I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience since I just completed the DE 5005 process successfully two months ago. My situation was almost identical - mixed W2/1099 income with lots of informal handyman work that wasn't perfectly documented. A few things that really saved us that I haven't seen mentioned yet: 1. If your husband has any old work trucks or vehicles he used for jobs, check the maintenance records and gas receipts - these can help establish patterns of work activity during specific time periods. 2. Home Depot/Lowe's receipts from buying materials for jobs can also serve as supporting documentation, especially if you can match dates to specific client work. 3. We found that creating a simple "day-in-the-life" narrative for a typical work week helped the EDD reviewer understand the irregular nature of self-employment income. Just a paragraph explaining how he found clients, performed work, and received payment. 4. Don't forget about any business cards, flyers, or Craigslist ads he might have posted during that time period - these help establish that he was actively marketing his services. The most important thing we learned is that EDD reviewers understand the gig economy reality. They're not expecting Fortune 500 accounting standards from someone doing handyman work to make ends meet after a layoff. Our total processing time was about 7 weeks and we were approved without any issues. The key is showing good faith effort to document everything you can, even if it's not perfect. Hang in there - you're doing everything right and your thoroughness is going to pay off! Wishing your husband a speedy recovery.

I'm new to this community but wanted to reach out because your situation sounds incredibly similar to what my family just went through. My brother-in-law had a serious back injury from a construction accident in December, and we also had to navigate the DE 5005 form with mixed W2/1099 income. Reading through all these responses has been so helpful - this community really knows what they're talking about! I wanted to add a couple things that worked for us that might help: 1. If your husband has any old text message threads with clients (even from months ago), don't delete them! Screenshots of conversations about scheduling work or discussing payment can be really valuable supporting documentation. 2. We discovered that many local hardware stores keep customer purchase histories if your husband had an account or used a credit card regularly. These receipts for job materials helped us establish dates and show legitimate business expenses. 3. One thing our EDD caseworker specifically mentioned - if there are any gaps in documentation, write a brief explanation letter for each gap rather than leaving it blank. Something simple like "Client paid cash, no receipt available" shows you're being thorough and honest. The whole process took us about 8 weeks total, but we were approved and the back-pay covered everything from the injury date. The system really does work, even when the documentation isn't perfect. You're doing an amazing job advocating for your husband during such a difficult time. The fact that you're being so organized and asking the right questions shows you're on the right track. Wishing him a smooth recovery and hoping your claim gets processed quickly!

As someone who just went through this transition a few months ago, I want to add that timing really is everything! I was on SDI for pregnancy complications starting at 34 weeks and successfully transitioned to PFL with only a 6-day payment gap. Here's what worked for me: 1. I filed my PFL claim exactly 8 days before my SDI was scheduled to end 2. Made sure my doctor wrote the specific end date for my disability recovery (not just "cleared to return to work") 3. Had all my documentation ready to upload immediately - birth certificate copy, hospital discharge papers The most important thing I learned is that even though there might be a short payment gap, EDD does backdate the PFL payments to cover that period. I got nervous when I didn't see a payment for about a week, but then received a larger payment that covered the gap plus my regular weekly amount. One tip that really helped: I called EDD about 3 days after filing my PFL claim just to confirm they received it and everything looked correct. The wait time was only about 20 minutes in the afternoon, and the representative was able to confirm my claim was processing normally. That peace of mind was worth the phone call! Budget for about 10 days without a payment just to be safe, but know that the money will come through. The system isn't perfect but it does work if you file everything correctly and on time.

I'm currently 29 weeks pregnant and on SDI for pregnancy complications, so this thread has been incredibly helpful! Based on everyone's experiences, it sounds like the key is really in the timing and preparation. I'm going to start setting aside some money from my SDI payments now to cover that potential 1-2 week gap, and I'll make sure to file my PFL claim about 8-10 days before my SDI ends. One thing I'm wondering about - for those who successfully transitioned, did you find it helpful to give your doctor a heads up about the importance of specific end dates on the disability forms? I want to make sure my OB understands how critical the timing is for the transition. Also, has anyone had experience with the process if you end up delivering earlier or later than your due date? I'm worried about how that might affect the timing of everything. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences - it's so much more helpful than trying to figure this out from the EDD website alone!

That's great news that your primary doctor is willing to help! Just wanted to add a few more tips from my experience helping people with similar situations: 1. Make sure to get the surgical center's contact information in case EDD needs to verify anything directly 2. Ask your Colombian surgeon to include specific details about work restrictions (like no lifting over 10 lbs, no bending, etc.) in their report - EDD loves specifics 3. Consider getting a letter from your employer confirming your job duties require physical work that would be restricted post-surgery 4. Keep all your travel documents (boarding passes, passport stamps) as proof of timeline The fact that your primary doctor is documenting everything before and after should really strengthen your case. Good luck with the surgery and recovery!

One more thing to consider - make sure you understand Colombia's medical record system and how to get copies of everything you'll need. Some countries have different documentation standards than what EDD expects. I'd recommend asking the Colombian surgical center upfront what records they provide post-surgery and if they can format them in a way that includes all the details California might want (procedure codes, recovery timeline, work restrictions, etc.). Also, find out about their policy for providing additional documentation if EDD requests more info later - you don't want to be stuck trying to get extra paperwork from abroad months after your surgery. The more prepared you are on the documentation side, the smoother your SDI claim should go.

Hey @Dmitry Popov! I just went through this exact same situation a few months ago and totally understand the anxiety. Here's what worked for me: I called the SDI line at 8am sharp when they opened (1-800-480-3287) and had my claim number, social security number, and a pen ready. When I got through, I specifically said "I need the DE 2525XX continuation form sent to my SDI online account inbox for my benefit extension." The rep was able to do it right away and gave me a confirmation number. It showed up in my online inbox within 2 business days. One thing I learned - if they offer to mail it instead, politely decline and emphasize you need it in your online account. Good luck, you've got this! 💪

I just went through this process about 6 weeks ago and it was definitely stressful at first, but totally manageable once I figured out the system. Here's what I wish someone had told me upfront: 1. Call early (8-8:30am) but if you can't get through, try again around 2-3pm - I found those times had shorter hold times 2. Have your claim number AND your SDI account login info ready - they might ask you to verify details from your online account 3. Be very specific: "I need form DE 2525XX sent to my SDI online account MESSAGE INBOX" (not just "online account" - say "message inbox") 4. Ask for the processing timeline upfront - they should be able to tell you 2-5 business days 5. Screenshot or write down the confirmation details they give you The anxiety is totally normal - I was worried about my benefits getting interrupted too. But once you get that form and submit it, the extension process is pretty straightforward. You've got this! Let us know how it goes 👍

I'm new to this community and just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! I'm currently on my first SDI claim and wasn't even aware that extensions required a different form. Reading through everyone's experiences with the DE 2525XX form has given me so much valuable information - from the timing considerations to working with specialists versus primary care doctors, and even backup options like the DE 2501 continuing claim form. The practical tips about asking doctors' offices about their processing times, bringing diagnostic test results, and setting up EDD alerts are exactly the kind of real-world advice you can't find on the official websites. As someone who will likely need an extension myself in the coming weeks, I feel so much more prepared now thanks to all of your shared experiences. This community is such a great resource for navigating what can be a really confusing and stressful system!

As someone new to this community, I'm amazed by how thorough and helpful all these responses have been! I'm currently dealing with a similar situation where I'll need an SDI extension soon, and this thread has been incredibly educational. The DE 2525XX form number is exactly what I was looking for, and all the practical advice about timing, working with specialists, and preparing documentation has given me a clear roadmap for when I meet with my doctor next week. It's so reassuring to see a community where people share their real experiences and help each other navigate this complex system. The tips about electronic submission through SDI Online, backup options like the DE 2501 form, and setting up EDD alerts are things I never would have known otherwise. Thank you all for creating such a supportive and informative discussion!