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When I first applied for EBT/food stamps, I was unemployed. That was very early June, 2013. I've since gotten a job, but it's not full time.
My questions are: HOW poor do I have to be to still be approved for EBT? Like what dollar amount can someone make at the most to still be considered poor enough to still be approved? If I try to continue getting EBT, I suppose if it's considered enough, I'll be non-approved, end of story. Now that I have a job, I won't be made to pay back the aid amount I got before will I?
Last edited by Forever Blue; 08-01-2013 at 05:05 PM..
Depends. If you were approved, and then the next week you got this job, and never submitted the "change" form after becoming employed, and continued to collect a benefit based on no income when you had income, then yes, they'll figure it out and come after you.
Unless it's changed, the maximum monthly income for Food Stamps is $1,211. When you report income on your quarters report (now to be a semi-annual report), they adjust your monthly amount. I was getting $142 per month in food stamps, and when I reported income from my part-time job that was less than my unemployment, they reduced my benefit amount to $62 per month. It's now back up to $142, since my job lost a major contract, and I haven't worked.
I've had to pay back benefits twice, because the county is very slow about doing their work. The first time I paid them back, they sent me a letter a year later letting me know that I still had benefits on my EBT card, even though it hadn't been used in over a year. It then took them two more years to send me a check for the amount that they owed me.
Another example of how the county works. I had been having a condition where I needed to see a doctor, but couldn't afford it. Since my income was low income (and still is), I applied for the county insurance called "LiHP." in March. I got a letter in the mail telling me that I was ineligible for Medicare. I went to the office and was told that I had been approved for "CMS," a different county insurance. I called CMS, and was told that I wasn't in their computer, so I made an eligibility appointment. I went to the appointment, was told that I was on "LiHP." I knew nothing about it, so they printed out the id card, and it had been approved in March. The reason I didn't know about it was because it was sent to my home address, and I don't get mail there - I have a PMB, which is on file, the person that processed my application just didn't pay attention to it. This was on May 25. I have it until September 30.
I immediately made a doctor's appointment, and was immediately referred to a specialist. If the county had done their job properly, my medical condition would have been taken care of much earlier, instead of me having to wait three months to find out that I had the insurance.
About 3 wks after I applied for EBT, I found work & worked in June for only 6 days for 1.5 - 2 hrs each of those days. Didn't work any of July. I work again in mid-August. I'm requesting to stop CalFresh aid for Sept & beyond because I think I'll make enough to handle buying food. So this month of Aug will be my last month of getting aid. They won't make me pay back what I'm getting for Aug will they? (I haven't used any of Aug's aid amount yet.)
You should continue to collect benefits as long as the CalFresh people tell you need it. What you think is irrelevant. If you're wrong about your future benefits or eligibility for them, you don't get to go back in time and undo it. If you do lose eligibility, any money you haven't spent on your EBT card is still available to use for at least 6 months.
As for August, you get a form to report changes to your income, or you can do it on line. Follow the rules, and you want have a problem.
We're in a special time. Normally, able-bodied adults don't get food stamps. We're currently in a waiver period because of the high unemployment rate. Enjoy every nickle you can get now because if you need it in the future, it may not be there.
I got aid for June, July, & Aug (when I needed help the most) & I'm not going to try to keep going & appear in their eyes that I'm taking advantage. It says if I need aid again, I can reapply. I already marked on the trimesterly form that's to be mailed back that I'm requesting to stop after August & the envelope's been sealed & is ready to be mailed off. I'll just enjoy this last month of aid.
You can do that if you want, but don't think they are gonna care, or grant you brownie points. If there's some other tragedy in your life, you can't go to them and say, "look I did the right thing and only took what I needed. Now, I need help again."
If you don't meet the income/resource guidelines, you won't get anything. They won't care that you need a $1000 transmission repair that will consume two weeks of pay.
For anyone reading this post who may have a similar question:
Feel free to apply online and find out. Why not? It's usually not a difficult application, and your state has a whole department of people tasked with figuring it out for you.
The "maximum income" is calculated differently in every state, from what I've heard. Some states will actually give "allowances" or exclude amounts that cover some protected spending activities like childcare, etc. 14% of Maine households are on food stamps, and I've never heard that state was wracked with poverty like Alabama or something...
Many states have eliminated asset tests for food stamps, while still maintaining them for cash benefits. Other states have changed the asset limits to include much higher allowances for vehicles and primary residences.
If you're not that far over the "cut-off line", you may qualify anyway. I've always heard that lots more low-wage workers qualify for food stamps than people realize.
What happens if something changes in my household circumstances?[/SIZE]
>>>If your household only receives Basic Food from our department, you need to tell us if your
total gross household income goes above 200% of the federal poverty guidelines<<<
You can tell us of the change in writing, by telephone, in person, or online at www.washingtonconnection.org . You must report the change by the 10th of the month following the month your income increased. For example, if you have a change that occurred today, you must report by the 10th of next month. If your household receives other benefits in addition to Basic Food, you must report according to Washington Administrative Code 388-418-0005.You will be told in writing how the change affects your food benefits
This means (To me) that unless I make more then $22.980 in a year, or am on track to exceed it, I MUST report it then. But until I DO make more, I do NOT have to report the change. I was told at the time I got the card, that unless I made more then $19.16 a month ($22,922) I won't lose my benefits....
This is ONLY if you get just basic food from them...Not anything else.
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