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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
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An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
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Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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As someone who just started planning for maternity leave, this entire thread has been incredibly enlightening! I had absolutely no idea that SDI pregnancy benefits were federally taxable - I was planning to just put aside money for the time off without considering tax implications at all. Based on everyone's experiences here, I'm definitely going to opt for the 10% federal tax withholding from day one using the DE 4P form. The stories about owing $600-900+ at tax time are exactly the reality check I needed! I'd much rather have slightly smaller payments during leave than get blindsided by a huge tax bill when I'm already dealing with newborn expenses. @Fiona Gallagher's professional perspective was especially helpful - I hadn't considered how my tax bracket might change based on my total income for the year including unpaid leave time. I'm definitely going to use the IRS withholding calculator once I have better estimates of my benefit amounts and leave duration. I'm also going to start keeping detailed records of all payments right from the beginning, given how many people mentioned 1099-G errors. Thank you everyone for sharing your real experiences - this has been way more valuable than any official website!
Welcome to the conversation, Felicity! I'm also just starting to plan for maternity leave and this thread has been a goldmine of information. It's so much better getting real experiences from people who've actually been through this process rather than trying to decode government websites. I completely agree about opting for the 10% federal withholding from the start - those tax bill stories were definitely eye-opening! One thing I'm planning to do based on all the advice here is create a simple calendar reminder to check my EDD portal monthly and screenshot the payment history, just to make sure I have solid backup records in case there are 1099-G issues later. The professional tax perspective from @Fiona Gallagher really helped me understand that the 10% might not be perfect for everyone s'situation, but it s'definitely a good starting point. Good luck with your planning!
I'm jumping in as someone who just went through this whole process earlier this year! Can confirm that California SDI pregnancy benefits are indeed subject to federal income tax but exempt from California state tax. I made the mistake of initially declining the federal tax withholding because I wanted to maximize my take-home during leave, and I definitely regretted it come tax time - ended up owing about $850 plus a small underpayment penalty. Learn from my mistake and absolutely opt for the 10% federal withholding using form DE 4P when you file your claim! A few things I wish I'd known upfront: - Keep your own detailed log of every payment (date/amount) because 1099-G forms can have errors - The withholding applies to both SDI pregnancy disability AND PFL bonding benefits if you use both - Consider your total annual income when deciding if 10% withholding is enough - if you're in a higher tax bracket, you might want to set aside additional funds One practical tip: I created a simple note in my phone every time a payment hit my account. When my 1099-G had incorrect dates, having my own records made getting it corrected so much easier. The whole process is stressful enough without tax surprises at the end! Congratulations on your pregnancy and good luck with the planning! 🎉
Thanks for sharing your experience, Ethan! That $850 plus penalty definitely sounds like a painful lesson. Your tip about creating a phone note for each payment is so simple but brilliant - I never would have thought of that, but it makes perfect sense given how many people have mentioned 1099-G errors. I'm definitely going to set up the 10% federal withholding from day one after reading all these stories. Quick question - when you had to get your 1099-G corrected for the wrong dates, was EDD responsive about fixing it, or did it take forever to resolve? I want to be prepared in case I run into similar issues!
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I'm brand new to this community and unfortunately here because I've been stuck with E316 and E318 errors for 5 days now! Reading through all these responses has been both incredibly helpful and validating - it's clear this is a widespread system issue affecting so many of us. I had no idea there were actual workarounds that work! Based on everyone's advice here, I'm planning to try the comprehensive approach tomorrow: calling the SDI line at 1-800-480-3287 right at 8 AM, using the specific phrase "technical errors preventing access to disability benefits" to get past first-level agents, immediately asking for Tier 2 support, and trying the incognito browser method with the password reset trick. The tip about accessing the site at 6 AM when it's "cleanest" after maintenance is brilliant too! It's absolutely ridiculous that we need a whole community research project just to access benefits we're entitled to, but I'm so grateful for everyone sharing real solutions that actually work instead of the useless "try again later" responses from official support. The persistence and collaborative problem-solving in this thread is amazing! I'll definitely report back with my results - hopefully I can add another success story to help others still fighting this broken system. Thank you all for not giving up and turning this nightmare into a supportive community effort! We shouldn't have to become EDD system experts just to get our disability benefits, but at least we're figuring it out together! 🙏
Welcome to the community, Leeann! I'm also new here and dealing with the exact same E316/E318 nightmare - it's both frustrating and comforting to know so many of us are going through this together! Your strategy sounds perfect based on all the incredible advice shared in this thread. I'm definitely going to try the same approach: that SDI line (1-800-480-3287) at 8 AM sharp, using the magic phrase "technical errors preventing access to disability benefits," asking for Tier 2 immediately, and the incognito browser/password reset combo. The 6 AM "clean system" timing tip is something I hadn't considered before either! It's honestly outrageous that we need a whole community PhD program just to access our own benefits, but I'm so thankful everyone here is sharing real solutions that actually work. This thread has been more helpful than EDD's entire support system! Please keep us posted on how it goes tomorrow - every success story gives hope to those of us still stuck in this mess. We're all in this fight together! 🙏💪
I'm brand new to this community and unfortunately here because I've been dealing with the exact same E316 and E318 errors for over a week now! Reading through this entire thread has been incredibly eye-opening and helpful - it's amazing how much collective wisdom everyone has shared here. I had no idea there were so many actual workarounds that work! Based on all the fantastic advice I've seen, I'm planning to try the comprehensive approach: calling the SDI line at 1-800-480-3287 right at 8 AM, using the specific phrase "technical errors preventing access to disability benefits" to get past first-level agents, immediately requesting Tier 2 support, trying the incognito browser method with cleared data, and attempting the password reset trick even though I know my password is correct. The tip about accessing the site at 6 AM when it's "cleanest" after overnight maintenance is genius too! It's absolutely mind-boggling that we need a whole community research project just to access benefits we're legally entitled to, but I'm so grateful for everyone here sharing real solutions that actually work instead of the generic "try again later" responses from EDD's official support. The persistence and collaborative problem-solving in this community is truly inspiring! I'll definitely report back with my results - hopefully I can add another success story to help others still stuck in this broken system. Thank you all for not giving up and turning this frustrating nightmare into a supportive community effort! We shouldn't have to become EDD system hackers just to get our disability benefits, but at least we're all figuring it out together! 🙏💪
Welcome to the community, Abigail! I'm also brand new here and unfortunately dealing with the exact same E316/E318 disaster - it's both reassuring and maddening to see how widespread this issue is! Your comprehensive plan sounds absolutely perfect based on all the amazing advice shared in this thread. I'm definitely going to copy your strategy: that SDI line (1-800-480-3287) at 8 AM, the magic phrase "technical errors preventing access to disability benefits," immediate Tier 2 escalation, incognito browser method, password reset trick, and that brilliant 6 AM "clean system" timing! It's honestly shameful that we need a whole community university course just to access our own benefits, but I'm so grateful everyone here is sharing real solutions instead of EDD's useless "try again later" responses. This thread has been more helpful than their entire support department! Please definitely keep us posted on how your multi-pronged approach works out - every success story gives the rest of us hope that we can actually beat this broken system. We're all rooting for each other in this fight! 🙏💪
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My situation this year is even more fun... I was on SDI for 3 months, then transitioned to PFL for bonding with my new baby. So I'll be getting TWO different tax forms? Anyone know how that works?
my wife did both last year and it was all on the same 1099G actually! EDD combines them since theyre both from the same department
Just wanted to share my experience from last year - I was on SDI for 6 months and EDD did mail me the 1099-G around mid-January. The form clearly breaks down your total benefits received, which made filing pretty straightforward. One tip: keep all your SDI payment records throughout the year just in case there are any discrepancies on the form. I compared mine and everything matched perfectly, but it's good to have backup documentation. Also, if you use tax software like TurboTax or FreeTaxUSA, they walk you through exactly where to enter the SDI income, so it's not as complicated as it might seem!
@Malik Johnson Thanks for sharing your experience! This gives me a lot more confidence about the whole process. I m'curious - did you find that having SDI income significantly changed your tax situation? Like did it bump you into a higher bracket or anything like that? I m'trying to figure out if I should adjust my withholdings for next year since I ll'probably be on disability for a few more months. Also, when you kept your payment records, did you just save the paper notices or did you screenshot stuff from the online portal too?
@Malik Johnson This is exactly the kind of real-world experience I was hoping to hear about! I m'also on my first time dealing with SDI started (in October like the original poster and) have been keeping all my paperwork but wasn t'sure what to expect with the tax forms. Quick question - did you find that the SDI income pushed you into owing taxes when you normally would have gotten a refund? I m'trying to figure out if I should be setting some money aside just in case. Also, do you remember if the 1099-G showed any federal tax withholding, or is that something we handle entirely when filing?
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UPDATE: I finally got through to BofA EDD card services! For anyone with the same problem, here's what worked: 1. I used the Claimyr service that someone recommended above - got connected in about 25 minutes instead of endless busy signals 2. Selected option 2 for "lost or stolen card" even though mine was just expired 3. Had to verify my identity (SSN, address, date of birth) 4. They're sending me a new card via expedited shipping (paid $10 for 3-day delivery) 5. Set up direct deposit for future payments so I won't have this problem again The rep confirmed my funds are safe and will be available once I activate the new card. Thanks everyone for your help!
Glad it worked out! Setting up that direct deposit is definitely the way to go. One more tip - once you get your card and transfer the money to your bank, I recommend keeping the card in a safe place even if you're using direct deposit. Sometimes there can be retroactive payments or adjustments that might still go to the card.
That's great advice - I'll definitely keep the card safe. Thank you again!
Great to see you got it resolved! For future reference to anyone else reading this thread, I want to emphasize that the direct deposit setup is crucial. I've been on SDI for over a year now and switched to direct deposit after my first card expired. It's been so much smoother - payments go straight to my checking account within 1-2 business days of being issued by EDD. Also, keep in mind that if you ever need to update your direct deposit information, you have to do it through the BofA EDD card website, not through EDD directly. The systems don't communicate with each other, which is confusing but important to remember. Hope your situation stays smooth from here on out!
This is really helpful information! I'm new to this whole SDI process and didn't realize that EDD and Bank of America have completely separate systems. That explains so much of the confusion I've been seeing in these posts. Quick question - when you set up direct deposit through the BofA EDD card website, do you need to have the physical card in hand first, or can you do it online with just your account information once the card is activated?
Zoe Papanikolaou
This thread has been such an incredible resource! I just joined this community after discovering it while searching for help with my own SDI claim nightmare. I've been stuck for about 4 weeks now with my claim showing "under review" status, and like everyone else here, I've been trapped in the endless EDD phone system hell - probably made 100+ calls with nothing but busy signals, hour-long holds that end in disconnections, or reps who claim they can't access my information. Reading through all these amazing success stories about the assembly representative route is honestly the first genuine hope I've had in a month! I had absolutely zero idea this was even possible. Like others have mentioned, I always thought state reps only dealt with major legislative issues, not individual cases like ours. The fact that Eva, Yara, Ali, and so many others got their claims resolved in 24-48 hours while I've been spinning my wheels for weeks is both incredibly encouraging and deeply frustrating. I just spent the last hour going through every comment in this thread and I'm completely convinced this is the way to go. Already looked up my assembly member using that findyourrep website and I'm calling their district office first thing tomorrow morning. My disability benefits are my only source of income right now and I'm already falling behind on bills while waiting for this mess to get sorted out. This community is absolutely incredible for sharing real, actionable solutions instead of just venting about problems. Thank you to everyone who took the time to document what actually worked and especially those who came back with updates - you're literally helping people keep their lives together while navigating this broken system. I promise to report back with my results to help continue this chain of success stories for the next person who desperately needs guidance!
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Luca Conti
•Welcome to the community Zoe! I'm also pretty new here but found this thread a few weeks back when I was in a very similar situation. Four weeks stuck with 100+ calls and no progress is exactly the nightmare I was living through too. The assembly representative route really is a game-changer - I honestly can't believe this isn't common knowledge given how useless the regular EDD phone system is. When you call tomorrow, definitely emphasize that you've been waiting a month without income and are falling behind on bills. From what I've seen in all these success stories, they're very responsive to urgent financial situations. Also make sure to ask specifically for their "EDD liaison" or "EDD caseworker" when you call. Really hoping you get the same quick resolution that everyone else here has experienced! Looking forward to seeing your success story added to this amazing thread.
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Nina Chan
This thread has been absolutely life-changing for me! I've been dealing with my own SDI claim mess for the past 7 weeks - my claim got stuck after submitting additional medical documentation and I've been calling EDD religiously every single day with zero success. I'm talking 200+ calls, hours of hold time, constant disconnections, and the few times I actually got through to someone, they told me they couldn't see my file or make any changes. I found this community yesterday while desperately googling for SDI help and spent hours reading through every single comment in this thread. Seeing Eva's initial success story and then all the follow-up victories from Yara, Ali, Paolo, and everyone else is honestly the first real hope I've had in almost 2 months! I had absolutely no clue that state assembly representatives could help with individual EDD cases - I always thought they only handled big policy stuff. The contrast between everyone's 24-48 hour success stories through their assembly reps versus the complete failure of the regular EDD phone system is just mind-blowing. It really highlights how broken the standard process is when people desperately need these benefits to survive. I already looked up my assembly member on that findyourrep website and I'm calling their district office first thing Monday morning. My disability payments are literally my lifeline since I can't work due to my condition, and I'm now facing potential eviction because I haven't been able to pay rent for over a month. Thank you SO much to everyone who shared their real experiences and came back with updates - you're genuinely helping people keep roofs over their heads and food on the table. This community is providing actual solutions that work when the system has completely failed us. I'll definitely report back with my results to hopefully help the next person who finds themselves drowning in this EDD nightmare!
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