EDD hit me with $5,000 overpayment notice after ending UI - can't afford to pay back

dude this SAME THING happened to me last year!! EDD is such a mess, they hit me with a $6700 overpayment out of nowhere. they claimed i didnt report some income but i swear i did everything right each week. they make the certification process so confusing on purpose i swear.

Don't panic yet! You absolutely have the right to appeal this overpayment. The appeal form should have been included with your notice (DE 1000M). You have 30 days from the date on the notice to file it. Make sure to explain your situation clearly and include any documentation that supports your case. Also request a waiver if the overpayment wasn't your fault - EDD can waive repayment if it would cause financial hardship and you didn't commit fraud.

I went through this nightmare in October. The key is figuring out WHY they're claiming overpayment. Check all the letters carefully - there should be one that specifies which weeks they're disputing and why. Common reasons include: unreported earnings, incorrect income reporting, job refusal they found out about, or not meeting work search requirements. Different reasons require different appeal strategies. And yes, they do offer payment plans if your appeal is unsuccessful.

THIS IS EXACTLY why everyone hates dealing with EDD!!! they approve you for months then suddenly decide you weren't eligible after they've already paid you?? then demand thousands back when they know people are struggling??? i had a friend who got a $10k overpayment notice and ended up having to sell her car to start paying it back. the whole system is designed to screw over regular people.

If you're having trouble getting through to EDD to discuss your overpayment (which you definitely should try to do), I found this service called Claimyr that got me connected to an EDD rep in under 20 minutes after I spent days getting busy signals. It helped me resolve my overpayment issue so much faster. You can see how it works at claimyr.com or check their video demo: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km - it was literally the only way I could get through to discuss my appeal options.

i had an overpayment thing too but for only $1200. main thing is DO NOT IGNORE IT!!!! my cousin ignored hers and they started taking money from her tax returns and eventually garnished her wages. file the appeal asap and if that doesnt work ask for a payment plan. they let me pay like $50 a month which still sucked but was better than nothing

One important thing to know: if your overpayment is classified as "non-fraud", you have more options. If you were caring for your mom and reported it, but EDD is now saying you weren't "able and available" for work, you have a good case for appeal. Gather any documentation showing you reported this correctly. Also request an "Overpayment Waiver" using form DE 1446W. For non-fraud overpayments, they can waive repayment if it would cause extraordinary hardship. Make sure to document your financial situation thoroughly with the waiver request.

FYI i heard from someone who works at legal aid that EDD is sending out TONS of these overpayment notices right now because they're under pressure to recover money after all the pandemic fraud. they're basically hoping people will just pay without appealing. DEFINITELY APPEAL!!!!!

After you file your appeal, you'll receive a notice for your hearing date. These are typically done by phone now. Make sure to prepare your case thoroughly before the hearing. Have all your documents organized and ready to reference. Be clear and concise when explaining your situation to the Administrative Law Judge. The success rate for appeals is higher than most people think, especially for caregiving situations like yours where you were honest about reporting it. Also, during the appeal process, collections actions are typically paused, which gives you some breathing room.