Oliver, just saw your thread and wanted to add some encouragement! As someone who's been on CalWORKs for about a year now, I can tell you that first WTW orientation letter is always terrifying - I think they design them to sound way scarier than they need to be lol. You're already ahead of the game working at Walmart! Most people walk into orientation with no job and having to figure out how to get 20+ hours of approved activities. You just need to get your existing work officially documented in your WTW plan. A couple quick tips for tomorrow: - Arrive about 15 minutes early to get checked in and settled - If they don't mention it upfront, specifically ask about CalWORKs childcare subsidies - this benefit alone has been life-changing for my family - Don't be afraid to ask them to slow down or repeat information if they're going too fast The orientation covers a lot of ground but it's mostly just explaining the rules and connecting you to resources. Since you're already working and clearly motivated to understand the system, you're exactly the type of participant they want to see succeed. Good luck tomorrow! Looking forward to your update - I'm sure it's going to go much better than you're expecting. This community will be here if you have any follow-up questions after you get through it!

Oliver, I just wanted to jump in and say how inspiring it's been to watch your journey from that initial panic to feeling prepared and optimistic! As a mom who went through her WTW orientation about 18 months ago, I can tell you that your positive attitude going into this is going to make all the difference. You're so smart to come to this community for real advice from people who've actually been through the process. The official CalWORKs materials can be so intimidating and unclear, but getting practical tips from other parents is invaluable. One small thing I'd add - if you end up having to wait (sometimes orientations run behind schedule), don't stress about it. Bring something quiet to keep your toddler occupied during any waiting time. I learned that lesson when my 2-year-old got restless and started getting loud in the waiting room! You're going to do amazing tomorrow. The fact that you're already working, you've prepared thoughtful questions, and you understand this is about getting support shows you're exactly the kind of participant the WTW program is designed to help succeed. Can't wait to hear how it goes - your experience is definitely going to help other parents who get that scary first letter! Wishing you all the best! This community has your back every step of the way.

side note but does anyone else think its RIDICULOUS that they expect us to know all these complicated rules?? like what even is an IRT really and why do they make it so confusing with the gross vs net stuff? i swear they make it complicated on purpose so people mess up and they can cut people off

This is such a common confusion! I went through the exact same thing when I first started working. The key thing to remember is that the IRT is ALWAYS compared to your gross income (before taxes and deductions). Even though it feels unfair since that's not what you actually take home, that's how the system works. I'd recommend calling your worker to report the change ASAP since you're over the gross threshold - waiting could definitely lead to overpayment issues. And don't worry too much about losing all your benefits! With the earned income disregards, you'll likely still qualify for some assistance even if your gross income exceeds the IRT. Better to report now and keep things above board than risk owing money back later.

Just wanted to add my experience to this helpful thread! I went through this exact situation with my foster daughter last year. She turned 18 in February but didn't graduate until June. I submitted her school verification letter about 6 weeks before her birthday and everything went smoothly - no interruption in benefits at all. One thing I learned is that it's also helpful to get a letter that shows not just current enrollment, but also her cumulative credits and confirmation she's on track to graduate on time. Our school counselor included that detail and I think it helped show she was making satisfactory progress toward graduation. For anyone else in this situation, I'd also recommend asking your school counselor to include their direct contact information on the letter in case the county needs to verify anything. Our worker actually did call the school to confirm the information, so having that direct line made the process even smoother. Great job being proactive @Mason Stone - you definitely did the right thing getting ahead of this instead of waiting!

This entire thread is such a goldmine of practical advice! As someone who just became guardian of my 17-year-old nephew who'll be turning 18 next summer while still having his senior year ahead of him, I'm so grateful everyone shared their experiences here. The tip about getting a letter that includes cumulative credits and progress toward graduation is particularly helpful - I never would have thought to ask for those details. And I love the idea of including the counselor's direct contact info for verification purposes. @Mason Stone - you really handled this perfectly by getting ahead of it and submitting documentation through multiple channels. That receipt is going to be so important for your records. One quick question for the group: For those who submitted verification early, did you get any kind of confirmation from the county that the information was processed and noted on the case? Or do you just have to trust that it's been handled properly until the 18th birthday actually arrives? I'm the type who likes to follow up and make sure nothing falls through the cracks, especially with how hard it can be to reach workers sometimes. Thanks again to everyone who shared their knowledge here - this community really does fill the gaps when the system falls short!

This entire thread has been incredibly helpful and reassuring! I'm currently waiting on my SAR 7 processing (submitted 10 days ago, still pending) and was getting really anxious about potential delays. Isaac, so glad you got yours resolved - the persistence really paid off! Reading everyone's strategies here is like having a survival guide for navigating the CalWORKs system. The 8am calling tip and using "benefits not received" option are game-changers that I never would have known about otherwise. It's honestly ridiculous that we need to become phone system experts just to get our paperwork processed, but I'm grateful for communities like this where people share what actually works. The staffing shortage explanation helps contextualize these delays, but it doesn't make them any less stressful when you're counting on benefits for basic needs. I'm definitely saving all these tips for future reference - this thread should be required reading for anyone new to CalWORKs! Thanks to everyone for being so generous with sharing your experiences and strategies.

Wow, this thread is exactly what I needed to see! I've been dealing with CalWORKs for about 6 months now and just submitted my SAR 7 last week. Reading Isaac's experience and everyone's responses has been incredibly educational - I had no idea about the 8am calling strategy or using the "benefits not received" option instead of general questions. It's both reassuring and frustrating to learn that these delays are so common due to staffing shortages. Reassuring because it means it's not necessarily something I did wrong, but frustrating because we shouldn't have to become phone system experts just to get our paperwork processed on time. I'm definitely bookmarking this whole discussion for future reference. The tip about keeping receipts and documenting everything is something I'll start doing immediately. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real-world strategies - this kind of community support makes navigating the system so much easier!

I moved from Santa Clara to Kern County about a year ago and wanted to share something that really helped me that I haven't seen mentioned yet - make sure to ask Sacramento County if they can provide you with a "benefit continuation letter" before your transfer. This is a document that officially confirms your benefits will continue during the transfer process and shows your current benefit amounts. I used this letter when I had to provide proof of income for my new apartment lease, and it was also helpful when San Bernardino had questions about my case. Having something official from Sacramento showing my benefit status gave me peace of mind and helped speed up the verification process with the new county. Also, one practical tip - download and save screenshots of your current case information from BenefitsCal before the transfer starts. Sometimes there can be temporary glitches where you can't access your case details during the handoff between counties, so having your own backup records is really helpful. Your EBT card will definitely work throughout the process - that's one thing California has made pretty seamless. The fact that you're planning this so thoughtfully and getting advice from everyone here puts you in a much better position than most people going through transfers. Hope everything goes smoothly and your mom gets the care she needs!

I went through a transfer from Santa Barbara to San Luis Obispo County last year and wanted to add something that really helped me - if you have any direct deposit set up for other benefits or services, make sure to notify those agencies about your county transfer too. Sometimes agencies like WIC or other local assistance programs need to be updated separately even though your main CalWORKs case is transferring. I had a delay with my childcare payments because the local Alternative Payment Program didn't know about my county move until weeks later. Also, keep a folder (physical or digital) with copies of everything you submit to both counties during this process - transfer requests, address changes, any new documents they ask for. I needed to resend the same paperwork three times because it kept getting "lost" in the system, and having copies ready made it much easier. One more thing - if you're getting any local services through community organizations in Sacramento (like food banks, clothing assistance, job training programs), ask them if they have partner organizations in San Bernardino County. Many nonprofits have networks that can help you get connected to similar services in your new area. Your EBT benefits will continue on the same card, but having these other support systems in place can make the whole transition much less stressful. You're doing such a great job planning ahead - hope everything works out well for you and your mom!