Calfresh Calculator

by

CalFresh Eligibility & Benefit Estimator

Estimate your potential monthly food assistance benefits for 2024

Number of people living and eating together.
Income before taxes (wages, tips, etc.)
Social Security, Disability, Unemployment, etc.
Pay Heating/Cooling Separately (SUA) Limited Utility Allowance (LUA) Phone Only None/Included in Rent
Child support paid, childcare, etc.

Understanding CalFresh Benefits

CalFresh, California's version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), provides monthly food benefits to low-income individuals and families. The amount you receive depends on your household size, income, and specific expenses like housing and childcare.

Eligibility Requirements for 2024

To qualify for CalFresh, households must generally meet two income tests:

  • Gross Monthly Income: For most households, this must be at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).
  • Net Monthly Income: After certain deductions are subtracted from your gross income, your net income must be at or below 100% of the FPL.

How Benefits Are Calculated

The calculation follows a specific mathematical formula used by the California Department of Social Services:

  1. Gross Income: Sum of earned and unearned income.
  2. Adjusted Income: Subtract 20% of earned income, a standard deduction (based on family size), and any dependent care or child support costs.
  3. Shelter Deduction: Subtract shelter costs (rent/mortgage + utilities) that exceed 50% of your adjusted income (capped at $672 for most, uncapped for seniors/disabled).
  4. Final Allotment: Take the maximum allotment for your household size and subtract 30% of your Net Adjusted Income.
Note: This calculator provides an estimate based on 2023-2024 cost-of-living adjustments (COLA). Actual eligibility can only be determined by a county social services worker during a formal application process.
function calculateCalFresh() { var hhSize = parseInt(document.getElementById('hhSize').value) || 1; var grossEarned = parseFloat(document.getElementById('grossEarned').value) || 0; var unearned = parseFloat(document.getElementById('unearned').value) || 0; var housing = parseFloat(document.getElementById('housing').value) || 0; var utilityAllow = parseFloat(document.getElementById('utilityType').value) || 0; var otherDeductions = parseFloat(document.getElementById('otherDeductions').value) || 0; // 2023-2024 Data (Standard for Oct 2023 – Sept 2024) var grossLimits = [0, 2430, 3288, 4144, 5000, 5858, 6714, 7570, 8428, 9287, 10146]; var maxAllotments = [0, 291, 535, 766, 973, 1155, 1386, 1532, 1751, 1970, 2189]; var standardDeductions = [0, 198, 198, 198, 208, 244, 279, 279, 279, 279, 279]; var totalGross = grossEarned + unearned; var limit = hhSize > 10 ? grossLimits[10] : grossLimits[hhSize]; var maxBenefit = hhSize > 10 ? maxAllotments[10] : maxAllotments[hhSize]; var stdDed = hhSize > 10 ? standardDeductions[10] : standardDeductions[hhSize]; var resultArea = document.getElementById('resultArea'); var statusHeader = document.getElementById('statusHeader'); var benefitAmount = document.getElementById('benefitAmount'); var detailText = document.getElementById('detailText'); resultArea.style.display = 'block'; // 1. Gross Income Test if (totalGross > limit) { resultArea.style.background = '#fdeaea'; statusHeader.innerText = "Potentially Ineligible"; statusHeader.style.color = "#c0392b"; benefitAmount.innerText = "$0"; detailText.innerText = "Your gross monthly income of $" + totalGross.toFixed(2) + " exceeds the limit of $" + limit + " for a household of " + hhSize + "."; return; } // 2. Adjusted Income Calculation var earnedDed = grossEarned * 0.20; var adjIncome = totalGross – earnedDed – stdDed – otherDeductions; if (adjIncome < 0) adjIncome = 0; // 3. Shelter Deduction var totalShelter = housing + utilityAllow; var excessShelter = totalShelter – (adjIncome * 0.50); if (excessShelter 672) excessShelter = 672; var netIncome = adjIncome – excessShelter; if (netIncome < 0) netIncome = 0; // 4. Benefit Calculation (Max Allotment – 30% of Net Income) var deductionFromMax = netIncome * 0.30; var estimatedBenefit = maxBenefit – deductionFromMax; // Minimum benefit for 1-2 person households if (estimatedBenefit < 23 && (hhSize === 1 || hhSize === 2)) { estimatedBenefit = 23; } if (estimatedBenefit <= 0) { resultArea.style.background = '#fef9e7'; statusHeader.innerText = "Ineligible (Income too high)"; statusHeader.style.color = "#f39c12"; benefitAmount.innerText = "$0"; detailText.innerText = "Based on your deductions, your net income is high enough that your estimated benefit is zero."; } else { resultArea.style.background = '#eafaf1'; statusHeader.innerText = "Estimated Monthly Benefit"; statusHeader.style.color = "#27ae60"; benefitAmount.innerText = "$" + Math.round(estimatedBenefit); detailText.innerText = "Based on a household of " + hhSize + " and your reported income/expenses."; } }

Example Calculation: Family of 3

Consider a family of 3 with the following profile:

Category Value
Household Size 3 People
Gross Earned Income $2,500/mo
Rent $1,200/mo
Utilities (SUA) $643/mo

In this scenario, the family passes the Gross Income test ($2,500 is less than the $4,144 limit). After applying the 20% earnings deduction, the standard deduction, and the shelter allowance, this family might expect a benefit of approximately $400 – $500 per month, depending on final net income calculations.

Leave a Comment