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Voluntary Mid-Period Recipient Report
A recipient may voluntarily report changes in income and circumstances that may increase benefits at any time during the certification period. These reports may be made to the county in writing, verbally, through BenefitsCal, or in person.
Whenever action is not taken on a voluntary mid-period report because it will result in a decrease in a household’s benefits, it must be clearly documented in the Journal Detail page, the reason for not taking action, and the household must be sent a No-Change Notice of Action (NOA). The notice must also remind the household that they have to report the information at the next SAR 7 or recertification, whichever comes first.
For mid-period changes reported but not acted on, the Eligibility Worker (EW) must ensure the information, if still applicable, is reported at the household’s next SAR 7 or recertification and resolve any inconsistencies or discrepancies. If a voluntary change is reported and verified at the household’s next SAR 7 or recertification, action must be taken regardless of the impact on benefits.
Supplemental Benefits and Issuance Timing
When a reported change will result in an increase in the household’s benefit allotment, the change must be effective no later than the month after the report. The change must be applied to the household’s next regular benefit issuance, or if that issuance cannot be changed in time, a supplemental payment must be issued by the 10th day of the following month.
A household reports a $40 decrease in income on October 15. The county applies the increase to the November benefit month, and the household receives the higher allotment on its November issuance.
If the household reports the same $40 decrease on October 28 and the November issuance is already finalized, the regular November allotment must be issued, and a supplemental payment sent covering the increase by November 10.
When a reported change is received too late to adjust the household’s next regular issuance, a supplement is required only in two situations :
- A new household member is added who was not a member of another certified household.
- The household’s gross monthly income decreases by $50 or more.
Note: A supplement can also be issued for other late-reported changes that increase benefits.
Supplements must not be provided for the report month or months prior to the report month.
A household receives its monthly benefit allotment on the 1st of the month. The household’s income decreases on August 1, but the household does not report it to the EW until October 28. A supplement must not be issued for August, September, or October. The increase in benefits or supplement is effective in November.
Note: The EW must act on any change that would result in an increase in benefits, not just income changes. Examples include, but are not limited to, adding a new household member with no income and a change in shelter expenses, dependent care costs, or other deductible expenses.
Verification
If verification is required to act on an increase, the household must be informed in writing of the verification that is required and that failure to provide it by the specified date will result in no change to benefits.
If the household does not provide the required verification within 10 days of the change being reported, but provides it later, the timeframe for taking action on changes must start from the date verification is provided rather than from the date the change was reported.
The benefit increase must be issued no later than the 10th day of the following month in which the verification was received.
Reminder: Verification is not required if the income source has not changed and the amount changed by $50 or less, unless the information is incomplete, inaccurate, inconsistent, or older than 60 days.
Verification of an income change is required if:
- The income change is over $50 and would result in an increase to benefits; or
- The income change is $50 or less, and the income source has changed.
Reports That Decrease or Do Not Change Benefits
Verification must not be requested for changes that would result in a decrease or no change in benefits, even if the household voluntarily submits verification for a decrease.
Follow up with the household must be done at the next SAR 7 or recertification, whichever comes first.
Important: Proper documentation in the case record is required for all changes reported mid-period, even if no action was taken on the change. Documentation must have sufficient detail to allow a reviewer to determine the reasonableness and accuracy of the determination.
Reminder: Households certified with income between 131 and 200 percent Federal Poverty Level (FPL) do not have a mandatory income reporting requirement because they have already reported income over 130 percent at application and met their mandatory IRT reporting requirement. Therefore, if a household certified with income between 131 and 200 percent FPL makes a report of an income change mid-period, it is considered a voluntary report, and the rules outlined in this section must be applied accordingly.
Request for Discontinuance of Benefits
A recipient may also voluntarily request mid-period that:
- The entire household be discontinued; or
- Any individual member of the household who is no longer in the home be discontinued.
If the household is requesting discontinuance of the household or an individual, discontinuance action must be taken mid-period as follows:
- If the household or the individual’s request is made verbally, a 10-day NOA is required before discontinuing or decreasing benefits.
- If the request is made in writing, discontinue or decrease benefits at the end of the month with adequate notice. A 10-day NOA is not required.
The worker is not to assume that a voluntary mid-period report of someone leaving the home equates to a voluntary request for discontinuance of that household member.
Exception: The report of the death of a household member must be treated as a request for discontinuance. If the report is verbal, the decrease/discontinuance is taken at the end of the month, at which time timely and adequate notice can be given. If the report is in writing, the decrease/discontinuance is taken at the end of the month with adequate notice.
Changes in Address and/or Shelter Costs
Potential changes in shelter costs must be investigated and explored when reported.
A change of address reported by the CalFresh Household (During the Waiver Period 7/1/24-6/30/2026)
CalFresh households are only required to report a mid-period address change on the periodic report (SAR 7). However, if they report the change, the EW must act on whether it results in an increase or decrease in benefits.
When a household reports a change in address during their certification period but does not report their updated shelter costs, the EW must send a Request for Verification (CW 2200) encouraging the household to report any changes in shelter costs.
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If the household responds with the updated shelter cost information, the information must be updated in the case.
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If the household does not respond to the notice, no change to the household's shelter cost will be made at that time. The new shelter cost information must be followed up at the next recertification or SAR 7 report, whichever comes first.
A change of address reported by the United States Postal Service (USPS) During the Waiver Period (7/1/24-6/30/2026)
For PACF and CF/MC cases:
A change of address reported through USPS return mail with a forwarding address is considered "Information Known to the County." In this case, a CW 2200 must be sent to the household to ask about the new shelter expense. If the household does not respond to the CW 2200, the EW must follow up at the next recertification or SAR 7, whichever comes first.
The EW receives a change of address reported to Medi-Cal, such as through USPS returned mail with a forwarding address, for a dual Medi-Cal/CalFresh household. Under the ‘Information Known to the Agency’ rule, the county worker must update the household’s address for CalFresh. The EW must also send a CW 2200 to the household encouraging them to update their shelter costs. If the household does not respond to the CW 2200, their shelter expense is not changed. The EW must follow up at next RE or periodic report, whichever is sooner.
For CalFresh-only cases (NACF):
A change of address reported through USPS return mail with a forwarding address is not considered Verified Upon Receipt (VUR), and the waiver does not apply. Therefore, no action should be taken, and the Eligibility Worker (EW) must follow up at the next RE or SAR 7, whichever comes first.
A Non-Assistance CalFresh (NACF) household reports that they have moved and provides the new address. The household does not provide any information about an updated shelter cost along with the change of address. At the previous certification, the household reported paying rent of $2000. The reported address change is considered Verified Upon Receipt (VUR). The EW must update the address and send a Request for Verification (CW 2200) to the new address , encouraging the household to report any changes in shelter cost. However, the EW must not change the household’s shelter cost. If the household does not respond to the notice, the EW must follow up at the next recertification or periodic report, whichever
is sooner.
Documentation:
The EW must journal what action was taken under this waiver so case reviewers can determine whether all CalFresh requirements have been met under the waiver policy.
Important: If the County receives change of address information that is questionable or unclear, the EW must follow the current policy to determine eligibility. The waiver does not change CalFresh procedures for handling questionable, unclear, or unverified address change information.
When a CalFresh Household made a report about Moving Out of State
If the recipient reports moving out of state, CalFresh benefits must be terminated in mid-period at the end of the month in which an adequate notice can be sent. A 10-day notice is not required.
Note: An OI claim is not established unless the household did not identify their new address on the SAR 7 or if the household received benefits from California and another state.
If a Public Assistance household moves out of the county, CalFresh benefits are to be discontinued at the same time the CalWORKs case is terminated at the end of the ICT period. The CalFresh Informing Notice of Sending Intercounty Transfer (NA 1268) must be sent to the household. A 10-day notice is not required.
If a Non-Assistant CalFresh household moves out of the county, CalFresh cases must be transferred to the new county (ICT). CalFresh will be terminated by the end of the transfer period. The CalFresh Informing Notice of Sending Intercounty Transfer (NA 1268) must be sent to the household. A 10-day notice is not required.
Shelter Cost Changes
CalFresh households are not required to report mid-period changes in shelter costs; however, if a household voluntarily reports shelter costs mid‑period and the information is Verified Upon Receipt (VUR) or would result in an increase in benefits, the county must act on the change.
Changes in residence and shelter costs are mandatory to report on the SAR 7. When a shelter‑cost change is reported mid‑period, EWs must follow the process below:
| If a voluntary report of the change in shelter is | Then |
| Not questionable and results in an increase in CF allotment, |
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| Not questionable and results in a decrease in CF allotment, |
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| Questionable, |
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New Household Member Results in Ineligibility Due to Other Eligibility Factors
If adding the new person would result in increased benefits, but they do not meet other eligibility factors, the county must not take action to add the person, nor shall the county take action to discontinue benefits to the existing members of the household mid-period. For example, for CalWORKs, if deprivation ceases or the new person’s resources cause the Assistance Unit (AU)'s resources to exceed the CalWORKs resource limit, benefits must continue unchanged for the remainder of the current semi-annual period for the aided AU members.
County Action for Changes
County action to increase the allotment based on voluntary reports must be based on when the change was reported, not when the change occurred. The effective date of the increase in benefits is determined differently for increases due to decreased income than for increases due to adding household members and are as follows:
- Increases due to decreased income are effective the first of the month the change occurs or is reported, whichever is later (if verification is received timely).
- Increases due to the addition of new household members are effective the first of the month following the report of the change.
The recipient should provide verification of the change within the 10-day period listed on the CW 2200. If verification is not received within 10 days, the county must send a No-Change NOA to the household stating that no action to increase benefits was taken because verification was not received. If verification is provided after 10 days, the date the verification is provided must be considered the date of the voluntary report.
Related Topics
Semi-Annual Reporting (SAR) Households