Thank you! ❤️ It is definitely challenging juggling all of this with a newborn. My mother is staying with us for a few weeks which is a huge help, but I'm still so anxious about the financial situation. Appreciate the kind words!

I went through almost the exact same situation about 18 months ago! Left my W2 job to start freelancing, then had complications during pregnancy that required me to stop working completely. The key thing that helped my case was being very clear about the timeline - I documented exactly when I stopped being able to work due to my disability versus when I was still able to do some freelance work. EDD really wants to see that there's an actual loss of income due to the disability itself, not just because you chose to take time off. Since you filed right after delivery, that timeline should be pretty clear cut. The self-employment form is mostly to confirm you're not still earning your full consulting income while collecting benefits. As long as you're honest about any work you've done since the disability began, you should be fine. Also, don't stress too much about your consulting income being higher than your W2 salary - that actually works in your favor for showing income loss! Just make sure you have good records of what you were typically earning per month before the disability. Hang in there - the waiting is the hardest part but it sounds like you have a solid case!

I've been helping my elderly mother with her SDI claim and ran into the exact same issue! Her doctor's office also stopped using the online system. What finally worked for us was a combination of several suggestions from this thread: 1. Called EDD right at 8:05 AM and got through in about 8 minutes - the agent emailed me the DE 2501B form as a PDF within 5 minutes 2. Made 3 copies of the form before taking it to the doctor (learned this lesson from reading the comments here!) 3. Asked the doctor's office to call me when they faxed it and to save the fax confirmation receipt 4. Called EDD 2 days later to confirm they received it - they had, and my mom's claim was approved within a week The tip about calling the Technical Support line instead of the main number was also super helpful when I had a question about form versions. This whole thread should honestly be pinned or turned into an official guide - it's more helpful than anything on EDD's actual website! The amount of practical, real-world advice here is incredible. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences. It really does make navigating this broken system so much easier when we help each other out like this. Your aunt is lucky to have such a dedicated advocate. Keep pushing through - all these strategies really do work!

I'm currently going through this same nightmare with my disabled sister's SDI claim! Reading through this entire thread has been like finding a treasure map for navigating EDD's bureaucratic maze. Based on everyone's advice, here's what I'm planning to try in order: 1. Call EDD tomorrow at exactly 8:00 AM to request the DE 2501B form via email 2. If that doesn't work, visit our local EDD office mid-week with my sister's claim number and ID 3. Get multiple copies made before taking it to her doctor 4. Ask the doctor's office to include their direct phone number and fax confirmation receipt The tip about contacting your assembly member's office is absolutely genius - I had no idea that was even an option! And learning about the Technical Support line as an alternative to the main claims number could be a real game-changer. It's honestly shocking how much more helpful this community discussion is than EDD's own website. You've all created an incredible resource here that should be required reading for anyone dealing with disability claims. The fact that we have to become expert navigators of government bureaucracy just to help our family members access benefits they've paid into is infuriating, but at least we can help each other figure it out. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share your experiences and solutions. Your collective wisdom is going to help so many families get through this broken system!