I'm new to this community but have been reading through this incredibly helpful thread! I'm actually in a very similar situation - currently on CalFresh and need to sell some personal items to cover unexpected expenses while waiting to start a new job next month. The level of detailed advice here is amazing. I especially appreciate everyone sharing their actual experiences rather than just guessing what might happen. The documentation strategies you've all outlined (spreadsheets, screenshots, cover letters, serial numbers) are so much more thorough than I would have thought to do on my own. @Brandon Parker - thank you for the professional perspective! It really helps to understand the legal distinction between asset conversion and income generation, and knowing that this situation is common makes me feel much less anxious about it. I'm planning to sell my old gaming setup and some furniture this week, and thanks to this thread I now have a complete game plan for documenting everything properly. I'll be taking photos before listing, saving all marketplace conversations, keeping detailed records, and probably calling ahead to make a note in my case file like some of you suggested. It's incredible how this thread has turned what seemed like a risky situation into something totally manageable with the right preparation. Thank you all for sharing your experiences so thoroughly - this community is invaluable for people navigating these challenges!

I'm new here but this thread has been incredibly educational! I'm currently on CalFresh and was actually considering selling some of my old electronics to help with bills, but I was really nervous about how it might affect my benefits. Reading through everyone's detailed experiences has completely changed my perspective on this. The documentation strategies you've all shared are so thorough - I never would have thought about things like keeping serial numbers, saving marketplace conversation screenshots, or writing cover letters explaining the situation. It's clear that being proactive and organized is the real key to avoiding any issues. @Brandon Parker - your professional insight about asset conversion vs. income generation really helped me understand the legal framework. Knowing that this is a common situation and that eligibility workers are familiar with these cases makes me feel much more confident about moving forward. What's really impressed me is how consistent everyone's advice has been. Multiple people successfully using similar documentation approaches shows these aren't just theoretical suggestions - they're proven methods that actually work in practice. I'm planning to sell my old laptop and some furniture next week, and thanks to this thread I now have a complete roadmap for handling it properly. I'll definitely be taking photos beforehand, keeping detailed spreadsheets, and saving all transaction records. Thank you all for creating such an amazing resource by sharing your real experiences!

So glad to see the system is back up! This kind of outage is exactly why I always try to submit my documents at least a week before any deadline if possible. I learned this the hard way after missing a recertification deadline during a similar outage last year. For anyone reading this thread in the future - if you're ever in this situation again, definitely take screenshots of the error messages like others mentioned, and don't hesitate to call your county office right away. Most workers are understanding about technical issues as long as you're proactive about reporting the problem. It's frustrating that we have to deal with these system failures, but at least there are workarounds if you know what to do.

This is such a common problem and it's really frustrating! I've been dealing with CalFresh for about 2 years now and the BenefitsCal site goes down at least once a month it seems like. What's worse is it always happens right when people need it most - like end of month when everyone's trying to submit their monthly reports or verification docs. I'm glad you got your documents uploaded @Liam! For future reference, I've started keeping a file on my phone with screenshots every time I try to access the site during outages. Last time my benefits got delayed because of a system issue, having those screenshots with timestamps really helped when I had to explain to my caseworker what happened. It's sad that we have to document their technical failures just to protect our benefits, but that's the reality of dealing with this system.

Hey Nia! I wanted to add my voice to everyone else's - you're absolutely in the clear! I just went through this exact same worry when I applied for a job at FedEx last month. I was so paranoid that my CalFresh benefits would somehow show up on the background check, but they didn't at all. The background check only looked at my criminal record (clean thankfully!) and verified the employment history I put on my application. Nothing about benefits, nothing about government assistance - it's completely separate and protected information. What really helped ease my mind was understanding that CalFresh participation is protected under the same privacy laws as medical records. Employers literally cannot access that information even if they wanted to. The background check companies don't have access to it either. Since you're going to be working at a warehouse, just heads up that the physical work might affect your appetite and food needs! I found I was eating more when I started my job, so don't be surprised if your food budget needs adjusting even with the new income. Congratulations on the job opportunity - you should feel really proud of yourself for landing it! Take that background check with total confidence. Your CalFresh info is locked down tight! 💪

Hey Nia! I just wanted to jump in and add my reassurance to everyone else's - your CalFresh benefits are absolutely protected and will NOT show up on any employment background check. I've been through this exact situation twice in the past year (once for a retail job and once for my current warehouse position) and never had any issues. The privacy protections are ironclad - CalFresh participation is confidential information that's protected by federal law. Background check companies literally don't have access to this data, and employers can't request it even if they wanted to. One thing I learned that might help you: when you do start the job and need to report your income changes, try to get a copy of your work schedule early so you can calculate your monthly earnings accurately. Warehouse jobs often have different shift premiums and overtime opportunities that can affect your total income. Also, definitely don't stress about this costing you the job opportunity - there's zero chance your CalFresh status will come up. Focus on preparing for the actual job instead! You've got this! 🎉 Congrats on landing what sounds like a great opportunity! The warehouse industry can be really good for steady work and benefits.

I'm new to this community but unfortunately not new to this exact problem! My CalFresh benefits just got slashed by $92 after my SSDI went up by only $68 - the math literally makes no sense. Reading through all these comments has been both validating and infuriating because it's clear this is happening to so many people. What really stands out to me is that almost everyone here is dealing with reductions that are WAY higher than the 30% rule should allow. That suggests there are systematic calculation errors happening, probably around medical expense deductions and utility allowances like people have mentioned. I'm definitely going to try the Claimyr service to get through to someone and ask for that detailed calculation breakdown. It's ridiculous that we have to become detective investigators just to get the food assistance we're legally entitled to! The system is clearly failing when people who are already living below the poverty line are getting punished for tiny income increases while grocery prices skyrocket. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and resources - this thread has given me hope that these errors can actually be corrected if we know what to ask for. Going to document everything and fight this!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - your situation is unfortunately becoming way too common and it's absolutely unacceptable! A $85 benefit reduction on a $72 income increase violates basic math, let alone the 30% rule that's supposed to govern CalFresh calculations. Based on everything shared in this thread, it sounds like there are widespread calculation errors happening, particularly around medical expense deductions and utility allowances. The fact that you have $350+ in monthly medical expenses that should be fully deductible makes me think that's where the error is. Here's what I'd recommend based on everyone's experiences: 1. Use that Claimyr service to actually get through to someone quickly 2. Ask for a complete written breakdown of your benefit calculation 3. Specifically verify they're applying your $350+ medical expense deduction correctly 4. Make sure you're getting the Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) if you pay for heating/cooling 5. If the numbers still don't make sense, request a fair hearing immediately Document everything and don't let them brush you off with "that's how it works" - clearly it's NOT working correctly for you and many others here. You deserve accurate calculations and enough food assistance to survive, especially when grocery prices have increased so dramatically this year. The system should be helping you, not punishing you for a tiny disability payment increase! Keep us posted on what you find out - your experience could help others facing similar calculation errors get their benefits corrected too.

This is such an important success story! As someone new to this community, I'm amazed at how helpful everyone has been in walking you through the process. It's really eye-opening to see how a $23 benefit turned into $237 just by knowing which deductions to ask for. What strikes me most is that your mom shouldn't have had to fight for benefits she was already entitled to. The fact that caseworkers aren't automatically checking for medical expense and shelter deductions for SSI recipients seems like a serious systemic issue. How many other elderly folks are getting shortchanged simply because they don't know the magic words to say during recertification? I'm definitely saving this thread for future reference - the detailed breakdown of what counts as medical expenses (including transportation costs!) is incredibly valuable. Thank you for taking the time to share both the problem and the solution. Your persistence not only helped your mom but will likely help many other families who find this thread when facing similar issues. Really glad your mom will now be able to afford the food she needs with her dietary restrictions!

As someone new to this community, I'm both amazed by how helpful everyone has been and honestly appalled by how broken the system seems to be. The fact that your mom's benefits went from $23 to $237 just by mentioning deductions she was already entitled to is incredible, but it really highlights a major problem. It seems like there should be mandatory training for caseworkers to automatically check for ALL possible deductions when working with SSI recipients, especially elderly clients who might not know what to ask for. The difference between $23 and $237 could literally be the difference between eating and not eating for someone on a fixed income. I'm bookmarking this entire thread because the information here is gold - from the specific medical expenses that qualify (including transportation costs!) to the timing tips for calling the county office. This community really knows how to support each other through these bureaucratic nightmares. Thank you for sharing both your struggle and your success. I'm sure this will help countless other families who find themselves in similar situations. Your persistence not only helped your mom but created a roadmap for others to follow!