Got my EDD SDI weekly benefit amount notice - when will actual payment arrive?
So I finally got my EDD SDI award letter in the mail yesterday that shows my weekly benefit amount (WBA). Super relieved to at least know how much I'll be getting each week while I'm recovering from my surgery! But now I'm wondering... how long until the actual money hits my account? I submitted my claim about 10 days ago, and my doctor sent in the medical certification right after my procedure. I'm starting to get a little anxious because rent is due at the end of the month and my savings are getting pretty thin. Has anyone received their award letter recently? How many days afterwards did you get your first payment? Is there anything I need to do to trigger the payment or does it happen automatically once they determine your benefit amount?
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Zainab Khalil
congrats on the approval! usually first payment comes about 5-7 business days after the award letter, atleast thats how it worked for me last year. they should direct deposit if u set that up or mail a debit card
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Miguel Ortiz
•Thanks! I did set up direct deposit when I applied. Hoping it comes through quickly then!
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QuantumQuest
The timing depends on a few factors. First, did you serve your 7-day waiting period? SDI has a mandatory unpaid waiting period before benefits begin. Second, check your EDD SDI Online account - it usually shows the payment status before you actually receive the money. If your claim shows as 'paid' online, the deposit usually arrives 2-3 business days later. If you're getting a debit card for the first time, that can take 7-10 business days to arrive by mail. One thing to remember is that your first payment might be larger than subsequent ones if it covers multiple weeks. If your doctor backdated your disability start date, you could receive payment for those weeks all at once (minus the waiting period).
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Miguel Ortiz
•Yes, I already completed the waiting period. My disability started July 3rd, so that's 2+ weeks ago now. I'll check my online account - I didn't realize I could see payment status there. Thanks for the tip!
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Connor Murphy
When I got my SDI last time, the award letter came and then NOTHING for almost 3 weeks!! I nearly had a panic attack thinking something went wrong! I called EDD like 50 times and couldn't get through. FINALLY my payment showed up suddenly. The system is SO broken and frustrating!!!!
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Miguel Ortiz
•Oh no, that's exactly what I'm afraid of! I can't wait 3 more weeks... did they give you any explanation when it finally came through?
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Connor Murphy
•Nope, no explanation at all. Just suddenly appeared in my account. The worst part was not knowing if I needed to do something or if it was just taking forever. The stress made my medical condition worse!!
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Yara Haddad
I just went through this last month! Got my award letter then had to wait about 8 business days for first payment. But my sister got hers in like 3 days? Seems totally random tbh.
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Keisha Robinson
If you need to check on your payment status or ask about the timing, I'd recommend trying Claimyr to get through to an EDD representative. I was in your exact situation a few weeks ago - approved but no payment in sight. I tried calling EDD for days with no luck, then used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an agent in about 20 minutes. They were able to tell me exactly when my payment would process and resolved an issue that was causing the delay. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd Normally payments should process within 5-10 days of the award letter, but sometimes there are issues that need addressing.
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Miguel Ortiz
•I've never heard of that service before. Did it really work? I've been calling the regular number and just getting disconnected.
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Keisha Robinson
•Yes, it definitely worked for me. The regular EDD number is almost impossible to get through on. With Claimyr I spoke to an actual representative who could see all my claim details and tell me what was happening. Saved me days of stress and constant redialing.
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Paolo Conti
The timeline depends on several factors: 1. The 7-day waiting period must be completed before benefits start 2. Your doctor must have submitted the medical certification (sounds like they did) 3. Your claim must be fully processed - the award letter means this step is complete 4. Payment processing typically takes 3-5 business days after award letter 5. Direct deposit arrives faster than debit cards Since you received your award letter yesterday, I'd expect payment within a week. However, if you haven't received anything by next Friday, you should contact EDD to ensure there are no issues with your payment processing. July tends to be a busy month for EDD, so there might be slight delays. One thing to check: log into your SDI Online account and verify your payment method is set correctly. Sometimes people think they enrolled in direct deposit but it didn't save properly.
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Miguel Ortiz
•Thank you for the detailed response! I just checked my online account and it does show direct deposit is set up correctly. I submitted my claim on July 6th and my disability started July 3rd, so the waiting period should definitely be over. I guess I'll give it until next Friday before I panic!
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Amina Sow
Just adding my experience - I got my SDI letter last November and payment showed up EXACTLY one week later. But my coworker got hers in June and waited almost two weeks. I think it partly depends on how busy they are and if there's any holidays. The letter is a good sign though! I wouldn't worry yet.
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Zainab Khalil
just wondering, what was ur weekly benefit amount? mine was so much lower than i expected ugh
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Miguel Ortiz
•I'm getting $1,250 per week, which is actually about what I expected based on my salary. Did you check the SDI calculator on the EDD website before you applied? It gives a pretty accurate estimate.
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Zainab Khalil
•omg thats way more than mine! i only got $675 and i make decent money. maybe i need to call them, something seems off
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Paolo Conti
•The SDI benefit amount is based on your highest-earning quarter during your base period (typically 5-18 months before your claim). If you had lower earnings or gaps in employment during your base period, that could explain the lower benefit amount. Also, SDI maxed out at $1,620 per week in 2025, so $1,250 is definitely on the higher end of the scale.
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GalaxyGazer
Update: I just got my payment today!! It was exactly 5 business days after the award letter. Showing as pending in my bank account but should clear tomorrow. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for the help.
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QuantumQuest
•That's great news! Thanks for updating the thread - it's helpful for others to see typical timelines.
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Yara Haddad
•So glad it came through! Now you can focus on your recovery without that financial stress hanging over you.
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Dominic Green
Congratulations on getting your award letter! Based on what I've seen in this community, you should expect your first payment within 5-10 business days since you already completed the waiting period and have direct deposit set up. Since your disability started July 3rd and you applied July 6th, your first payment might be larger than usual because it could include backpay for those covered weeks (minus the 7-day waiting period). I'd recommend checking your SDI Online account daily - it usually updates with payment status before the money actually hits your bank account. If you don't see any movement by early next week, that's when I'd consider reaching out to EDD. Try not to stress too much - the award letter is the hardest part and you've already cleared that hurdle!
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