Background
Assembly Bill (AB) 1542 established the State’s Welfare Reform Program, CalWORKs. Limits on property holdings have been set high enough that a person does not need to be completely destitute to qualify for aid. These property limits ensure that persons who own sufficient property to provide the necessities of life for themselves do not receive aid intended for those in greater need. The property limits that applicants/participants can retain and remain eligible for aid are described in this release.
Effective January 1, 2016, applicants/participants can open a CalABLE account as a result of the federal ABLE Act of 2014, California Senate Bill (SB) 324, and AB 449 signed October 11, 2015. CalABLE accounts allow qualified individuals who became disabled prior to the age of 26 to open tax-advantaged savings accounts in California or in any state offering a national plan. The CalABLE Act Board has been established to create and administer an online portal where CalABLE accounts can be opened.
The following chart exhibits resource limits CalWORKs applicants/participants may retain as countable property to be eligible for aid:
Bill Effective Date Resources limit for AUs with at least one household member age 60 or older Resource limit for all other AUs SB 80 (Chapter 27, Statutes of 2019) 06/27/2019 $15,000 $10,000 SB 80 (Chapter 440, Statutes of 2019) 07/01/2021 $15,317 $10,211 01/01/2023 $16,333 $10,888 01/01/2024 $17,452 $11,634 01/01/2025 $18,206 $12,137 01/01/2026 $18,829 $12,552
Background information on vehicle equity values and allowable vehicle limits may be found within Administrative Release (AR) 42-215 Determining Value of Property – Vehicles .
California Kids Investment and Development Savings (CalKIDS)
CalKIDS is a college savings program for California children born on or after July 1, 2022, and low-income eligible students identified by the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) who are enrolled in grades 1 through 12. This program is subject to availability of funding. Additional details about this program are outlined within the CalKIDS Section below.