Do I need to report Social Security income when certifying for EDD unemployment benefits?

yes you DO have to report it!! i got in big trouble last year for not reporting mine and had to pay back like $2300 to edd... they consider it income

That's not right. Social Security retirement benefits are NOT reportable income for EDD certifications. They specifically ask about work income, pension payments, and disability payments - but regular Social Security retirement benefits don't count as income for UI certification purposes. You only report earnings from work, self-employment, or certain retirement plans specifically from employers.

I've been dealing with this exact situation. Social Security retirement benefits are NOT deductible from UI benefits in California, so you do NOT need to report them when certifying. Social Security retirement is different from pension payments. This is directly from the EDD handbook: "Pension or retirement pay is deducted from UI benefits if your pension is based on work for a base period employer. Social Security retirement benefits are not deductible from UI benefits." So whoever told you that Social Security counts as reportable income for EDD certification was incorrect. The only time you'd report Social Security is if you're getting SSDI (disability), not regular retirement benefits.

Wait im confused... so social security isnt a pension? i thought they were the same thing. is that why my uncle had problems with his claim?

I had this EXACT same worry when I started getting my SS checks. I called EDD to confirm and it took me 2 weeks to finally get through to someone. When I finally did, they confirmed that Social Security retirement benefits do NOT need to be reported as income when certifying for unemployment. The rep told me that the certification questions are specifically asking about work income, self-employment, or certain pension payments - but not Social Security retirement. If you're struggling to reach EDD for confirmation, try Claimyr (claimyr.com). I used their service to get through to an EDD rep after failed attempts for days. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. It's honestly much easier than spending hours redialing.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO CONFUSE US!!! They make these forms impossible to understand on purpose so they can hit us with overpayments later. I bet half the EDD reps would give different answers if you asked 10 of them this same question!!!!

To summarize for anyone else with this question: 1) Social Security retirement benefits are NOT reportable income for EDD certifications 2) You DO need to report pension payments, especially from base period employers 3) You DO need to report any work income or self-employment income 4) You DO need to report SSDI (Social Security Disability) as that's different from retirement The confusion comes because people mix up pensions and Social Security, or because some states may have different rules, but California EDD specifically does not count Social Security retirement as deductible income.

My cousin had something like this happen but with his 401k withdrawal and it was a whole thing with EDD. he had to pay back like $4000!!! dont mess around with unreported income

Thank you all for the helpful responses! I feel much better now understanding that Social Security retirement benefits don't need to be reported when certifying for unemployment in California. I'll make sure to continue answering "no" to the income questions since my only other income is my Social Security retirement. Really appreciate everyone clearing this up for me!