One minute, one tap: what your household may be missing. Food help, tax credits, health coverage, SSI, the SDG&E discounts, the phone discount and unclaimed money, checked together for a San Diego County household. Plenty of people miss these: SDG&E's own annual report counted 81,019 households eligible for its FERA discount in 2025 and 18,936 enrolled.
To run the numbers, ages and dollar amounts (never a name) go to PolicyEngine, a nonprofit's free benefits calculator built on open-source rules. The boxes stay on this page. Results are estimates; each agency decides.
Who's reading?
- Checking your own household
The money check above: one tap, about a minute. - Checking for a parent on Medicare
The senior calculator: Medicare Savings Program, Extra Help, SSI. - A family with kids
The tax credits come by filing; IRS-certified volunteers prepare returns free. - Starting or running a small business
The State's free filings: seller's permit, EIN, EDD employer account.
Pick the line that sounds like you. Not sure? Text PJ and say who you are.
What it checks, and whose rules
- CalFresh, SSI and the California supplement, Medi-Cal, the Medicare Savings Program, Covered California help: PolicyEngine's model of each program's rules.
- Tax credits: the federal EITC and Child Tax Credit, CalEITC and the Young Child Tax Credit (PolicyEngine). IRS: Earned Income Tax Credit.
- SDG&E CARE and FERA: the CPUC and SDG&E income limits for June 1, 2026 to May 31, 2027, from our CARE and FERA page.
- Extra Help: Medicare.gov's 2026 limits for one person, $23,940 income and $18,090 savings.
- LifeLine, unclaimed money, the Homeowners' Exemption, the 62+ postponement: each from its agency, on LifeLine, unclaimed money and the property tax bill check.
The fix
- Run it for your household, then for a parent: the senior benefits calculator goes deeper on Medicare.
- Apply for the biggest number first. Each result links to the page with the forms and phone numbers.
- Taxes: the credits only come by filing; IRS-certified volunteers prepare returns free.
Rather just ask? Text your question to PJ, a real person in Cardiff, and he answers it. Asking is free. Not sure what to put in a box, or a result looks off? Text PJ the numbers (no names) and he walks through it. Text PJ
Want a human to just do it?
- PJ does the forms with you: the online accounts, the uploads, the follow-up calls. Plans start as low as $25. He doesn't prepare tax returns for a fee (VITA is free), give insurance or legal advice, or take a cut of anything you get.
"It's about being nice and showing up." PJ, a real person in Cardiff and Solana Beach. Prices are set in one place and shown before anything starts.
Send this to your family. The message is already written; you just pick who.
"A one-minute California money check: CalFresh, tax credits, Medi-Cal, SDG&E discounts and unclaimed money for your household:"
Need a human?
This page is built every morning from public data by SideGuy, run by PJ, a local in Solana Beach. If something looks off, or you want a hand with your plans, text PJ at 858-461-8054. A real person answers.
Local help, free to read: make your fix plan · senior benefits checkup · lower your SDG&E bill · Medicare Extra Help · every 2027 Medicare plan · is my medication recalled? · the next 90 days. Plans start as low as $25. Your parent lives here and you don't? The Parent Check-In Plan, $25 a month.
Questions people ask
What benefits am I missing in California?
Run the money check: it estimates CalFresh, the federal and California tax credits, SSI with the California supplement, Medi-Cal, the Medicare Savings Program and Covered California help for your household, then checks SDG&E's CARE and FERA discounts, LifeLine, unclaimed money and the Homeowners' Exemption.
Is the money check private?
Only ages and dollar amounts go to PolicyEngine, a nonprofit's free benefits calculator, to run the numbers; never a name. The checkboxes stay on the page.
What are the SDG&E CARE income limits for 2026?
For June 1, 2026 to May 31, 2027: $43,280 a year for a household of 1 or 2, $54,640 for 3 and $66,000 for 4 (CPUC and SDG&E). FERA's limits are $54,100, $68,300 and $82,500.
How do I get the EITC and CalEITC?
By filing a tax return, even if you don't owe tax. IRS-certified volunteers (VITA) prepare returns free for qualifying taxpayers.
Is searching for unclaimed money in California free?
Yes. Search every name in the household on the State Controller's site; filing a claim is free.
Know someone who needs this?
Got a question about this? Ask PJ a question. A real person in Solana Beach texts you back.
Something changed here? Text PJ the fix: if it changes this page, you get $5. How it works.
Spotted something new around town? Text it in. What do you want to see here? Ask PJ for a page. No login, a real person reads it.
More free local tools: the North County toolkit.