California Food Stamp Income Limits 2024

Citizens of the state of California are required to check the eligibility of income limits before applying to avail the benefits of the Food Stamp Program, because under the program, income limits are imposed on the basis of family members. Which may change every year. That is why in this article you have been given information related to California Food Stamp Income Limits 2024 and California Food Stamp Income Limits Chart Guidelines.

California Food Stamp Income Limits Guidelines

CalFresh, formerly known as Food Stamps and known federally as SNAP, can help families and individuals put healthy and nutritious food on the table. CalFresh provides extra funds to help those who are in need each month to buy groceries. With a CalFresh electronic “debit” card (known as EBT) you can buy most foods at many food stores and farmers markets.

The application for CalFresh includes completing eligibility questions that will include forms and an interview with a specialist. Benefits cannot begin until all conditions of eligibility have been verified. The County has up to 30 days to approve or deny the claimant’s application. If certain criteria are met families and individuals may be eligible to Expedited Service and receive benefits within three days of applying. 

California Food Stamp Income Limits 2024

Use the chart to see if your household’s monthly income, before taxes and other deductions, is under the limit allowed for your household size.

Most households may be eligible at the higher amount as long as they meet certain criteria. Gross income limits do not apply to households with an elderly and/or disabled member. Instead the net monthly income limit is used to determine eligibility. Net income is calculated after all allowable deductions are taken.

CalFresh Gross Income Limits 2024

Total monthly household income before taxes, including job, self-employment, and other income like social security, disability, child support, worker's comp, unemployment, and pension income.

If the household has a member who is 60 or older or has a disability but is over the gross income limit below, the household can instead qualify by meeting the Net Income and Asset tests.

The gross income limit is 200% of the federal poverty level.

You may be eligible for CalFresh if you and/or your family:

I attend school. Am I still eligible for CalFresh benefits?

As a student attending school half time or more, in order to be eligible to CalFresh you must also work at least 20 hours a week, be approved for a state or federally funded work study program or have parental responsibility of a child under age six. Eligibility to the CalFresh program has temporarily been expanded to include students attending school half-time or more that:

• Are eligible to participate in state or federally financed work study during the regular school year, or
• Are determined by California Student Aid Commission CSAC to have a zero dollar expected family contribution (EFC) for the current school year.

California CalFresh Benefits Amount 2024

The amount of benefits you can receive is dependent on your family size, countable income, and monthly expenses such as housing, utilities, and so forth. Review the following allotment chart to see where you fall.  These amounts are effective October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023

CalFresh Net Income Limits

Net income is a household's gross income minus deductions. At the bottom of the page are some of the expenses that can be deducted to calculate net income. It's difficult to calculate net income without a SNAP calculator as the shelter-related expenses (utilities and rent) can only be deducted if they exceed half the household's income after other deductions have been applied. Additionally, there is a limit on the maximum shelter deduction for some households.

SNAP benefit amounts are based on a household's net income. While there are minimum and maximum SNAP benefit amounts, in general $100 more in net income = $30 less in benefits.

CalFresh Standard Medical Deduction

Monthly out of pocket medical expenses for household members who are 60 or older or have a disability can be deducted when calculating net income. You can deduct the full amount of expenses (minus $35) with verification. Alternatively if you have medical expenses over $35, you can use the standard medical deduction amount of $120 without needing to verify all expenses.

CalFresh Other Deductions

Households can receive deductions for the following expenses. Shelter deductions (utilities, rent, and homeowners insurance) only apply for the amount that total shelter expenses exceed a percentage of household income, and are limited to a maximum amount if the household does not contain a member who is 60 or older or has a disability.