What Else Should I Know about How to Calculate My Grant?
From CalWORKs | Welfare Resources
Contents |
How Do I Qualify For The Higher “Exempt” Family Grant?
Families receive the “exempt” grant amount if all parents or caretakers in the house are:
- disabled and receiving SSI, IHSS, State Disability or Worker’s Compensation Disability payments, or
- the children’s caretaker is not a parent, and the adult is not receiving aid for him/herself.
What If I Have Both Earned And Disability Income?
If you have both earned and disability income, you do not get to deduct the $225 from both types of income. The $225 is deducted first from the disability income. If your disability income is more than $225, only 1/2 of your earned income will not be counted. (This is because you already used the $225 income disregard.) If your disability income is less than $225, you will get what’s left of the $225 disregard plus the 50% disregard from your earned income.
Example: Brandon receives $300 in Social Security disability benefits for his daughter (based on her absent mother’s disability). The disability income that counts against his grant is $300 - 225 = $75. If Brandon also works, he can only get 50% of his earnings disregarded, as he has used up the whole $225 deduction from his disability income. If the Social Security payment is only $100, Brandon gets a $125 deduction ($225 - 100 = $125) to from his earned income. So, $125 plus 50% of the earned income does not count against Brandon’s grant.
When Does My Income Count Against My Grant?
With Quarterly Reporting, your worker will use the income you estimate you will have in the three months after you turn in your report to figure out your grant. This is true regardless of the source of the income. So, for example, if your report is due in March, you will list what income you expect to get in April, May and June. If you think you will have different amounts for the different months, the worker adds all expected income together and divides the number by 3, to give you an “average” income. (See Quarterly Reporting: How to Report.)
What If My Income Stops Or Is Reduced?
Call your worker immediately and send the worker this information in writing. You should also give your worker any proof you have showing that your income stopped or dropped. (Tell your worker immediately even if you do not have the proof yet.) By reporting this, your worker can increase your grant for the remaining months in your payment quarter.
What If My Income Increases?
You must report some income increase within 10 days. (See Quarterly Reporting: How to Report. ) But there is no harm in reporting any increase before your next income report. If the extra income would lower your grant, the worker can’t make the change until the next quarter. Always re-list changes on the QR 7 form.
Be Careful About the Aid “In Kind” Rule
Always make sure that you pay some portion of your housing, utilities, food or clothing costs. If you don’t, the county will deduct a set amount from your grant for the “value” of what you get “in kind.”
Example: Sara’s aunt gives her some food, but she still needs to buy some. The value of the food Sara’s Aunt gives her won’t count. If Sara’s aunt bought all the food Sara needed, the county would cut her grant.
Need More Help?
For more legal help and information, you can use LawHelpCalifornia to contact a local legal advocate.
