Estimate your potential CalFresh (California's SNAP program) benefits.
This calculator provides an estimate and is not a guarantee of eligibility.
Your estimated eligibility will appear here.
Understanding CalFresh Eligibility
CalFresh is California's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), designed to help low-income individuals and families afford nutritious food. Eligibility and benefit amounts are determined by a complex set of rules, primarily based on household income, certain expenses, and household size.
This calculator provides an *estimated* eligibility status based on common CalFresh calculations. It considers gross monthly income, certain allowable deductions, and household size.
How Eligibility is Estimated:
The core of the calculation involves determining a household's "net income." This is calculated by taking the gross monthly income and subtracting certain deductions.
Gross Monthly Income: This is the total income from all sources before any deductions.
Allowable Deductions:
Standard Deduction: A fixed amount that varies by household size.
Earned Income Deduction: 20% of earned income.
Childcare/Dependent Care Deduction: Expenses necessary for work or training.
Medical Expense Deduction: For out-of-pocket medical costs for elderly (60+) or disabled household members that exceed $35 per month.
Excess Shelter Deduction: If housing costs (rent/mortgage + utilities) exceed 50% of the household's income after other deductions, a portion of these costs can be deducted, up to a limit.
Net Income: Gross Income – Allowable Deductions = Net Income.
Households must typically have a net income below a certain threshold to be eligible. Benefit amounts are then calculated based on the net income and the maximum benefit level for the household size.
Simplified Calculation Logic (for this calculator):
This calculator uses a simplified approach to give a general idea:
Calculate Gross Monthly Income: This is the "Total Monthly Household Income" input.
Calculate Total Allowable Expenses: This includes:
Housing Expenses (Rent/Mortgage)
Utility Expenses
Medical Expenses (if applicable and over $35)
Childcare Expenses
Dependent Care Expenses
Estimate Net Income: Gross Income – Total Allowable Expenses (with some limitations and adjustments not fully captured in this simple model).
Compare to Income Standards: The calculated Net Income is compared against federal poverty guidelines and state-specific income limits for the given household size.
Important Considerations:
This calculator does not account for all potential deductions or specific state variations.
Asset limits can also affect eligibility for some households.
The actual benefit amount can vary significantly.
For an official determination, you must apply through the California Department of Social Services or your local county social services office.
This tool is intended for informational purposes only and to help users understand the factors that influence CalFresh eligibility.
function calculateCalfreshEligibility() {
var householdSize = parseFloat(document.getElementById("householdSize").value);
var monthlyIncome = parseFloat(document.getElementById("monthlyIncome").value);
var rentOrMortgage = parseFloat(document.getElementById("rentOrMortgage").value);
var utilities = parseFloat(document.getElementById("utilities").value);
var medicalExpenses = parseFloat(document.getElementById("medicalExpenses").value);
var childcareExpenses = parseFloat(document.getElementById("childcareExpenses").value);
var dependentCareExpenses = parseFloat(document.getElementById("dependentCareExpenses").value);
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("result");
resultDiv.style.backgroundColor = "#d4edda"; // Reset to default green
resultDiv.style.borderColor = "#c3e6cb";
resultDiv.style.color = "#155724";
// Basic validation
if (isNaN(householdSize) || householdSize <= 0 ||
isNaN(monthlyIncome) || monthlyIncome < 0 ||
isNaN(rentOrMortgage) || rentOrMortgage < 0 ||
isNaN(utilities) || utilities < 0 ||
isNaN(medicalExpenses) || medicalExpenses < 0 ||
isNaN(childcareExpenses) || childcareExpenses < 0 ||
isNaN(dependentCareExpenses) || dependentCareExpenses 35) {
medicalDeductible = medicalExpenses – 35;
}
// Shelter costs (rent/mortgage + utilities)
var shelterCosts = rentOrMortgage + utilities;
// Estimate Net Income before shelter costs (simplified)
// In reality, there's a standard deduction and other factors.
// Here we'll use a common approach: apply deductions to gross income.
var incomeAfterEarnedDeduction = grossIncome – earnedIncomeDeduction;
var incomeAfterCare = incomeAfterEarnedDeduction – childcareExpenses – dependentCareExpenses;
var incomeAfterMedical = incomeAfterCare – medicalDeductible;
// Excess Shelter Deduction calculation is complex and capped.
// A very simplified approach: if shelter costs exceed 50% of income after other deductions.
// This calculator will NOT implement the full excess shelter deduction logic due to its complexity
// and the need for specific state maximums. We will just use total shelter costs for now.
var netIncomeEstimate = incomeAfterMedical – shelterCosts;
// Cap net income at 0 if expenses exceed income
if (netIncomeEstimate threshold * 1.5) { // A very rough initial screening based on gross income
eligibilityStatus = "Likely NOT eligible based on gross income.";
resultDiv.style.backgroundColor = "#f8d7da"; // Light red
resultDiv.style.borderColor = "#f5c6cb";
resultDiv.style.color = "#721c24";
estimatedBenefit = "N/A";
} else if (netIncomeEstimate < threshold) {
eligibilityStatus = "Potentially Eligible";
// Benefit calculation is also complex. A very rough estimate: Max Benefit – (Net Income * ~0.3)
// Max benefits also vary by household size. Using placeholder maxes.
var maxBenefits = {
1: 290, 2: 530, 3: 760, 4: 970, 5: 1160, 6: 1300, 7: 1490, 8: 1680
};
var maxBenefit = maxBenefits[householdSize] || maxBenefits[8];
var calculatedBenefit = maxBenefit – (netIncomeEstimate * 0.3); // 30% of net income assumption
if (calculatedBenefit < 0) calculatedBenefit = 0;
estimatedBenefit = "$" + calculatedBenefit.toFixed(2);
resultDiv.style.backgroundColor = "#d4edda"; // Success green
resultDiv.style.borderColor = "#c3e6cb";
resultDiv.style.color = "#155724";
} else {
eligibilityStatus = "Likely NOT eligible based on net income.";
resultDiv.style.backgroundColor = "#f8d7da"; // Light red
resultDiv.style.borderColor = "#f5c6cb";
resultDiv.style.color = "#721c24";
estimatedBenefit = "N/A";
}
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Eligibility Status: " + eligibilityStatus + "" +
"Estimated Net Monthly Income: $" + netIncomeEstimate.toFixed(2) + "" +
"Estimated Monthly Benefit: " + estimatedBenefit;
}