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Just certified for my disability benefits yesterday morning (around 9am) but still nothing showing on my claim status or payment history. Usually I see some kind of update by now! I'm checking my BofA card balance obsessively but nothing's posted yet. This is my third certification period so I thought I had the timing figured out, but now I'm stressing. For those who regularly get SDI payments - how long does it typically take between certifying and seeing money on your card? Does certifying on a Sunday vs weekday make any difference? I have bills automatically coming out tomorrow and really need this payment to post! Starting to panic a little...
I'm stressing out over this EDD debit card situation. On February 8th I got notification that my first SDI payment was processed, but here I am 12 days later with NO debit card in sight! My claim was approved pretty quickly after my surgery (thank goodness because rent is coming up), but what good is an approved payment if I can't access the funds?? My old BofA EDD card expired back in November, so I'm definitely waiting on a new one. I've tried calling EDD but keep getting disconnected after 40+ minutes on hold. How long did everyone else wait for their cards to arrive after payment notification? Is there a way to expedite this? Starting to panic a little...
One more thing to check - make sure your mailing address is correct on your EDD account! I've seen situations where people moved since their last EDD claim and forgot to update their address. If that happens, the card gets sent to your old address and then you're really in for a headache.
Just double-checked and my address is correct on my account. Called Bank of America's EDD department this morning and they confirmed my card was mailed on February 12th, so it should hopefully arrive by early next week. They said I could request an expedited replacement for $10 if it doesn't arrive by then. Thanks everyone for the advice - feeling a lot less panicked now!
I went on disability last year and received my SDI benefits on a Bank of America card. I just applied for disability again about 3 weeks ago for a different medical issue, and when I checked online today it shows they finally issued a payment to me (thank goodness!). But when I checked my old BofA card balance, there's nothing there! I'm freaking out a little - does EDD automatically send a new card for new disability claims? Or should the money have gone to my old card? Has anyone dealt with this recently? Need this money ASAP for rent!
UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at BofA! Turns out they DID issue a new card even though my old one wasn't expired. The rep said it's because there was a gap of more than 6 months between my claims. New card should arrive by next Tuesday. Thanks everyone for your help!
Thanks for updating us! That's good to know about the 6-month gap policy - I hadn't heard that before. Glad you got it sorted out.
That's correct - I should have mentioned the 6-month rule. Bank of America's contract with EDD specifies that cards inactive for 180+ days may require reissuance for security reasons. For future reference, if you need funds faster, you can request expedited shipping of the new card (2-3 business days instead of 7-10).
Wait so if I'm understanding all this correctly, does this mean every time someone goes on disability after being off it for a while, they automatically get a new card??? That seems so wasteful! Why can't they just use the same card forever like a regular debit card? The EDD system makes NO SENSE sometimes!!!
It's actually a security measure. The EDD/BofA system deactivates cards after periods of inactivity to prevent fraud. While it might seem wasteful, disability fraud is unfortunately common, and this is one of their prevention methods. You can always request to have your funds directly deposited to your personal bank account instead of using the BofA card - just complete the Direct Deposit form on the SDI Online portal.
Hi everyone! I'm currently collecting unemployment benefits but I'm 6 months pregnant and my doctor wants me to stop working soon due to some complications (high blood pressure). Has anyone here successfully transitioned from unemployment to disability because of pregnancy? I'm so confused about the timing and process. Do I need to close my UI claim first before applying for SDI? Will there be a gap in payments? My doctor said she'll complete whatever forms needed but I don't want to mess up my benefits. Any advice from moms who've navigated this UI-to-pregnancy disability switch would be super helpful!
Does anyone know if the waiting period counts if you're still on UI? Like can I apply for disability a week before I need it so the waiting period overlaps with my last week of UI?
No, you can't overlap the waiting period with UI. The 7-day waiting period for SDI begins on your disability start date, and you cannot receive UI payments for the same period you're claiming to be disabled. The systems do cross-check this information. It's best to have your last UI week end just before your disability start date.
Thank you all SO much for the helpful information! I'm going to talk to my doctor this week to set a specific disability start date, then make sure I time everything correctly with stopping UI right before that. I'll update this thread once I get through the process in case it helps someone else!
Good luck! Just remember to be patient with the process - pregnancy disability claims usually go through without major issues, but sometimes there can be delays. If you do run into problems getting through to EDD, don't hesitate to try that Claimyr service someone mentioned above. I've heard from multiple people that it's worth it when you're stressed and pregnant and need answers!
I'm in a stressful situation that started with quitting my job in January 2025 after 3 consecutive paychecks were delayed/incomplete. Initially filed for UI benefits, was approved, but employer appealed claiming I quit without good cause. During the appeal process, I developed severe anxiety/insomnia due to financial stress. My doctor diagnosed me with acute stress disorder and suggested I apply for SDI instead. I submitted the medical certification (DE 2501) last week, but I'm confused about what happens to my UI claim now. Will EDD automatically switch me from UI to SDI? Do I need to withdraw my UI appeal? My weekly benefit would be higher on SDI ($654 vs $478 on UI), but I'm worried about messing up both claims. Has anyone navigated switching from UI to SDI mid-appeal?
im confused...if the doctor says ur disabled now, how were u able to work before? sounds like the disability came at a convenient time when ur UI was being challenged...just saying what EDD might think
This is actually a common situation that EDD is familiar with. Financial stress from job loss or income disruption can trigger or exacerbate mental health conditions over time. What might start as manageable anxiety can develop into a disabling condition as financial pressures mount, especially during lengthy benefit determination processes. That's why the medical certification from a doctor is so important - it documents when the condition became severe enough to prevent working.
Quick update on my similar situation: my SDI was approved! Took about 3 weeks from application to first payment. The key was having my doctor clearly document how my symptoms prevented me from working. They backdated my claim to when my doctor first documented my condition, and I had to repay a small UI overpayment for one overlapping week. Still dealing with the UI appeal separately, but at least I have the SDI income now. Hang in there!
That's such a relief to hear! Congratulations on getting approved. Did you have to do anything special during the application process? My doctor filled out the DE 2501 form and was pretty detailed about my symptoms (panic attacks, insomnia, etc.) and how they affect my ability to work. I'm just worried because this is my first time applying for disability and I don't want to miss anything important.
Marcus Marsh
Just wanted to update everyone - payment finally posted to my BofA card this morning (about 36 hours after certifying). Thanks for all the reassurance and advice! I guess I just needed to be more patient.
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Kristin Frank
yay! glad it worked out!!
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Jabari-Jo
That's great! For future reference, it's normal for there to be some variation in payment timing. The EDD systems run different processing batches throughout the week, and BofA also has its own processing schedule. As long as your certification doesn't have any issues, you'll typically see the payment within 2 business days.
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Hailey O'Leary
I had a similar issue back in January when my disability got extended. I would recommend saving some of each payment as a buffer if you can so you're not cutting it so close with bill payments. The EDD system is just too unpredictable - I learned that the hard way when my car payment bounced because of a 3-day delay. Now I keep at least 2 weeks of expenses in savings as a buffer during my disability period.
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Seraphina Delan
AuthorThat's really good advice. I've been living too close to the edge with these payments. Going to try to build a small buffer once I get caught up.
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