Hey is anyone still having trouble withdrawing cash from the ATMs or is it just me only?

@Chippale I just tried mine about 30 minutes ago and it worked fine - I'm in Orange County. Based on what others have shared in this thread, it might be worth checking: 1) ebt.ca.gov for any system status updates, 2) trying a different ATM or bank, 3) getting cash back at a grocery store instead of using an ATM, 4) calling the customer service number on your card to check for account issues. If you're getting specific error messages, that info might help troubleshoot. Since jazmin gomez is also having issues in the Valley, there might be regional problems. What county are you in and what error message are you seeing?

Just wanted to add my experience to this thread - I received three different P-EBT cards over the past month for my son, all with slightly different name variations (one correct, one missing his middle initial, and one with our last name hyphenated when it shouldn't be). After reading through everyone's advice here, I called the P-EBT line and discovered that two were legitimate cards for different benefit periods (spring and summer Sun Bucks) and one was indeed a system error duplicate. The representative was able to clarify which ones were valid and deactivated the erroneous card. It's so confusing when they don't clearly label what time period each card covers! This community has been incredibly helpful in understanding these issues - I never would have known to call and verify without reading everyone's experiences here.

I'm new here but this thread has been so eye-opening! I just moved to California and am still learning about all these benefit programs. Got my first Sun Bucks cards for my kids last week, but now I'm paranoid about potential duplicates after reading everyone's experiences. The fact that the system can generate cards for different time periods (spring vs summer) that look identical is mind-blowing - no wonder everyone's confused! I had no idea about the Claimyr service either - that's going to be a lifesaver for dealing with any government helplines. Really appreciate how supportive and informative this community is for newcomers trying to navigate these programs. Definitely bookmarking this thread as a reference guide!

I'm new to this community but had to jump in because your situation sounds exactly like what happened to my neighbor! She went through the same back-and-forth with income calculations and overissuance notices. The county workers seem to use different methods to calculate the same income, which makes no sense. The fact that the appeals rep already said the county was wrong is huge - that's basically an admission that you were eligible all along. When my neighbor's case got fixed, she received all her missed benefits in about 3 weeks, and the overissuance completely disappeared from her record. One thing she learned was to ask for a detailed breakdown of how they calculated her income when they reinstate her case. That way if there are future issues, she has documentation showing the "correct" calculation method they used. Keep pushing for those retroactive benefits - you definitely deserve them for September and October since this whole mess was their error, not yours! This community has been so helpful for navigating these CalFresh nightmares. 🤗

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this bureaucratic nightmare! As someone who just joined this community after my own CalFresh struggles, I can totally relate to the stress and confusion you're going through. The appeals rep acknowledging that the county calculated your income wrong is actually really powerful - that's an official admission that this whole mess was their error, not yours. You should definitely receive retroactive benefits for September and October once they correct your case. From what I've learned lurking in this community, most people get their back payments within 2-4 weeks after the case is fixed, usually as separate deposits. That conditional withdrawal was absolutely the right move! It protects your appeal rights while giving them one more chance to do their job correctly. And yes, that overissuance notice should completely disappear since it was based on their calculation error. My advice (learned the hard way): document EVERYTHING from here on out. Keep records of every phone call, get names and employee IDs, and ask for written confirmation of any promises they make. This system only moves if you stay on top of it, but you're doing all the right things. Hang in there - sounds like resolution is finally coming! 💪

This thread has been absolutely invaluable! I've been on CalFresh for about 6 months and had absolutely no idea about these out-of-state restrictions. It's really frustrating that such critical information isn't included in the initial orientation or welcome materials - this is exactly the kind of thing that can create a crisis situation when you least expect it. Reading everyone's experiences here makes me realize I need to be much more proactive about understanding how my benefits actually work. I'm planning to call my county office next week to ask about setting up direct deposit and getting pre-authorized for travel, even though I don't have immediate plans. Better to be prepared than caught off guard like so many people here have been. The Claimyr service sounds like a game-changer for actually reaching county workers - definitely saving that information for future reference since the phone wait times seem universally terrible across all counties. @Ava Thompson - so glad you got everything sorted out and that your mom is receiving the care she needs! Thank you for taking the time to update us with how you resolved it. This whole discussion is going to prevent so many people from experiencing the same panic and frustration. This community really fills in the gaps where official information falls short - it's incredible how much practical knowledge gets shared here that we never receive through official channels!

This entire thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm actually traveling to Washington state next week to help my elderly father move into assisted living, and reading about everyone's experiences here just saved me from what could have been a total disaster. I had absolutely no clue about these out-of-state restrictions - it's honestly shocking that this information isn't provided when you first get your EBT card. I'm going to call my county office first thing Monday morning to request that out-of-state authorization using the exact wording that @Paolo Rizzo suggested. The direct deposit option also sounds incredible - I can't believe I didn't know that was available! Definitely going to ask about setting that up too. The Claimyr service recommendation is going straight into my bookmarks. It's ridiculous that we need third-party services to reach our own case workers, but if it cuts down those insane wait times, I'm all for it. @Ava Thompson - thank you so much for sharing your experience and updating us with the resolution! I hope your mom continues to recover well. This thread is going to help so many people avoid the same stress you went through. This community really shows how we have to look out for each other when the system fails to provide basic information upfront.

Thank you everyone for all this great advice! I'm going to try going inside a bank first, and then use the grocery store cash back option as backup. I had no idea about the 4 free withdrawals either so I'll definitely start keeping track of those. Really appreciate all the help!

Another option that's worked well for me is using the EBT card at certain pharmacies like CVS or Walgreens - they often allow cash back up to $100-200 with just a small purchase, and there's usually no fee since it's processed as a debit transaction rather than an ATM withdrawal. Also, if you have a local credit union, they sometimes have partnerships with EBT programs that offer higher withdrawal limits and fewer fees than the big banks. It's worth calling around to ask about their EBT policies. The whole fee structure is definitely frustrating when you're just trying to access your own benefits!