’re eligible for CalWORKs works differently than counting your income to calculate your benefit amount. Read more online at: http://ca.db101.org/ca/programs/income_support/calworks/program2.htm

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HELPFUL HINT:CALWORKS COMBINED WITH OTHER BENEFITS PROGRAMS:

    If you receive SSI disability benefits, you do not qualify for CalWORKs. However, other people in your family may still qualify, and you can apply for them. Your income will not be counted.[1471] This means when CalWORKs staff determines your family’s eligibility and cash aid amount, they won’t count you as a family member, and they won’t count your SSI benefits as part of your family’s income. For more information about SSI benefits see PG. 486.If you receive SSDI benefits, you may still qualify for CalWORKs. However, part of your SSDI benefits will count as income when CalWORKs determines your eligibility and calculates your monthly cash aid.[1472] For more information about SSDI benefits, see PG. 482.If you’re approved to get CalWORKs, you may be automatically eligible for CalFresh (“food stamps”) and Medi-Cal.[1473] If your household is receiving cash aid through CalWORKs, you are “categorically eligible” for CalFresh. This means the CalFresh Program accepts the CalWORKs worker’s determination of your eligibility based on information you gave when applying for CalWORKs. For more information on CalFresh, see PG. 454. For more information on Med-Cal, see PG. 466.

Learn how to apply for CalWORKs on PG. 452. You may also visit the following website for tips on applying to CalWORKs: http://lsnc.net/calworks-tips-and-fact-sheets/.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT HOUSEHOLD SIZE: In calculating your benefits, CalWORKs may not count some people in your home as part of your family. Ask your county CalWORKs office for details on who will be included in the “household size.” Examples of people who may not count, even if they live with you, are anyone who: is receiving SSI benefits; is a noncitizen or does not have permanent legal presence in the U.S.; foster children receiving foster care payments; sponsored noncitizens who receive support from sponsors; any anyone who was sanctioned by the CalWORKs program.

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  1. 1465

    See California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs), Cal. Dep’t of Soc. Servs., http://www.cdss.ca.gov/calworks/; see also Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 112201.

  2. 1466

    See Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 11104; see also SHD Paraphrased Regulations: Citizenship-Aliens-Residency, http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/shd/res/pdf/ParaRegs-CalWORKs-Citizenship-Aliens-Residency.pdf.

  3. 1467

    Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 11250.

  4. 1468

    CalWORKs: FAQs, Disability Benefits 101: Working with a Disability in California, http://101.org/ca/programs/income_support/calworks/program2.htm.

  5. 1469

    See Glossary: Minimum Basic Standards of Adequate Care, Disability Benefits 101: Working with a Disability in California, http://ca.db101.org/glossary_item.aspx?item-id=1372 (This limit is also called a “needs standard” or “Minimum Basic Standard of Adequate Care”).

  6. 1470

    See CalWORKs: FAQs, Disability Benefits 101: Working with a Disability in California, http://ca.db101.org/glossary_item.aspx?item-id=763.

  7. 1471

    CalWORKs: FAQs, Disability Benefits 101: Working with a Disability in California, http://ca.db101.org/ca/programs/income_support/calworks/faqs.htm#_q1404.

  8. 1472

    CalWORKs: FAQs, Disability Benefits 101: Working with a Disability in California, http://ca.db101.org/ca/programs/income_support/calworks/faqs.htm#_q1404.

  9. 1473

    How to Apply for CalFresh Benefits, Formerly Known as Food Stamps, Cal. Dep’t of Soc. Servs., http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/foodstamps/PG847.htm.