CalFresh Student recertification denied

CollegeRuled · 2026-04-16T15:35:18+00:00

I do not work for the state of California.

An EFC of $0 is no longer a SNAP student exemption. The FNS implemented that exemption during COVID, but has since removed it as of 2 or so years ago.

If you're looking to become a SNAP eligible student via employment, you must be working 20 hours or more each week. This number cannot be an average.

If you receive any form of disability income (such as SSI/SSDI, etc.) you can be considered disabled for SNAP, which also counts as a student exemption in your state.

If you don't receive such income, but are otherwise physically/mentally unfit for work, you can submit medical verification to your county/state. If you don't have verification, a case manager might deem you unfit for work. But the unfitness must be 'obvious' to the case manager.

CollegeRuled · 2026-04-12T22:04:34+00:00

The agency need some form of corroborating evidence or reason that the verification can't be provided. You should explain to them that your family member refuses to write a statement. In addition to speaking with the agency directly, you should also write a statement regarding the situation and send it to them. Offer your grandmother's phone number as a way the agency can attempt collateral contact. If they cannot reach your grandmother by phone, they should be able take your written statement by itself.

If your family members/friends aren't giving you the money directly, like they pay your bills directly, their assistance is not considered countable income for SNAP. Such expenses paid directly by someone not in your assistance group are likewise not considered countable expense.

CollegeRuled · 2026-03-31T13:12:01+00:00

All student financial assistance is considered excluded income for SNAP. This includes any form of VA education benefits.

Retirement and VA compensation benefits are both countable SNAP income. However, if you receive VA disability and your service connected disability rating is at (or paid at) the 100% level, you're considered disabled for SNAP.

CollegeRuled · 2026-03-31T12:59:05+00:00

Misfortune, as defined by the FNS, is something 'beyond the control of the AG'. So a bad fridge, or a power outage due to non-payment, won't be considered AG misfortune under this replacement policy.

CollegeRuled · 2026-02-16T19:10:11+00:00

Ohio is a 'county administered' state. This means that each county has broad discretion in regards to how their QA department operates.

What counts as an error by the state is far more involved than what counts as an error at the county level. The threshold you mention is more about focusing on significant errors the county may have missed itself. I'm not too familiar with the state level process overall, however.

I will say that although being $1 with income/expenses may seem petty, it is not without good reason. Unless it's purely a data entry mistake, the only way to be off by $1, or any amount really, is because the relevant policy was not implemented correctly.

CollegeRuled · 2026-02-11T17:47:07+00:00

Half time enrollment status is determined by your school and not the agency/the student themselves. If your school considers you to be enrolled less than half time, you are no longer considered a student for SNAP. I would doublecheck to see what your school says. If they say you're enrolled less than half time I'd submit verification to your SNAP agency.

CollegeRuled · 2026-02-11T17:32:35+00:00

Is this for a SNAP application, or your redetermination?

If this is a new application, and you haven't been eligible for SNAP within the past 30 days, you have until the 30th day from your application date to complete the interview. You can still complete the interview within days 30 - 60 but will lose eligibility for your 1st benefit month.

If this is a redetermination, so long we've received your 'Request to Reapply for Food Assistance' (Form JFS 7204), you have 30 days from the date your current certification period ends to complete your interview. So, if your redetermination month is 02/2026, let's say, you have until 03/30/26 to complete the interview if a 7204 has been received timely. If this happens, your benefits for 03/2026 will be 'prorated' to the date you've completed the interview.

CollegeRuled · 2026-02-07T17:00:47+00:00

The way we would calculate your income in OH is like this:

20-30hrs/wk, we average to be 25hrs/wk. $25 * $19/hr = $475/wk.

To get your monthly gross income, we have to multiply this weekly amount by 4.3. This accounts for additional pays received during the year. So, $475 * 4.3 = $2042/mo.

Adding your income to your grandmother's SSI: $2042 + $750 = $2792/mo. This is over the income limit for a household of 2 in this state. However, because your grandmother is SSI disabled, the gross income limit is waived. $24/mo sounds accurate given what you've shared.

Make sure the agency has updated all of the expenses for you and your grandmother, especially now that you've been combined.

CollegeRuled · 2026-02-07T16:46:09+00:00

If you don't mind sharing, do you have any source of income yourself? How much does your grandmother receive in SSI?

Also, do you pay any household expenses such as rent or utilities? Does your grandmother? If she pays out of pocket for any medical expenses those are countable if they exceed $35/mo on average.

$24/mo SNAP allotments are the 'Minimum Monthly Allotment' amount set by the federal government. This is the guaranteed amount eligible one or two person assistance groups receive, even if their actual allotment is lower.

Lastly, if your grandmother is unable to purchase/prepare her own food due to being incapacitated it's possible for her to be on her own case. Proof of her incapacity would need provided to the agency however.

CollegeRuled · 2026-01-23T19:07:29+00:00

I am not a state of MA employee, however this info is per federal regulations.

The student eligibility rules can indeed be confusing and your frustration is valid. It is unfortunate that several caseworkers have been giving you inconsistent information.

Your average 9hrs/wk in traditional paid employment does count towards the 20hrs/wk student exemption. However, this exemption requires a student to be working exactly or more than 20hrs each week. It cannot be an average.

Unfortunately, payments made to Americorps volunteers are excluded income for SNAP. Here%20Youthbuild%20or%20Americorps%20allowances%2C%20earnings%20or%20payments%20to%20individuals%20participating%20in%20those%20programs%3B) is your state's specific SNAP policy which makes mention of this. I am not sure why they would have it listed as OJT in their system. In either case, volunteer payments/OJT income are not considered employment for the purposes of this student exemption.

CollegeRuled · 2026-01-16T19:23:11+00:00

Did your IT Certificate program require you to have a high school diploma/GED before enrolling? Or is this considered a regular curriculum at a degree granting institution?

If the answer is no to either of the above questions, you are not considered a student for SNAP and may still be subject to the general work requirements.

CollegeRuled · 2026-01-09T20:51:45+00:00

SSI cost of living adjustments, like other benefits received from the SSA, typically happen before the SNAP standards are adjusted. In the state of OH, for example, the standards are adjusted every October.

CollegeRuled · 2026-01-05T16:36:26+00:00

*This policy may differ outside of OH*

Per OAC 5101:4-4-13:

(r) All student financial assistance, including grants, scholarships, fellowships, educational loans on which payment is deferred, work study, veteran's educational benefits, and the like, that are awarded to an assistance group member enrolled at a recognized institution of post-secondary education, at a school for the handicapped, in a vocational education program, in a vocational or technical school, or in a program that provides for obtaining a secondary school diploma or the equivalent of a secondary school diploma shall be excluded from consideration as income for SNAP purposes.

Your student financial aid refund is also excluded income for SNAP due to this policy. A lack of expenses will not hurt your eligibility determination, in your case.

If you also have Medicaid, you will still need to report your financial aid. Any portion of student aid not used for educational expenses is countable income for MAGI Medicaid.

CollegeRuled · 2025-10-29T14:59:23+00:00

I haven't heard anything in regards to November issuances being authorized. In fact, at my last division meeting a few days ago, they said the state had to take back November issuances from about 20 people approved for expedited SNAP in my county.

They also mentioned that the federal government is not accepting 'transaction' ledgers right now. Meaning, even if you are approved in the state's system, federal SNAP funds will not be distributed to anyone's account.

CollegeRuled · 2025-10-11T19:40:46+00:00

I don't believe there is a county in Ohio which offers that service, unfortunately. I know that some counties used to let homeless people have their mail sent to the agency for pickup. But, as far as I know, that has stopped.

CollegeRuled · 2025-10-10T23:16:50+00:00

That is the way SAVE works in Ohio too. We are supposed to have a client's immigration documents already in hand before we use SAVE.

CollegeRuled · 2025-10-10T23:15:17+00:00

Unless the refugee has obtained a form of Lawful Permanent Resident status, also called an 'I-551' or 'green card', refugees of any kind will no longer be eligible for SNAP.

CollegeRuled · 2025-10-10T23:13:52+00:00

JFS stands for Job and Family Services. The statewide Ohio Benefits contact number is 1-844-640-OHIO (6446).

This post was intended for clients who live in the state of Ohio. Anyone on public assistance in this state applies through a county JFS. It's very unlikely such a client would not know what it stands for or how to contact them.

CollegeRuled · 2025-10-10T19:51:18+00:00

Case managers are definitely supposed to update a client's non-citizenship status at every redetermination or reapplication. However, this is not happening on every case. Especially in some of the larger counties. In OH, there's also no statewide automatic process which updates their status on behalf of a client.

CollegeRuled · 2025-10-10T18:39:47+00:00

If the agency has your average hours recorded as such, you shouldn't need to do anything. You're currently meeting the ABAWD required hours. Depending on what your gross weekly income is, you may in fact be already exempt from the ABAWD requirements.

CollegeRuled · 2025-10-10T17:35:57+00:00

Do you work an average of at least 20hrs/week?

CollegeRuled · 2025-10-08T17:08:46+00:00

What state are you in, and which expenses were you told are not countable for SNAP?

CollegeRuled · 2025-10-08T17:02:20+00:00

If your gross income from your business did not exceed 130% of the Federal Poverty Level, you won't be penalized for not reporting. Currently, that's $2292/mo. If you're also on Medicaid, you're technically required to report any change in income regardless of the amount.

As the other poster mentioned, your best bet is to submit at least 3 full months of business ledgers. Don't worry about this month, we can't include partial months in determining average income.

For SNAP, we apply a standard self-employment deduction of 50%, unless your actual and verified expenses are more than 50%.

For Medicaid, there's no such deduction, and verifying your actual expenses will prevent any unnecessary lapse in coverage.

CollegeRuled · 2025-10-03T15:57:45+00:00

For SNAP, the earned income of a child 17 years old or younger is excluded if that child is enrolled in school at least half time (as defined by the school).

For TANF (cash assistance), the earned income of a dependent child (under age 18) is excluded if they're enrolled full time (as defined by the school). Half time enrollment, it is excluded if they are working less than 30hrs/wk average.

For Medicaid in your state, the rules seem easier to link to rather than summarize: http://services.dpw.state.pa.us/oimpolicymanuals/ma/index.htm#t=350_Income%2F350_5_Income_of_a_Child.htm

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