CalWORKs Sacto
Who Can Get CalWORKs
CalWORKs provides money for children under 19 years old and the relatives caring for them. Work and training are required of most adults. Most adults can only get CalWORKs cash aid for 60 months in a lifetime, unless you are exempt from Welfare-to-Work. If you qualify for cash aid, you are also entitled to Medi-Cal for healthcare and CalFresh (food stamps). In Sacramento County, the CalWORKs agency is called DHA, the Department of Human Assistance.
Both one parent and two-parent families can get cash aid. In two-parent families, one of the parents must be disabled, or the parent that has earned the most money in the last two years must have worked less than 100 hours in the last four weeks before applying for cash aid.
Children must live with a related adult and be 18 years old or under. Some 18 year olds can get cash aid until their 19th birthday if they will graduate by age 19 or have a disability that kept them from graduating.
For more information about CalWORKs, see the CalWORKs Fact Sheet on the DHA website: https://ha.saccounty.net/benefits/Pages/default.aspx and scroll down to “CalWORKs”.
WHO CAN GET CALWORKS?
1. Income Limits
You can get assistance if you meet certain income requirements. Once you begin to get assistance you can get more income, but there is still a limit. There is a special calculation if you have your own business or are self-employed. You should apply even if you are not sure that you qualify. As of 2022 these are the income limits for Sacramento County for persons where there is no disability in the family:
The maximum grant is cut dollar for dollar by any “unearned” income you have, such as social security survivor’s benefits, interest (like on a bank account), or unemployment money. Earned income, wages from work, or income based on a disability is not counted dollar for dollar. The first $225 of disability or earned income will not count. Half of the remaining earned income after this amount will not count.
Monthly Income Limits
As of May 2022
| # of people | Gross Income Limit |
| 1 | $718 |
| 2 | $1,179 |
| 3 | $1,460 |
| 4 | $1,736 |
| 5 | $1,985 |
| 6 | $2,229 |
| 7 | $2,443 |
| 8 | $2,668 |
| 9 | $2,883 |
| 10 | $3,139 |
| Over 10 | Add $27 for each extra person. |
2. Limits on Property and Resources
There are property limits (“resource limits”) for families, including specific limits for family members 60 years or older who are on aid. Visit https://ca.db101.org/ca/programs/income_support/calworks/program2.htm
to access the current property limits.
• There is a limit on the value of a car you own if you apply for CalWORKs. There are certain exceptions for cars, such as a car you live in, a car you need for a business, or a car used to transport a disabled person.
The maximum grant is cut dollar for dollar by any “unearned” income you have, such as social security survivor’s benefits, interest (like on a bank account), or unemployment money. Earned income, wages from work, or income based on a disability is not counted dollar for dollar. The first $550 of disability or earned income will not count. Half of the remaining earned income after this amount will not count.
Families that have a parent who receives SSI, In Home Supportive Services, State Disability Insurance or Workers Compensation Temporary Disability qualify for the higher “exempt” amount.
3. Think About Time Limits Before You Take Cash Aid
You may not want to get cash aid if you have other income. Any month you get cash aid counts against the 60-month time limit, even if you are entitled only to a few dollars a month. You can get Medi-Cal, Food Stamps and child care even when you do not get cash aid. Is the cash aid you will get worth “using up” a month of eligibility? Should you “save” the month in case you need it more at a later time in your life? Call Legal Services to discuss your options.