I went through something very similar last year! Had a workplace injury that put me on SDI for about 6 months. Like everyone else has confirmed, you definitely won't get any tax forms for your California SDI benefits and you don't need to report them anywhere on your tax returns. One thing I learned the hard way though - make sure to keep really good records of your SDI payments and dates. I didn't think I'd need them, but my employer's HR department made some errors on my W-2 and included a few weeks that overlapped with my disability period. Having my SDI documentation made it easy to get a corrected W-2. Also, if you're planning to use a tax preparer, give them a heads up about the SDI situation beforehand. Some preparers who don't deal with California disability claims regularly might try to include it as income by mistake. Just saves time and confusion! Hope your shoulder healed up well - rotator cuff injuries are no joke!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - been on SDI since October after a workplace injury and was worried about how to handle taxes. This thread has been incredibly helpful! Just to confirm what everyone is saying, I called EDD directly last week and they confirmed that California SDI benefits are NOT taxable and no tax forms are issued. The representative explained it exactly like others have mentioned - since SDI comes from after-tax payroll deductions, you've already paid taxes on that money. One additional tip I got from the EDD rep: if you're ever unsure about whether you received SDI vs. unemployment benefits, you can log into your EDD account online and check your payment history. SDI payments will be clearly labeled as "State Disability Insurance" while unemployment would show as "Unemployment Insurance." This can help if you need to clarify things with a tax preparer or if the IRS ever has questions. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - it's so reassuring to know I'm not the only one who was confused about this!

I'm currently in this exact situation too! Had a procedure in early March and was supposed to be out for 6 weeks, but I'm feeling great and ready to return next week (about 2 weeks early). This thread has been absolutely invaluable - I had no idea about any of these requirements and was just going to stop certifying online. The overpayment penalty stories are genuinely scary! It's so frustrating that there's no simple "I'm ready to return to work" button in the SDI system. Based on everyone's advice, I'm calling my doctor today to get the DE 2525XX form faxed with my return date, and I'll start the dreaded process of trying to reach EDD by phone. Going to document everything just in case. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - you've potentially saved me thousands of dollars in penalties and a huge headache! It's amazing how many of us are dealing with faster-than-expected recovery, which should be celebrated but instead creates bureaucratic nightmares.

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Had surgery in late February and was certified for disability through mid-April, but I'm healing much better than expected and want to return to work this coming Monday (about 3 weeks early). This entire thread has been incredibly helpful - I honestly had no clue about the DE 2525XX form requirement and was planning to just stop my bi-weekly certifications thinking that would be sufficient. The stories about overpayment penalties and fraud allegations are definitely concerning! It's really disappointing that there's no straightforward online option to end benefits early when you're ready to return to work - seems like that would be a basic feature for a system designed to help people recover and get back to being productive. Based on all the great advice here, I'm calling my doctor's office first thing tomorrow morning to request they fax the DE 2525XX form to EDD with my exact return-to-work date, and then I'll start the apparently challenging process of trying to reach a live EDD representative. Going to keep detailed records of everything too, just in case there are any system glitches down the road. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread has probably saved me from making some very expensive mistakes! It's encouraging to see so many people recovering ahead of schedule, even if the bureaucratic process makes it more complicated than it should be.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now with my mom's SDI claim! She's been so stressed about whether her paystub will be accepted because it also has that "THIS IS NOT A CHECK" text and only shows partial SSN. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring - it sounds like submitting both the paystub and W-2 together is definitely the way to go. I'm planning to follow the advice about combining them into one PDF with a cover note explaining why we're including both documents. One question for those who've been through this - did you submit the documents through SDI Online or mail them in? I'm wondering if one method tends to be faster or more reliable than the other. My mom is anxious to get this resolved quickly since she's been unable to work due to her condition. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here - it's so helpful to see that this is a common issue and that there are clear solutions!

I went through this exact same verification process with my own SDI claim just a few months ago! The "THIS IS NOT A CHECK" text on paystubs is completely standard - it's just there to prevent people from mistakenly trying to deposit or cash a paystub. EDD sees this language on thousands of documents and it won't cause any issues with your verification. You're absolutely right to be concerned about the partial SSN though. Most employers now only show the last 4 digits for security reasons, but EDD still needs to verify the full SSN for identity purposes. Submitting both the paystub AND the W-2 is definitely the smart approach. A few additional tips from my experience: - Make sure both documents are clearly legible when you scan/photograph them - If submitting online, combine them into a single PDF to ensure they're processed together - Include a brief note explaining that you're providing both documents to meet all verification requirements - Double-check that your dad's name appears consistently across all documents and matches his claim exactly The verification process typically takes 5-10 business days once they have all the required documents. You're being really proactive about this, which should help avoid any delays. Good luck with your dad's claim!

I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now! EDD shorted me by about $150 on my last two payments and I have no idea why. Reading through all these responses is both helpful and terrifying - it sounds like this is way more common than it should be. @Amara Nnamani your breakdown is super helpful, thank you! I'm going to start with checking my claim details online like you suggested. @Aisha Ali and @Kyle Wallace - your experiences give me some hope that this can actually be resolved, even if it takes forever. The idea that old employer wage info could be messing things up never occurred to me. Has anyone had luck with the EDD "Ask EDD" feature on their website? I'm wondering if it's worth trying that before attempting the phone marathon. Also, for those who got their issues resolved - did you end up getting interest or any compensation for the delay, or just the missing amount? This whole system is such a mess. We shouldn't have to become EDD experts just to get what we're legally owed! 😤

I've been lurking here for a while but had to create an account to share my experience with EDD underpayments. This happened to me about 4 months ago - they shorted me by $180 and it took almost 2 months to resolve. Here's what I wish I had known from the start: 1. **Document EVERYTHING** - Take screenshots of your UI Online account showing the discrepancy before you contact anyone 2. **Check for "hidden" deductions** - Go to your Payment History and look for any line items that mention "offset," "recovery," or "adjustment" 3. **Verify your employer's wage reports** - Sometimes the issue isn't with EDD's calculation but with incorrect info your employer submitted months ago 4. **Don't rely on the first rep you talk to** - I got three different explanations for my underpayment from three different reps before finding someone who actually knew what they were talking about The thing that finally solved my case was discovering that my employer had reported my termination date wrong in their system, which affected my benefit calculation. Once I provided proof of my actual last day worked, everything got sorted out. To everyone dealing with this - I know it's exhausting, but don't give up! You paid into this system and you deserve every cent. The squeaky wheel gets the grease with EDD. Keep pushing! 💪

As a newcomer to both this community and the SDI system, I'm blown away by how comprehensive and helpful all the advice in this thread has been! Reading through everyone's experiences has really opened my eyes to how proactive you need to be with EDD when returning to work early. The consistency in everyone's advice is striking - particularly the emphasis on getting confirmation numbers, using multiple notification methods, and most importantly, actively stopping your certification rather than just assuming EDD will figure it out. The overpayment horror stories are definitely sobering and highlight why documentation is absolutely critical. I'm currently on SDI myself and was wondering about the early return process, so this thread couldn't have been more perfectly timed. I'm definitely bookmarking this and taking notes on all the practical tips - from using Claimyr when phone lines are busy to sending follow-up messages through SDI Online for that paper trail. It's really refreshing to find a community where people share such detailed, real-world experiences rather than just repeating generic information from official websites. The fact that so many members are emphasizing the same key steps gives me confidence that this is solid, tested advice. Thank you all for creating such a valuable resource for those of us trying to navigate this complex system!

As a newcomer to this community and SDI system, I'm incredibly grateful for all the detailed advice shared here! Reading through everyone's experiences has really highlighted how crucial it is to be proactive when returning to work early. The consistent warnings about overpayment issues are eye-opening - it's clear that EDD's system won't automatically stop benefits just because you go back to work early. I'm currently on SDI myself and was nervous about the early return process, but this thread has given me a solid roadmap: notify EDD immediately through multiple channels (phone + SDI Online), get confirmation numbers for everything, stop certifying right away, and keep detailed documentation throughout. The tips about using Claimyr when phone lines are impossible and creating paper trails through the "Ask EDD" feature are particularly helpful. What strikes me most is how the real-world experiences shared here fill in all the gaps that official EDD resources leave out. It's reassuring to find a community where people genuinely look out for each other and share both their successes and mistakes to help others navigate this complex system. Thank you all for creating such a valuable resource for those of us trying to figure this out!