Name change issue solved! Using married name for EDD PFL baby bonding - FYI for others
Just wanted to update everyone because I was STRESSING about this for weeks! I got married 3 months ago but all my EDD records still had my maiden name (Garcia). I needed to file for baby bonding PFL with my son due in February 2025 but wasn't sure if I should use my married name (Rodriguez) or maiden name on the forms. Tried calling EDD about 20 times but never got through! SOLUTION: I finally went in person to my local EDD office yesterday with my marriage certificate. The rep was actually super helpful (shocker!) and updated my legal name in their system right there. She said if I had submitted the PFL forms with my married name without updating my profile first, it would have caused a processing delay of 3-4 weeks while they verified the name change. So if anyone else is dealing with name changes before filing for PFL, definitely go to an office in person FIRST to update your profile. Saved me so much headache!
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Declan Ramirez
Omg thank you!!! I'm literally in the same boat - got married in November and need to file for baby bonding in March. Did they give you any grief about the name change or was it pretty straightforward? Also did you need to schedule an appointment or just walk in?
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A Man D Mortal
•No appointment needed! I just showed up right when they opened (8:30am) and only waited about 20 mins. Bring your marriage certificate, driver's license, and social security card if you have it with your new name. The process took like 10 minutes once I got called up.
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Emma Morales
This is really helpful information, and something many people don't realize. When your legal name doesn't match what's in the EDD system, it creates what they call an "identity mismatch flag" that requires manual review. This happens with PFL claims because they have to verify that the person receiving benefits is actually the same person who paid into SDI through payroll deductions. If you can't make it to an office, another option is to fax a signed letter requesting the name change along with documentation to the EDD Account Services department, but that can take 2-3 weeks to process versus doing it in person which is immediate.
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Katherine Hunter
•yeah but some ppl might still wanna use there maiden name for work stuff even after getting married depending on career. can u have different names on different benefits or does everything have 2 match?
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Lucas Parker
When I did my PFL for baby bonding last year they denied my claim becuz my name didn't match exactly!! I had been using my hyphenated name (Smith-Jones) at work but my EDD account only had Smith. Such a headache to fix and I didn't get paid for almost 7 weeks!! The EDD system is so stupid sometimes
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Donna Cline
•Did you end up having to go in person too? I'm in rural Northern California and the nearest office is almost 2 hours away... wondering if there's any other way to handle this name change situation?
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Harper Collins
For anyone struggling to reach EDD by phone about name changes or any other PFL issues, I'd recommend trying Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have a service that gets you connected to an actual EDD representative without waiting on hold for hours. I used it when I was dealing with a PFL/SDI transition issue and got through in about 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 It saved me from having to drive to an office, which was huge since I had a newborn at home.
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Kelsey Hawkins
•does this actually work?? seems to good to be true lol. ive been calling edd for 2 weeks straight and cant get through!!
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Declan Ramirez
I wonder if changing your name on EDD affects your future unemployment benefits too? Like would you have to file any future claims with the new name or would the old one still work? I'm so confused by all these government systems lol
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Emma Morales
•Yes, once you update your name with EDD, that change applies across all their benefit programs - Paid Family Leave, State Disability Insurance, and Unemployment Insurance. It's all connected to your Social Security Number in their database, so updating in one place updates everywhere in their system.
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Katherine Hunter
when i had my baby last yr i didnt bother changing my name on anything even tho i got married right b4. just used my maiden name on all the paperwork cuz it matched my work records. less hassle tbh
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A Man D Mortal
•That's smart! I wish I had done that, but I already updated my SS card and driver's license to my married name, so I was afraid of creating more problems if I used my maiden name on the PFL forms. The rep said it can cause issues if your PFL claim name doesn't match your ID documentation when they verify identity.
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Donna Cline
Thank you for sharing this! I have a somewhat related question - I'm filing for baby bonding PFL but my employer has my middle name wrong in their system (they have Marie but it's actually Maria). Will this cause issues with my claim since the employer has to verify employment? I've been trying to get HR to fix it but they're dragging their feet.
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Emma Morales
•That's less likely to cause a problem compared to a last name mismatch. As long as your first and last name match and your SSN is correct, a middle name discrepancy typically doesn't trigger an identity verification hold. The key fields EDD uses for matching are SSN, first name, and last name. But you should still try to get your employer to correct it when possible.
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Lucas Parker
the whole system is intentionally complicated i swear. they make it hard on purpose so people give up trying to get benefits they deserve. Like why can't you just change your name online in your account????
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Kelsey Hawkins
•preach!!! 👏 i literally gave up on my first maternity leave claim because they kept sending me letters asking for more documents. ended up just using savings instead of dealing with their BS
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Nia Thompson
This is such valuable info, thank you for sharing! I'm expecting my first baby in April and just realized I need to update my name with EDD too - got married last summer but completely forgot about updating it with them. Quick question: did you need to bring any specific forms or just the marriage certificate? Also, do you know if they can update it the same day you file your PFL claim or do you have to make separate trips?
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Katherine Shultz
•You can definitely do both on the same visit! I brought my marriage certificate (certified copy), driver's license, and social security card. The rep updated my name first, then I was able to file my PFL claim right after. Just make sure to bring all your PFL documents too - like your doctor's note for baby bonding and any employer forms. The whole process took about 30 minutes total. Congrats on your upcoming baby! 🎉
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Gianni Serpent
Just wanted to add another data point - I went through this exact same situation last month! Got married in December and needed to file PFL for January. The EDD office in Sacramento was actually pretty efficient - I went on a Wednesday around 10am and was in and out in 45 minutes including the name update and filing my claim. One thing that helped was having everything organized beforehand: marriage certificate in a folder, copies of my old and new ID, and all my PFL paperwork filled out. The rep told me that people who come prepared like that make the process so much smoother for everyone. She also mentioned they see this situation A LOT, especially with new parents, so don't feel embarrassed about it - you're definitely not alone!
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Christian Bierman
•This is so reassuring to hear! I'm also dealing with a name change situation after getting married recently, and I've been putting off going to the EDD office because I was worried it would be a nightmare. Your tip about organizing everything beforehand is really helpful - I'm definitely going to make copies of everything and have it all ready to go. It's good to know the staff are used to dealing with this! Did they give you any timeline on when the name change would be fully processed in their system, or was it immediate?
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