Will my EDD SDI disability payments go on my existing unemployment debit card?
Hey everyone, just got approved for disability after dealing with a serious back injury that's keeping me off work for at least 8 weeks. Quick question about payments - I still have my EDD debit card from when I was on unemployment last year. Will my disability payments automatically go onto that same card, or is SDI completely separate where they'll send me a new card? I'm trying to budget for rent next month and need to know where to expect the money. The award letter doesn't say anything about this! Anyone know how this works?
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Mae Bennett
Yes, your disability payments will be loaded onto the same Bank of America EDD debit card that you used for unemployment benefits. The card works for all EDD benefit programs (unemployment, disability, and paid family leave). As long as your card hasn't expired, you're all set! Just make sure your address is current in the system so you receive any notices.
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Pedro Sawyer
AuthorThank you so much! That's a huge relief. I was worried I'd have to wait another 7-10 days for a new card to arrive. My rent is due on the 1st so this timing is tight.
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Beatrice Marshall
BE CAREFUL!!! If your card is more than 3 years old it might be EXPIRED even if you still have it!! Check the expiration date on the front!!! I learned this the HARD WAY and had to wait almost 2 weeks for a new card while my payments were stuck in limbo!!! The EDD system is such a NIGHTMARE about this stuff and they don't warn you!!!
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Pedro Sawyer
AuthorOh crap, I didn't even think about that. Let me go find my card and check. It's been about 18 months since I used it so it should still be good I hope.
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Melina Haruko
same thing for me they put it on my old card but make sure u can log into the BofA prepaid website to check ur balance some people forget their password and have trouble resetting it
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Pedro Sawyer
AuthorGood point. Just tried logging in and thankfully I remembered my password. Card is still active and expires in 2026.
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Dallas Villalobos
I had unemployment in 2023 and got disability in January this year. My disability pay went to the same card but they sent me a new one anyway for some reason? So I ended up with two identical cards lol. The system is weird sometimes.
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Reina Salazar
If you're having any issues with your claim, I recommend using Claimyr to get through to an EDD agent. I was in the same boat about payment method confusion, spent days trying to call with no luck. Tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they got me connected to a disability rep in about 20 minutes. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd. Saved me so much stress when I needed to confirm my payment details.
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Pedro Sawyer
AuthorThanks for the tip! My claim seems to be processing normally so far, but I'll keep this in mind if I run into problems. Those EDD phone lines are impossible to get through sometimes.
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Saanvi Krishnaswami
they use the same card but u can also set up direct deposit if u want to ur regular bank account. thats what i did cuz i hate using that stupid edd card and all the fees. just go into ur SDI online account and theres an option somewhere to change payment method
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Demi Lagos
Just to clarify - there's no option to set up direct deposit through SDI Online. This is a common misconception. The only way to receive SDI benefits is through the BofA EDD debit card. However, you can set up an automatic transfer from your EDD card to your personal bank account through the Bank of America EDD cardholder website (not through SDI Online). This way, funds are automatically transferred to your personal account whenever they hit your EDD card.
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Beatrice Marshall
ALSO make sure you've done all your certifications!!! Sometimes the payments don't show up because you missed certifying for a period!!! The SDI certification schedule is DIFFERENT from unemployment so don't assume it works the same way!!!
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Mae Bennett
Actually, SDI is quite different from unemployment regarding certifications. For most disability claims, you only need to complete the initial application and your doctor submits the medical certification. Unlike unemployment, you don't need to certify every two weeks for standard disability claims. However, there are exceptions - if you're working part-time while on disability or if you have certain special circumstances, additional certifications might be required. The award letter typically explains any certification requirements specific to your claim.
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Mason Lopez
When I was on maternity leave last year they used my old unemployment card too but took forever to actually deposit the money. Like 3 weeks after approval before I saw a penny! So don't count on it being fast just because you already have the card.
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Beatrice Marshall
Does ANYONE know why the EDD can't just use DIRECT DEPOSIT like EVERY OTHER NORMAL ORGANIZATION in 2025???!!!! This stupid card system is so OUTDATED!!!! I'm on my second disability claim and I HATE having to deal with this card nonsense EVERY TIME!!!
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Melina Haruko
i heard they tried direct deposit yrs ago but had 2 many fraud problems or something so they went back 2 cards. totally agree tho its annoying
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Dallas Villalobos
My sister got a new card automatically even though she had an old one so maybe just depends on how old your card is? I think they expire after a few years regardless if you've been using them or not.
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Lia Quinn
Just went through this exact situation last month! Your SDI payments will definitely go to the same EDD debit card you used for unemployment. The key thing is making sure your card hasn't expired - mine was from 2022 and still worked fine. One tip: download the Bank of America EDD app if you haven't already, makes it way easier to check your balance and transfer money to your regular bank account. Also, even though your award letter doesn't mention payment timing, I got my first disability payment about 10 days after approval. Hope your back heals up quick!
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