Pregnancy Disability vs PFL Baby Bonding payment differences and tax implications?

The weekly benefit amount should be exactly the same for both Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) and Paid Family Leave (PFL) for baby bonding since they're both calculated the same way (around 60-70% of your wages). However, there IS a 7-day unpaid waiting period, but it ONLY applies to Pregnancy Disability, not to PFL. So when you transition from PDL to PFL baby bonding, you won't have another waiting period. Regarding taxes, YES - both PDL and PFL benefits are subject to federal income tax, but they are NOT subject to California state income tax. The EDD doesn't automatically withhold federal taxes though, so you might want to complete a DE 4P form to request voluntary federal tax withholding (10%) if you're worried about owing later. Otherwise, set aside some of each payment for taxes.

My sister in law just went thru this and actully got MORE on PFL than disability!!!! They calculated it different for some reason and she said the PFL part was like $175 more per week. So don't assume it's always the same amount! The waiting period thing is right tho, only on the disability part at beginning not for the bonding.

when i had my baby the disability and bonding pay was the exact same amount to the penny. BUT HOLY CRAP TAXES!!!!! i didn't withhold anything and got hit with a $3k tax bill because i totally forgot these were taxable!!! definitely do the withholding thing the first person mentioned or put money aside each week!!!!!

Just to add some clarification here: The 7-day waiting period for Pregnancy Disability is unpaid, but you DO get paid for it eventually. It's just that the payment for the first week comes at the end of your disability claim. So you're not losing any money, just getting it delayed. And yes, you'll receive a Form 1099-G from EDD for tax purposes that reports all the benefits paid to you during the tax year. You'll need to report this on your federal tax return, but as mentioned, California doesn't tax these benefits.

I tried calling EDD five times last week about this exact issue and couldn't get through to anyone. The automated system kept disconnecting me after 45+ minutes on hold. So frustrating!

does anyone know if you can take the baby bonding time anytime in the first year? my husband wants to take his 8 weeks right after birth but i want to go back to work for a few months and then take my time later when he goes back to work. is that allowed or do i have to take it right after my disability ends?

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! Just to summarize what I've learned: 1. PDL and PFL should pay the same amount in most cases (60-70% of wages) 2. There's a 7-day waiting period for PDL only, but I'll get paid for it at the end 3. Benefits are subject to federal taxes but not CA state taxes 4. I should either complete a DE 4P for tax withholding OR set aside around 10% for taxes 5. I'll get a 1099-G form from EDD for tax filing This helps so much with my budget planning! 🙏

Congratulations on your upcoming arrival! 🎉 Just wanted to add one more tip that helped me - when you're setting aside money for taxes, consider opening a separate savings account just for that purpose. I automatically transferred 12% of each payment (to be safe) into a "tax fund" account so I wouldn't accidentally spend it. Made tax season much less stressful! Also, keep all your EDD paperwork organized - you'll need it for your tax preparer or if you file yourself. Wishing you a smooth pregnancy and leave experience!

One thing I wanted to add that might help with your budgeting - make sure to check if your employer offers any supplemental disability insurance or "top-up" benefits! Some companies will pay the difference between your regular salary and the 60-70% you get from EDD, which can make a huge difference financially. Also, if you have any vacation or sick time accrued, you might be able to use that during the 7-day waiting period to avoid going completely unpaid. My company let me use my PTO for that first week, then the EDD payments kicked in. Worth asking HR about both of these options! The financial planning gets so much easier when you know exactly what to expect. 💰

Just wanted to share my recent experience since I literally just went through this transition last month! My PDL weekly benefit was $687 and my PFL baby bonding ended up being the exact same amount - $687. So the comments about them being calculated the same way are spot on in my case. One thing that really helped me was calling EDD about 2 weeks before my estimated due date to get the PDL claim started early. They can begin processing it even before you actually go on leave, which helped avoid any payment delays. And definitely second the advice about the DE 4P form - I submitted it with my initial claim and had 10% withheld automatically. Made tax time so much easier! Also, pro tip: keep screenshots of all your EDD online account pages showing payment amounts and dates. The 1099-G they send can sometimes have errors, and having your own records makes it easier to catch and fix any mistakes. Good luck mama! 🍼

Hey Zadie! Congrats on your pregnancy! 🎉 I just wanted to add something that might help with your planning - when you're calculating your budget, remember that the 60-70% benefit amount is based on your highest quarter earnings in your base period, not necessarily your most recent salary. So if you got a raise recently, your benefit might be slightly lower than expected. Also, I noticed someone mentioned the waiting week gets paid at the end - that's actually not entirely accurate anymore. As of recent changes, the 7-day waiting period for PDL is truly unpaid and won't be reimbursed later. Just wanted to clarify so you can budget accordingly! One last thing - if you're planning to breastfeed, you might also want to look into whether your employer is required to provide break time and a private space for pumping when you return to work. California has pretty strong protections for nursing mothers that can help with your transition back. Best of luck with everything! 💕