EDD direct deposit vs Bank of America card - which payment option is better for 2025?

Congrats on getting approved! Unfortunately you don't have a choice anymore. EDD switched completely from Bank of America cards to the Money Network Direct Payment system in 2024. Everyone gets their benefits through Money Network now, but you DO have options for how you receive payment: 1. Direct deposit to your personal bank account (this is what I recommend) 2. Money Network debit card (similar to the old B of A card but different provider) 3. Paper checks (yes, this is actually an option if you specifically request it) Direct deposit is the fastest and most reliable. You'll need to provide your bank routing and account numbers during setup. The Money Network card is ok but some people have had issues with customer service when problems come up.

i got the money network card last month and its been fine tbh. just make sure u activate it asap when it comes in the mail. took about 10 days to arrive after my first payment was approved

STAY AWAY FROM THE MONEY NETWORK CARD!!!! I've had nothing but PROBLEMS since day one!!! First they sent my card to my old address even though I updated my info with EDD. Then when I finally got the replacement, the ATM ate it when I tried to withdraw cash. Their customer service is a JOKE - waited on hold for 2.5 HOURS only to be disconnected!!! DO THE DIRECT DEPOSIT if you can. I wish I had done that from the beginning. Now I'm waiting for them to transfer my balance to my bank account which they say could take up to 10 business days. 😡😡😡 The whole system is designed to make it hard to get YOUR money!

To clarify a few things about the current system: - Money Network replaced Bank of America as EDD's payment processor in 2024 - You must create a Money Network account regardless of how you choose to receive payments - The three payment options are: direct deposit to your bank, Money Network debit card, or paper check - Direct deposit is typically 1-2 days faster than card loading - You can switch between payment methods at any time by updating your preferences One important thing to note: your first payment might still come on the Money Network card even if you selected direct deposit, as it sometimes takes a payment cycle for the direct deposit to activate. Don't panic if this happens - just activate the card and you can still transfer those funds to your bank account through the Money Network portal.

If ur having trouble contacting EDD about payment options or any problems with Money Network, I had really good results using Claimyr last month. Totally saved me when I couldn't get through on the regular phone lines. They got me connected to an EDD rep in about 15 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km The EDD rep I talked to helped me fix an issue with my Money Network account that was preventing my direct deposit from processing. So much better than waiting on hold forever or getting hung up on!

Anyone know if you still get paid on weekends with direct deposit? I remember with the BofA card sometimes the payment would hit on Saturday morning even though EDD processed it Friday.

To answer your original question about timing - yes, direct deposit is usually 1-2 days faster than the Money Network card. When EDD approves your certification, the direct deposit often arrives the next business day, while the card funding can take 2-3 business days. Also, an important tip: make absolutely sure the bank account info you provide is correct. If you make a mistake with your routing or account number, it can delay your payment by weeks while they sort it out. Double and triple check those numbers!

Has anyone else noticed that the Money Network website is DOWN AGAIN?! This is the 3rd time this month!!! How are we supposed to manage our accounts if their system is always broken?!?

One more important tip about Money Network direct deposit: if you've previously had your tax refund direct deposited to a bank account, make sure you're using the exact same name format and account information for your EDD direct deposit. The verification system sometimes cross-checks against your IRS information, and if there are discrepancies (even minor ones like using a middle initial in one system but not the other), it can flag your account for manual review, which delays payment. This is especially important if you've changed banks recently or if your name has any possible variations (hyphenated names, suffixes, etc.).

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who recently went through this same decision process. I started with the Money Network card because I was nervous about giving my bank info to another system, but after 2 weeks I switched to direct deposit and I'm so glad I did. The card itself worked fine for purchases, but I had issues with ATM withdrawals - some machines would charge extra fees that weren't clearly disclosed, and one time an ATM glitched and I had to wait 3 days for them to credit back my money. Plus their mobile app is pretty clunky compared to my regular bank's app. With direct deposit, the money just shows up in my account like any other deposit and I can use my regular debit card, Zelle, online banking, etc. Much simpler. The only downside is you do have to wait for the first payment cycle to kick in, but after that it's smooth sailing. @Rajiv Kumar since you mentioned rent coming up soon, I'd definitely recommend direct deposit for the faster processing time that others mentioned. Good luck!