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EDD Money Network Card never arrived but certification due - where will payments go?
Has anyone else been stuck in this Money Network limbo? I've been in the EDD system since October 2024 (5 months now!!) but STILL haven't received my Money Network debit card. My certification is due this Sunday and I'm panicking about where my funds will actually go if I certify. Will they just disappear into the void? Get held somewhere? I desperately need this money for rent. I've tried emailing EDD customer service twice last week and calling at least 15 times (always get the 'too many callers' message). No response whatsoever. Starting to feel like they're deliberately ignoring me. If I certify without having the card, will the money eventually load onto it when it finally arrives? Or should I wait to certify until I have the card in hand? I can't afford to have my benefits stuck in limbo for weeks!
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EDD treating my military retirement as wages? Claim keeps getting denied
I've been trying to file for unemployment after getting laid off from my civilian job last month. I retired from the Army 3 years ago and receive military retirement pay. When I filed my EDD claim, I listed my retirement income as required, but now my claim keeps getting denied with some message about "excessive earnings." I don't understand - my military retirement isn't wages from working, it's a pension I earned from 22 years of service! Does EDD consider military retirement as wages? If so, does that mean I can never qualify for unemployment even though I lost my civilian job through no fault of my own? So frustrated with this whole process...
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Update: I finally got through to EDD this morning! You all were right - they had incorrectly coded my military retirement as base period income. The agent I spoke with said this happens frequently with veterans. She recalculated my benefits on the spot and said I should receive payment for previous weeks within 3-5 days. I'm also withdrawing my appeal since it's resolved now. For anyone else experiencing this issue: be persistent and specifically mention that military retirement should not count as deductible income if your service ended before your base period. Thank you all for your help!
Great news! Glad you got it resolved. This is useful information for other veterans too.
Lucky you got someone who knew what they were doing. Last time I called I got someone who had NO IDEA what military retirement even was!!
So glad to see this got resolved! This is exactly why I joined this community - to help fellow veterans navigate these bureaucratic nightmares. I went through something similar with my Air Force retirement when I filed for UI after my tech job got eliminated. For future reference, veterans should always emphasize the "base period" distinction when dealing with EDD. The key phrase to use is "non-base period pension income" - that's the magic language that gets their attention. I keep a copy of my DD-214 and retirement orders handy whenever I deal with any government benefits. It's frustrating that EDD staff aren't properly trained on military retirement vs regular pension rules. Hopefully your success story will help other vets who face this same issue!
EDD Money Network card randomly declining at stores but works at ATMs - anyone else?
Has anyone been dealing with their EDD Money Network card declining at store registers? I've tried using it at Target and Walmart this week and it keeps getting declined, but then I went to an ATM and was able to withdraw cash with no problem. I just certified for my benefits last Sunday and the full amount ($872) was loaded on my card according to the app. Called the Money Network number on the back of the card but got disconnected after waiting 45 minutes. Is this happening to anyone else right now? Do I need to contact EDD directly or is this a Money Network issue?
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UPDATE: Money Network just posted on their status page that the issue has been resolved as of this morning. Try your card again at stores now - it should be working properly. If you're still having problems, then it might be a different issue specific to your account and you should contact Money Network customer service.
Great news! I just tried it at the grocery store and it worked perfectly. Thanks everyone for all your help and suggestions!
This is exactly what I needed to see! I've been having the same issue for the past few days and was starting to panic thinking something was wrong with my account. My card kept getting declined at CVS and Ralph's but worked fine at the ATM. Reading through all these responses, especially Miranda's explanation about it being a widespread Money Network issue, really puts my mind at ease. I'm going to try switching to direct deposit like Ally suggested - seems like that would avoid all these technical headaches in the future. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!
EDD UI Online registration error: "you must have registered before" - but I'm a first-timer!
I'm totally confused trying to set up my EDD UI Online account for the first time. I got laid off last week (tech company downsizing), filed my initial claim by phone on Tuesday, and now I'm trying to register for UI Online. But every time I enter my info, I get this weird message saying "you must have registered before" to access the system. How does that make any sense? I'm literally trying to register for the first time! I double-checked all my personal info, SSN, EDD Customer Account Number from my paperwork, but keep hitting this wall. Do I need to wait longer after filing my initial claim? Has anyone else faced this strange catch-22 situation? I need to get this set up ASAP so I can certify when the time comes!
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Does anyone know if this same error happens with SDI claims too? I'm about to apply for disability and getting nervous after reading all these UI Online problems.
SDI uses a different system called SDI Online. It has its own registration process and doesn't share these particular issues, though it has its own quirks. But that's really a separate topic from what the original poster is asking about.
Oh ok thanks for clarifying! Still learning all the differences between these programs.
Update: I waited 48 hours, cleared my cache, used Firefox instead of Safari, turned off autofill, and made sure to enter my name exactly as it appears on my SS card (with just middle initial). IT WORKED! I'm finally registered. Thanks everyone for your help! Now I just need to figure out the whole certification process...
Great news! For certification, you'll get an email notification when it's time (usually every two weeks). Just log in, answer the questions truthfully, and submit. Make sure you report any work/earnings during the certification period. The first payment usually comes on a Money Network debit card that they'll mail to you, though you can set up direct deposit later.
Awesome, glad you got it sorted out! @Katherine Hunter Just a heads up - keep that Firefox browser for all your EDD stuff. I learned the hard way that switching browsers mid-process can sometimes log you out or cause weird glitches. Stick with what works! And yes, certification is pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it.
How to opt out of EDD Money Network Card and get paper checks instead?
I'm about to file my unemployment claim for the first time (lost my retail management job last week). Been reading horror stories about the Money Network debit card - fees, frozen accounts, customer service nightmares. I definitely want to receive paper checks instead. Can someone tell me exactly when and how to specify this preference during the application process? Is there a specific question or section where I choose payment method? Don't want to miss it and get stuck with that card by default. Thanks in advance!
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One more thing I should mention - if you do choose paper checks, make sure your mailing address is always current with EDD. Unlike the debit card (which is issued once) or direct deposit, each check needs to be physically mailed to you. If you move during your claim period, update your address immediately in UI Online under the Contact Information section.
That's a great point! I'm in a stable living situation right now, but I'll keep that in mind if anything changes. Really appreciate all the helpful advice everyone!
I've been collecting unemployment for about 8 months now and went with paper checks from the beginning after hearing all the horror stories about Money Network. Just wanted to share my experience - yes, they do take longer (usually get mine about 7-10 days after certifying), but I've never had a single issue. No frozen accounts, no fees, no customer service nightmares. The peace of mind is totally worth the extra wait time. One tip: I always deposit my checks via mobile app as soon as they arrive rather than going to the bank, just to get the funds available faster. Good luck with your claim!
Amelia Dietrich
update us when u get ur card!! im curious how long it takes lol
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Connor Murphy
AuthorI definitely will! Hopefully it won't be another 5 months... 🙄
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Anastasia Sokolov
I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now! Filed in November and still no card. The worst part is not knowing if you should keep certifying or wait. Based on what everyone's saying here, I'm going to keep certifying and try calling Money Network directly tomorrow. One thing I learned from my neighbor who went through this - if you have a local EDD office, sometimes showing up in person can help more than calling. The rep was able to see that her card had been sent to the wrong zip code and immediately ordered a replacement. Might be worth a shot if you have an office nearby! Thanks for posting this - it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one stuck in this nightmare. The system is definitely broken when people are waiting 5+ months for a piece of plastic.
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