• Step 1: Determine Your Household Size :- A household is defined as a group of people who regularly purchase and consume food together, irrespective of their relationship. It's important to note that a household can consist of just one person, and multiple households can reside at the same address. Homelessness does not disqualify you from receiving food stamp benefits.
  
• Step 2: Gather Your Monthly Earned Income :- Earned income encompasses all countable earnings within a given one-month period before taxes. This includes wages or salaries from a job, earnings from self-employment after allowable business expenses, income from renters, roommates, or boarders after operational costs, and income from rental property after subtracting business expenses. Social Security payments also count as earned income.
• Step 3: Calculate Your Gross Monthly Income :- Total your earned income from all sources. This sum represents your household's gross monthly income. To determine your eligibility for CalFresh, you'll need to compare this figure to the CalFresh Income Limit Chart for 2023.
• Step 4: Check Eligibility Using the CalFresh Income Limit Chart for 2023 :- Most households must have a total gross monthly income less than or equal to 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL) to be potentially eligible for CalFresh benefits. However, if your household includes a person who is 60 years or older or disabled, you only need to meet the net income limit.

Overview CalFresh Income Limit 2023

• 20% deduction from earned income
  
• Standard deductions based on household size and location
• Costs of childcare when necessary for work, job-seeking, or job training
• Medical expenses exceeding $35 for elderly or disabled household members
• Court-ordered child support payments paid to non-household members
• A portion of shelter (rent or mortgage) and utility costs

CalFresh Eligibility 

CalFresh, California's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), provides support to individuals with low or no income. Eligibility includes:

CalFresh Income Limit data for 2023 presented in a table for a quick overview 

• Physically or mentally unfit, or
  
• Working at least 20 hours per week, or
• Participating in a state or federally-financed work-study program, or
• Participating in an on-the-job training program, or
• Receiving CalWORKs benefits, or
• Taking care of a dependent household member under the age of 6, or
• Taking care of a dependent household member over the age of 6 but under 12 and do not have adequate child care to be able to attend school and work a minimum of 20 hours, or take part in a state or federally-financed work-study program, or
• Single parent enrolled full time in college and taking care of a dependent household member under the age of 12, or
• Enrolled in college as a result of participation in the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), or the Job Opportunities and Basic Skill (JOBS) program under Title IV of the Social Security Act.
• Voluntarily participating in The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) or The Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS).
• Voluntarily participating in EOP, JOBS, DSPS, CARE, MESA, Puente, McNAIR, Former Foster Youth Programs, Cal Grant A&B that meet TANF requirements.

Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs)

• Satisfies the ABAWD work requirement (work or complete “work activities” for an average of 20 hours a week, or a total of 80 hours a month), or
  
• Lives in a county or area with an ABAWD time limit waiver, or
• Has an exemption from the ABAWD time limit.

CalFresh Benefit Calculation Overview:

• Income Consideration: - The calculation begins by examining the total earned and unearned income of the household for the month in which it is received.
  
• Deductions:- Deductions are allowed for specific expenses, such as child care, child support, and medical costs.
• The remaining income after deductions is referred to as "food-and-shelter money," representing what the household can allocate for food and shelter expenses.
• Shelter Costs:- Shelter costs encompass housing, utility, and telephone expenses.
• The rules expect that households will allocate half of their food-and-shelter money to cover shelter costs.
• Excess Shelter Costs:- There's a limit on the amount of excess shelter payments considered by the rules.
• In high-cost areas, where households pay more than half of their net income for shelter, not all of these expenses are factored in.
• Some excess shelter expenses are considered available for food costs.
• Food Allocation:- After accounting for shelter expenses, the remaining money is considered available for food and other needs.
• The rules estimate that one-third of this remaining money will be spent on food.
• Maximum CalFresh Grant:- The calculation ensures that the amount allocated for food spending is not less than the maximum CalFresh grant, which represents the USDA's assessment of what a household should spend on food.

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Example 1: Household with No Elderly/Disabled Members

• Household Size: 3
  
• Total Earned Income: $1,500
• Total Unearned Income: $600
• Child Care Expenses: $200
• Child Support Paid: $100
• Medical Costs: $50
• Shelter Costs: $1,000
• Utility Costs: $200
• Telephone Costs: $50

Calculation

• Calculate Total Monthly Income: Total Income = Total Earned Income + Total Unearned Income = $1,500 + $600 = $2,100
  
• Deduct Allowable Expenses: - Deductions = Child Care Expenses + Child Support Paid + Medical Costs = $200 + $100 + $50 = $350
• Calculate Food-and-Shelter Money:
• Food-and-Shelter Money = Total Income - Deductions = $2,100 - $350 = $1,750
• Determine Shelter Costs: - Shelter Costs = Shelter Costs + Utility Costs + Telephone Costs = $1,000 + $200 + $50 = $1,250
• Calculate Excess Shelter Costs:
• Excess Shelter Costs = Shelter Costs - (1/2 * Food-and-Shelter Money) = $1,250 - (1/2 * $1,750) = $1,250 - $875 = $375
• Determine Food Allocation:- Food Allocation = 1/3 * (Food-and-Shelter Money - Excess Shelter Costs) = 1/3 * ($1,750 - $375) = 1/3 * $1,375 ≈ $458.33
• Calculate Monthly CalFresh Benefit:- CalFresh Benefit = Maximum Benefit Amount - Food Allocation
• For a household size of 3, the Maximum Benefit Amount is $740 (as per the provided table).
• CalFresh Benefit = $740 - $458.33 ≈ $281.67

Example 2: Household with Elderly/Disabled Members

• Household Size: 2
  
• Total Earned Income: $800
• Total Unearned Income: $400
• Child Care Expenses: $100
• Child Support Paid: $50
• Medical Costs: $60
• Shelter Costs: $700
• Utility Costs: $150
• Telephone Costs: $40

Calculation: Follow the same steps as in Example 1, considering the deductions, shelter costs, and excess shelter costs. In this case, there may be a standard medical deduction for elderly or disabled members.

California EBT Balance Check

Example 3: Household with High Shelter Costs

• Household Size: 4
  
• Total Earned Income: $1,200
• Total Unearned Income: $500
• Child Care Expenses: $150
• Child Support Paid: $75
• Medical Costs: $70
• Shelter Costs: $2,000
• Utility Costs: $400
• Telephone Costs: $60

Calculation: Follow the same steps as in Example 1, but note that the rules may not consider all of the excess shelter costs in high-cost housing areas.

Example 4: Household with ABAWD

• Household Size: 1
  
• Total Earned Income: $300
• Total Unearned Income: $50
• Child Care Expenses: $0
• Child Support Paid: $0
• Medical Costs: $20
• Shelter Costs: $400
• Utility Costs: $100
• Telephone Costs: $30

Calculation: If the individual is an Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents (ABAWD), special ABAWD rules apply. Determine if the individual meets the ABAWD work requirement, qualifies for a waiver, or has an exemption.

CalFresh Income Limit PDF