Treatment of the Golden State Stimulus and Golden State Grant for CalWORKs

Households receiving the California Earned Income Tax Credit for 2020 will receive a $600 one-time relief payment through the Golden State Stimulus program.  In addition, the Golden State Stimulus program will provide a one-time $600 payment to households that filed with an Individual Tax Identification Number, have income below $75,000 per year, and were precluded from receiving a federal stimulus payment.  Eligible households can receive both payments.

As a tax rebate, credit or temporary tax refund measure, Golden State Stimulus payments are not counted as income and are exempt from being counted as a resource for 12 months for CalWORKs CalFresh, and CAPI.

The CalWORKs Golden State Grant payment will provide a $600 one-time payment to eligible CalWORKs Assistance Units that will be distributed by mid-April 2021.  This payment is exempt from being considered income, and is exempt from being considered a resource for 12 months.

The CalWORKs Golden State Grant payment cannot be considered an overpayment and must be excluded from overpayment establishment and collection.

All active CalWORKs recipients as of March 27, 2021 are eligible for the CalWORKs Golden State Grant.  A family that contains a CalWORKs assistance unit may also be eligible for additional Golden State Grant payments if it includes a SSI or CAPI recipient.

Refugee Cash Assistance, Entrant Cash Assistance and Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program recipients are not eligible for the CalWORKs Golden State Grant.  (ACL 21-23, March 25, 2021.)