Voluntary Mid-Period Recipient Report

The changes listed under Mandatory Recipient Mid-Period Reports are the ONLY changes a client must report between the SAR 7 report and Recertification forms. A recipient may voluntarily report changes in income and circumstances that may increase benefits at any time during the semi-annual period. These reports may be made to the county in writing, online, verbally, or in person.

For household composition and income changes in both PACF and NACF cases, the EW must act on changes considered VUR to increase, decrease, or terminate benefits at any point during the SAR Payment period.

Examples of changes that, when reported, might increase or decrease benefits include, but are not limited to, the following:

• When the household’s income changes and is verified;
• When someone moves into or out of the home;
• When allowable CalFresh deductions increase.

New Household Member

A change in household composition reported by the head of the household is considered VUR. Once the county is made aware of the change in household composition, the household’s eligibility will be in question, and further information is needed to determine continuing eligibility.

For all CalFresh cases, if the person moving into the home has income that, once considered, would result in the household being financially ineligible for CalFresh, the county must take action to change the household’s benefits in the current semi-annual period.

If the new person is a mandatory household member, the EW must take action as follows:

• The new income combined with the new household's current income exceeds the IRT or uncertain, then the EW
  • Sends an RFC form, CF 32, requesting all required verification for the new member and their income and documents form RFC form, CF 32, requesting all required verification for the new member and their income and document in the case record.
    • If the RFC is not returned or is returned incomplete, Discontinue the household for failing to respond to the RFC and issue a CF 377.4 SAR.
    • If the RFC is returned complete, Add the new member and their income to the household.
•  The new mandatory member does not have income or their new income does not exceed the IRT, then the EW
  •  Informs the household on CF 377.6 of the action necessary to add the new member and note such action in the case record.
    • If the household does not respond,
      • The EW must send a “No Change NOA” to the household informing them that the voluntary report of the new household member did not increase benefits.
      • The household should be reminded that the change must be reported on the next SAR 7 or recertification, whichever comes first, along with the required verification.
        • Note: If the information presented on the next SAR 7 or RC forms is inconsistent with the original voluntary report, the county must follow up with the household to determine the current circumstances.
    • If the household responds with all needed verifications,
      • Add the new member and their income and adjust benefits effective the following month.

Refer to Adding or Deleting a Person for detailed information.

Changes in Address and/or Shelter Costs

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. 

•  If the household responds with the updated shelter cost information, the information must be updated in the case.

• 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 RC or SAR 7, whichever comes first.

 

ExampleExample

 

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.

 

ExampleExample

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.

 

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 they do, the County must act on the change, whether it causes an increase or decrease in benefits. If applicable, a supplemental payment should be provided, and the benefit amount for the remaining months in the SAR period must be recalculated.

Changes in residence and shelter costs are mandatory reports on the SAR7 form. However, when a change in shelter cost are reported mid-period, EWs must act as follows:

• If a voluntary report of the change in shelter cost is not questionable (VUR) and results in an increase or decrease in CF allotment, then the EW
  • Updates the case record with the reported changes,
  • Issues a 10-day NOA if the change results in a decrease in CF allotment or an adequate notice if the change results in an increase in benefits and
  • Journals case actions in CalSAWS.
• If a voluntary report of the change in shelter cost is questionable,
  • Issues “CalFresh Request for Information” (CF 387) requesting to clarify questionable costs, allowing 10 days to return requested verification
  • Updates CalSAWS with the new address if the change in address was reported,
  • Issues a "No Change” NOA,
  • Journals case actions in CalSAWS and creates an alert to follow up on the case.
    • If the requested verification is received by the due date and provides acceptable clarification of the questionable cost, then the EW
      • Updates CalSAWS with the verified information
      • Issues a 10-day NOA if the change results in a decrease in CF allotment or an adequate notice if the change results in an increase in benefits and
      • Documents case actions in the Maintain Case Comments window in CalSAWS.
    • If the requested verification is not received, then the EW
      • Recalculates CF benefits without the shelter deduction
      • Issues a 10-day NOA
      • Documents case actions in the Maintain Case Comments window in CalSAWS.

New Household Member Results in Ineligibility Due to Other Eligibility Factors

If adding the new person would result in increased benefits, but he or she does 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 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 request for verification. 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.

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. For steps in making this determination, refer to Deleting a Person from a Semi-Annual Reporting Household.

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.

Related Topics

Semi-Annual Reporting (SAR) Households