Quarterly Reporting: How to Report
From CalWORKs | Welfare Resources
Contents |
Quarterly Reporting
- What Is It?
- People on CalWORKs (Cash aid) and Food Stamps now use a 3-month (“quarterly”) report to list income and household changes. This takes the place of the old monthly reporting.
- How Does It Work?
- You use a “QR-7” income report.
- The county will tell you when to start turning in the QR-7. This is called the “report month.” Each new report is sent in every 3 months.
- When you fill out your information, you list what happened in the middle of the quarter (2nd month) you are reporting about. This is called the “data month.”
- Note: If you are reporting for the quarter from January to March, your data month is February. List on the QR-7 what happened in February. You turn this report in during March. March is your report month.
- The county takes the income you expect to get for the next three months to figure out your benefits for the next quarter.
- Mid-Quarter Reporting
- Some things must be reported to the county before your next income report is due. This is called "mandatory mid-quarter reporting." These things must be reported in 10 days.
- For CalWORKs, you must report:
- Address changes, fleeing felons, drug convictions, parole or probation violations, and if your income goes over the “income reporting threshold.” (See below.)
- For Food Stamps, you must report:
- Address changes, and, if you are single, changes to your work hours.
- Note: Report other changes -- you may get a grant increase! If the changes in household size, income, etc. help you, the county will send you more aid. If they would result in less aid, the county won’t make the change until the next quarter.
- Income Reporting Threshold
- This is the amount of income that would make your house ineligible for aid. The county must tell you what that limit is for your household. They count the combined earned and unearned income to see if you are at this limit. Report this within 10 days.
- What is "Anticipated Income"?
- “Anticipated Income” is money you are “reasonably certain” to get during the next three months.
- For example, you just got hired to start a job, and know your schedule and pay rate. Or just got your first Unemployment Insurance check, and know the bi-weekly benefit amount.
- The county will try to see if there is enough certainty in your getting the income. If so, the amount you expect, or “anticipate” getting, will be what is used as your income.
- Note: You think you should get Unemployment, but you’ve not gotten any payment, and don’t know how much you would get. The county can’t count income from Unemployment.
- If you don’t know (or the county can’t find out from the person who is paying you), the county can’t count it!
- Fluctuating Income
- “Fluctuating income” is income that changes monthly. (Example: your work hours change every week.)
- The county can use your “earning history” to come up with an amount of income to count.
- If your income is less than the county used for it’s estimate, make sure to report this.
Tips on Reporting
- When in doubt...report. This way, you protect yourself. If you disagree with what the welfare department does with your information, you can ask for a state fair hearing.
- If your income drops, make sure to tell your worker. If you call, follow up in writing.
- Make sure you know your income reporting threshold. If your combined earned and unearned income is over this amount, the county needs to know within 10 days. You can get in trouble for not reporting this.
- If your income goes up, unless you go over the income threshold, your benefits don’t change. So, there’s no downside in reporting.
- If the county has said they are ending your benefits, based on your last report, and something changes, report this immediately! You may be able to keep getting your benefits.
- Problems? Ask for a state hearing! Fill out the back of any Notice of Action or call (800) 952-5253.
Need More Help?
For more legal help and information, you can use LawHelpCalifornia to contact a local legal advocate.
