How is EDD SDI benefit amount calculated? First-time disability applicant confused

The benefit amount calculation is based on your highest-paid quarter in your base period, which is approximately 5-18 months before your disability claim begins. For a claim starting in 2025, they'll look at your wages from late 2023 through 2024, depending on when exactly you file. The formula is roughly 60-70% of your average weekly wages during your highest quarter, up to a maximum weekly benefit amount (which is around $1,620 in 2025). You should definitely apply BEFORE your surgery. You can file up to 9 days before your disability begins. This gives EDD time to process your claim so payments start faster. When you apply, you'll need your last day worked and your first day of disability (surgery date). Make sure your doctor submits the medical certification promptly - this is often where delays happen. And double-check all your wage information when you apply.

they use ur highest paid quarter from the base period. its not about recent paychecks. i think its a year to 18 months back? but dont quote me on that lol

DONT WAIT to apply!!! I made that mistake last year and lost almost 2 weeks of benefits because I didn't realize there's a 7-day unpaid waiting period AND they only backdate claims 14 days. Apply 9 days before your surgery date but make sure you put the correct "first day of disability" as your actual surgery date. As for the amount, I was getting about 65% of my normal paycheck. You can actually check your potential benefit amount by creating an SDI Online account and using their calculator BEFORE you apply. That way you can budget accordingly.

I had such a nightmare trying to reach someone at EDD when I had questions about my benefit calculation last year. After trying for DAYS and constantly getting disconnected, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to a representative in about 25 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd The EDD rep explained that my benefit amount was lower than expected because I had taken unpaid time off during my highest quarter, which reduced my average weekly wage. Just something to keep in mind - they use your total wages in that quarter divided by 13 (weeks) to calculate your weekly amount.

I just went through this whole process in January! For me, I make different amounts each paycheck (I work in sales with commission), so I was confused about how they'd calculate it. Turns out they took my highest-earning quarter from the base period, added up ALL earnings for those 3 months, divided by 13 weeks, and then took about 60-70% of that amount. My weekly benefit ended up being $1,247 which was actually a bit higher than I expected. Just make sure ALL your wages are reported correctly because they pull this data from your employer's tax filings.

ANOTHER THING - when you're setting up your SDI Online account make SURE the name you use EXACTLY matches your ID and social security card. My coworker had her married name on her driver's license but her maiden name on her social security card and it caused a HUGE delay while they verified her identity. She had to send in copies of her marriage certificate and everything!

i think disability pays more than unemployment but less than your regular paycheck. my brother got like 65% of his normal pay when he was out for back surgery

To give you the exact formula: EDD takes your highest quarter of wages in the base period and divides by 13 to get your average weekly wage. Then they multiply that by the replacement rate (approximately 60-70% depending on your income level). For 2025, if your quarterly wages were at least $10,764, you'd qualify for the maximum weekly benefit amount of $1,620. The minimum weekly benefit is $50. An important tip: if you know your surgery date well in advance, you could potentially maximize your benefits by planning when you file. Since the base period shifts each quarter, filing in early April versus late March could potentially include or exclude a high-earning quarter.

When I was on disability last year after my car accident, they calculated my benefit totally wrong at first because they didn't have my most recent wage information. I had to submit additional wage verification with pay stubs. Just be prepared to submit additional documentation if you think the calculated amount is wrong. Don't just accept whatever they say if it seems off!

As someone who just went through the SDI application process last month, I want to echo what others have said about applying early! I applied 8 days before my disability start date and still had to wait almost 3 weeks for my first payment due to processing delays. One thing I wish I had known: if you work multiple jobs, make sure ALL of your employers are listed correctly in your wage history. I had a part-time weekend job that wasn't showing up initially, and those wages would have bumped me into a higher benefit bracket. Also, keep copies of EVERYTHING you submit. When they asked for additional medical documentation, I was so glad I had saved all my forms. The whole process felt overwhelming at first, but once you get through the initial application, it's pretty straightforward. Good luck with your surgery and recovery!

I went through SDI application for knee surgery recovery last fall and wanted to share a few things that really helped me. First, create your SDI Online account ASAP and check your wage history - mine was missing wages from a job change mid-year and I had to submit W-2s to correct it before filing. Second, when you apply 9 days before surgery, make sure your doctor knows the exact timeline. My orthopedic surgeon's office was great about submitting the medical certification quickly, but some offices are slower. You might want to give them a heads up about the paperwork they'll need to complete. One thing that surprised me was that they send payments via debit card (Bank of America EDD Debit Card) unless you specifically request direct deposit. The debit card took about 7-10 days to arrive after my claim was approved, so factor that into your timeline too. For budgeting, remember it's not just the 7-day waiting period - there's also usually a processing delay before your first payment. I ended up being out of work for 6 weeks total but only received 4 weeks of actual payments by the time I returned to work. Plan accordingly!

Just wanted to add my experience from going through SDI last year for shoulder surgery - the whole process was way less scary than I expected once I got started! A few practical tips that helped me: Download the SDI mobile app if you have a smartphone. It makes checking your claim status and uploading documents so much easier than trying to do everything on the website. Also, when you're calculating how much you'll need financially, remember that your SDI benefits are subject to federal taxes (but not state taxes in California). So if you normally have taxes withheld, you might want to set aside about 10-15% of your benefit payments for tax time, or you can request voluntary withholding when you set up your claim. One last thing - if your doctor extends your disability period beyond what you initially applied for, you can submit additional medical certifications online. I ended up needing an extra 2 weeks beyond my original 6-week estimate, and it was really straightforward to extend the claim. The hardest part honestly was just taking that first step to apply. Once you're in the system, EDD actually does a decent job of guiding you through everything. You've got this!

I went through the SDI process for my appendectomy last summer and wanted to share something that might help with your timing question. Since you mentioned your surgery is March 15th, I'd actually recommend applying around March 5th-6th to be safe. One thing that caught me off guard was that even though you can apply 9 days before, the system sometimes has technical issues or maintenance windows that can delay your application. I tried to apply on a Sunday night and the system was down for maintenance until Monday afternoon - nearly gave me a heart attack thinking I'd miss the window! Also, make sure you have all your employer information handy when you apply, including exact dates of employment and your employer's State Disability Insurance (SDI) account number if you can get it. This speeds up the wage verification process significantly. You can usually find the SDI number on your paystub or ask your HR/payroll department. For the benefit calculation, I was pleasantly surprised - I ended up getting about 68% of my regular weekly pay. Just remember that 8 weeks of recovery time means about 7 weeks of actual payments due to the waiting period. Start budgeting now so you're not stressed about finances while you're trying to heal. Good luck with your surgery!

Hey Jamal! I just went through this process for my gallbladder surgery in December, so this is all fresh in my mind. Everyone's given you great advice already, but I wanted to add a couple things that really saved me stress: First, when you create your SDI Online account to check your wage history, also look at the "Benefit Calculator" tool - it'll give you a pretty accurate estimate of your weekly benefit amount before you even apply. This helped me budget way better than just guessing. Second, I'd suggest calling your surgeon's office THIS WEEK to let them know you'll be filing for disability and ask about their process for completing medical certifications. Some offices have dedicated staff who handle disability paperwork and can turn it around in 1-2 days, while others might take a week or more. Knowing their timeline will help you plan when to apply. One more thing - if you're worried about making mistakes on the application, you can actually save a partial application and come back to finish it later. Don't feel like you have to rush through it all in one sitting. March 5th-6th sounds like perfect timing for a March 15th surgery date. You've got this! The anticipation is honestly worse than the actual process. Focus on getting ready for your surgery and recovery - the SDI stuff is just paperwork that'll work itself out.

As someone who recently navigated SDI for my own surgery, I want to emphasize how important it is to double-check your wage history before applying. I discovered that one of my previous employers had incorrectly reported my wages, which would have significantly reduced my benefit amount. I had to submit additional documentation (W-2s and pay stubs) to correct this, but it was worth it - my weekly benefit ended up being about $200 higher than it would have been with the incorrect information. Also, here's something nobody mentioned yet: if you have any vacation time or sick leave that you're planning to use during your recovery, coordinate this carefully with your SDI claim. You cannot receive SDI benefits for days when you're receiving full pay from your employer. Some people use their paid time off for the 7-day waiting period, which can help financially, but make sure you're clear about which days you're claiming SDI versus using employer-paid leave. One last tip - when you get your first SDI payment, take a screenshot or save the payment details. If there are ever any issues with future payments, having that reference makes resolving problems much faster. Good luck with everything!

I went through the SDI process for my carpal tunnel surgery last year and wanted to share a few things that really helped me prepare financially. Since you're worried about making mistakes, I'd suggest creating a simple checklist of everything you need to gather before applying: 1. Check your SDI Online wage history and compare it to your W-2s/pay stubs 2. Get your employer's SDI account number from your paystub or HR 3. Confirm your surgery date with your doctor and ask about their medical certification timeline 4. Decide if you want direct deposit or the debit card (definitely go with direct deposit) 5. Calculate your budget for 7 weeks of payments (not 8, due to the waiting period) One thing that really helped me was using the benefit calculator tool in the SDI Online system before applying - it gave me a realistic expectation of about 65% of my normal weekly pay, which made budgeting so much easier. Also, don't stress too much about the base period calculation - EDD handles all of that automatically based on your wage history. Your job is just to make sure all your wage information is accurate in their system. You're being smart by planning ahead and asking questions. Apply March 5th-6th for your March 15th surgery, and you'll be in great shape. The process really isn't as complicated as it seems at first!

I just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! As someone who's never dealt with disability benefits before, I was honestly pretty anxious about the whole process. But reading through everyone's experiences and practical advice has made me feel so much more prepared and confident. The biggest takeaways for me are: apply March 5th-6th for my March 15th surgery, definitely choose direct deposit over the debit card, check my wage history thoroughly before applying, and budget for 7 weeks of payments rather than 8. I had no idea about things like the 7-day waiting period, the potential for wage reporting errors, or how important the timing of the application could be. I'm going to work through that checklist someone shared, contact my surgeon's office about their medical certification timeline, and use the benefit calculator tool this week. It's such a relief to know that other people have successfully navigated this process and that the anticipation is worse than the actual experience. Thank you all for taking the time to share your knowledge and experiences. This community is amazing, and I feel so much better prepared for both the application process and my recovery period now!