benefit resources
Supplemental security income (ssi)
SSI provides monthly payments to people with disabilities and older adults who have little or no income or resources.
1. You have little or no income (like wages and Social Security benefits)
SSI is generally for individuals who don’t earn more than $1,971 from work each month. The income limit increases for couples and when parents apply for children. We also look at other sources of income besides your job, like disability benefits, unemployment, and pensions.
2. You have little or no resources (things you own)
Common resources are vehicles and money in bank accounts. Your resources should not be more than:
$2,000 for individuals
$3,000 for couples
If you’re a parent applying for a child, these numbers increase by $2,000.
3. You have a disability or are age 65 or older
If you’re age 64 or younger, you must have a disability that:
Affects your ability to work for a year or more, or
Will result in death, or
Severely limits daily activity (for children with disabilities).
If you have a disability, you’ll also need to prove you’ve earned less than $1,550 from work per month in the month you’re applying. Citizens ages 65 or older don’t need to have a disability to get SSI.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
SSDI provides monthly payments to people who have a disability that stops or limits their ability to work.
1. You have a disability or blindness
You must have a disability that affects your ability to work for a year or more, or will result in death.
If you continue to work, your condition must also limit you from earning income above an amount we call “substantial gainful activity” (SGA). In 2024, SGA is $1,550 per month, or $2,590 if you’re considered blind under our rules. We use different rules to determine SGA if you're self-employed.
2. You have enough work history
Generally, you must have worked for at least 5 of the last 10 years to qualify for Disability. People under the age of 24 may not need to have worked as long. Sign in and look under “More Benefits” to see if you’ve worked long enough to qualify.
Social Security in Retirement
The Social Security Retirement benefit is a monthly check that replaces part of your income when you reduce your hours or stop working altogether. It may not replace all your income so it's best to identify other ways to pay for your monthly expenses as you age.
CalFresh program
The CalFresh Program is a federal nutrition program that helps eligible, low-income, people purchase the food they need for good health. For most households, CalFresh benefits are only part of their food budget. CalFresh benefits are not cash. Some households must spend some of their own cash along with their CalFresh benefits. Households that are eligible will receive a plastic electronic benefit card (EBT) that can be used at most grocery stores when buying food items.
Amount of Benefits
Once you apply for CalFresh benefits, an Eligibility Technician who is an expert in the program will review your information and determine whether you meet the eligibility requirements to receive CalFresh benefits and, if so, how much you are eligible to receive. You may apply for CalFresh benefits:
Online at getcalfresh.org/en/apply or BenefitsCal.com. To learn more about BenefitsCal, including new features and capabilities, click here.
By phone at 1-800-281-9799. Our Call Center is open 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday
By mail – mail in your CalFresh application to:
County of Orange Social Services Agency
PO Box 70003
Anaheim, Ca 92825-9922By fax 714-645-3489 – fax in your CalFresh application
At your local CalFresh Regional Office from 8.am. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
Your CalFresh application only needs to have your name, address, and signature to begin the application process.
ELIGIBILITY:
To be eligible for CalFresh benefits:
You must be a resident of Orange County.
You must report all household members' income and property owned. Property and income limits vary depending on the number of persons in your household and their ages.
Your personal vehicles are not included in determining CalFresh eligibility.
Effective June 1, 2019, the CalFresh food assistance program expanded to include eligible older adults with disabilities who receive Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) Benefits.
CalWORKS Program
The California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program provides cash benefits for the care of children in need when one or both parents are absent, disabled, deceased or unemployed. CalWORKs benefits may be extended to qualifying non-citizens who have a child or children in the home. Non-citizens can include refugees, parolees, victims of trafficking or battered non-citizens. If you are eligible for CalWORKs, you automatically qualify for Medi-Cal and you might qualify for CalFresh (formerly known as Food Stamps) as well.
