EDD disability debit card is a nightmare - can't transfer money easily

The EDD/BofA debit card system is definitely frustrating but there are ways to handle it! I went through this last year during my pregnancy disability leave. You CAN set up direct transfer to your bank account through the BofA prepaid website (not the regular BofA site). Go to www.prepaid.bankofamerica.com/eddcard and set up recurring transfers. It takes about 3 business days for transfers to complete. If the app isn't working, try the desktop website instead. Mobile apps for government services are notoriously buggy. If your balance shows $0 when you know you've been paid, call the number on the back of your card - sometimes they put a fraud hold on first-time payments until you verify your identity.

omg YES the card is the WORST!! i had same issue last month & ended up having to call them 4 times!!! turns out they blocked my payments bc they thought it was fraud or something?? had to verify my identity and then wait another 5 days for the $ to show up. so frustrating!!!

If you're having trouble reaching someone at Bank of America about your EDD debit card, you might want to try Claimyr. It helped me get through to a rep when my card was locked for "suspicious activity" (which was just me trying to transfer my disability funds to my credit union). Their service connected me to a BofA/EDD specialist in about 20 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. There's a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd or just go to claimyr.com. Saved me hours of frustration with the phone system.

the whole disability system is designed to be hard to use on purpose if u ask me... they make it complicated so ppl give up and dont get their money. i had same issue last year and ended up just going to the ATM and withdrawing cash every week. not ideal but at least i got my $$

There are a few options for transferring your EDD disability payments from the BofA card that many people don't know about: 1. You can set up direct deposit to your bank through the prepaid.bankofamerica.com/eddcard portal (not the regular BofA website or app) 2. If your balance shows $0, it's almost certainly a fraud prevention hold - call the number on the back of your card 3. Ask specifically for the fraud department if regular customer service can't help 4. You can also mail a check to yourself using the bill pay feature on the prepaid site 5. ATM withdrawals are limited to $1,000 per day, so that's an option for getting larger amounts I've helped several family members navigate the EDD debit card system. It's definitely not user-friendly, but once you get it set up properly, the transfers can be automated.

i had this exact same problem!!! what worked for me was setting up my regular bank as a "bill payment" in the BofA prepaid website and then "paying" my bank account. sounds weird but it worked! took about 3 days for the money to show up in my account.

The EDD/Bank of America partnership has been problematic for years. Many disability and unemployment claimants have reported similar issues. The system is particularly difficult for people who are dealing with medical conditions that make travel difficult - which is ironic since it's a disability payment system. One thing I learned through my experience: if you're planning to be on disability again in the future, keep your card and account active even after you return to work. The problems seem to happen most often with new cards and newly activated accounts. Also, the 'zero balance' issue is extremely common and almost always resolved with a phone call to verify your identity. Unfortunately, their customer service is overwhelmed, so getting through can be challenging.

ok here's a weird trick that worked for me!! i linked my edd card to paypal then transferred from paypal to my bank!!! the stupid bofa app wouldn't let me link directly but paypal worked fine! might be worth a try??

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now with my disability claim! The zero balance thing is SO common - it happened to me too. What finally worked was calling the customer service number on the back of the card and asking to be transferred to the "prepaid card fraud department" specifically. Don't let them transfer you to regular BofA - you need the EDD prepaid specialist. Also, if you're having trouble with the mobile app, try using an incognito/private browser window on your computer to access prepaid.bankofamerica.com/eddcard. Sometimes their system gets confused with cached login data. One more tip: if you have a local credit union, many of them will cash Bank of America checks for free even if you're not a member. You could use the bill pay feature to write yourself a check and cash it locally instead of making that painful drive to BofA. Hope your back feels better soon!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this on top of your back injury! I went through something very similar when I was on disability for a shoulder surgery last year. The BofA EDD card system is genuinely awful and seems designed to make everything as difficult as possible. A few things that helped me: - The prepaid.bankofamerica.com/eddcard site is completely separate from their regular banking - I wasted days trying to use the wrong website - When you call, immediately say "EDD prepaid card fraud hold" - this gets you to the right department faster - If the balance shows $0, don't panic! Mine took almost a week to show up after the card arrived because of their fraud prevention The PayPal workaround someone mentioned actually saved me - I couldn't get direct transfers to work but PayPal accepted the card immediately. Just make sure to do the free 3-5 day transfer, not the instant one that charges fees. Hang in there - once you get through this initial setup nightmare, it does get easier. Focus on your recovery and don't let this financial stress make your back worse! The money will get sorted out.

I feel your pain - literally! I'm currently on disability for a back injury too and went through this exact same nightmare with the BofA EDD card about 3 months ago. The system is absolutely brutal when you're already dealing with physical pain and can't easily travel. Here's what finally worked for me after weeks of frustration: 1. Call the EDD customer service line (not BofA directly) and tell them your card shows zero balance despite approved payments. They can see your payment history and will transfer you to the right BofA department. 2. The key phrase is "EDD prepaid card payment hold" - this gets you to someone who actually understands the system instead of regular BofA customer service. 3. While you're waiting for the phone issue to resolve, try the desktop version of prepaid.bankofamerica.com/eddcard using a different browser or incognito mode. The mobile app is genuinely terrible. 4. If all else fails, many Walmart locations will let you load the funds onto a different prepaid card for a small fee, which you can then transfer to your bank. The whole system feels designed to exhaust people into giving up, which is especially cruel when you're dealing with a disability. Don't let them wear you down - your benefits are rightfully yours! Hope your back heals quickly.