EDD website won't let me switch from Money Network to direct deposit - bank info verification keeps failing

I had the exact same issue last month and finally figured out the problem! The EDD system has this weird quirk where it only accepts bank verification during certain times of day, like between 8am-2pm. Something about their system maintenance schedules. Also, make sure you're using the account where your name is EXACTLY as it appears on your EDD profile - even a middle initial difference can cause rejection. And don't use special characters when entering your name if prompted.

omg that money network card is THE WORST!! i kept mine for 3 months b4 i figured out how to switch. the atm fees are highway robbery!!!

The EDD payment system is DELIBERATELY COMPLICATED to discourage people from getting their benefits. I've worked in state government and this is BY DESIGN. They make it difficult to receive payments hoping people will just give up and stop claiming. The Money Network card contract is a sweetheart deal between California and the card company - they SPLIT THE FEES you pay. That's why they make it so hard to switch to direct deposit!!!!

I switched mine over no problem last week lol. Just put in the numbers and it worked. Maybe ur bank doesnt allow it? Some credit unions have problems with the EDD system.

Having worked through this issue with many claimants, here's what you need to know: 1) The EDD system only verifies bank accounts Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm. Attempts outside those hours will appear to fail. 2) There's a common issue with banks that have merged or changed routing numbers. Double-check that you're using the current routing number (sometimes the one printed on checks is outdated). 3) The account holder name must EXACTLY match your EDD profile name. This is the most common issue. 4) If you continue having problems, you can submit Form DE 4005 by mail or fax with a voided check to establish direct deposit. Unfortunately, reaching EDD by phone right now is extremely difficult due to high call volumes. I recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com) which helps you bypass the busy signals and connects you directly to an EDD representative. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km Many people I've worked with have had success getting their direct deposit issues resolved this way.

I experienced something similar when trying to switch from Money Network to direct deposit. The system kept rejecting my bank info no matter how carefully I entered it. Turns out there was a flag on my account that needed to be cleared first because I had previously reported a payment issue. You might want to ask specifically if there are any flags or blocks on your account that would prevent changing payment methods. Sometimes the regular reps don't check for this automatically.

have u tried using a difrent browser?? sometimes the edd website is weird on chrome but works fine on firefox or the other way around. just a thought!!

Update us if you get it working! I think combining all the advice here should help - try during business hours, double-check your account details, use Firefox, and make sure your name matches exactly. The system is definitely picky but once it works, direct deposit is so much better than dealing with that Money Network card!

Wow, reading through this thread gives me hope! I've been stuck with the Money Network card for 6 months now and have tried switching to direct deposit at least a dozen times. Every attempt fails with that same vague "unable to verify account information" error. I had no idea about the time restrictions or browser issues - I've been trying mostly in the evenings using Chrome. I'm going to try the combination approach tomorrow morning: Firefox browser, between 8am-2pm, and I'll verify my name matches exactly on my EDD profile. If that doesn't work, I'll look into that DE 4005 form as a backup. The Money Network fees are absolutely killing me - $3 here, $2 there, it adds up fast when you're already struggling financially. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions!

This is such a helpful thread! I've been dealing with the same exact issue for weeks. The combination of trying during business hours (8am-2pm), using Firefox instead of Chrome, and making sure the name matches exactly seems to be the key. I had no idea the EDD system was so picky about timing and browsers - that explains why all my evening attempts kept failing! For anyone still struggling, I also want to add that if you have a joint account, make sure you're using the account where YOUR name is the primary account holder, not secondary. I learned this the hard way when my credit union told me that even though both names are on the account, the EDD system only recognizes the primary holder for verification purposes. Going to try the Firefox/morning combo tomorrow. Fingers crossed I can finally ditch this Money Network card!

This entire thread should be pinned or turned into a FAQ! I've been struggling with this exact same issue for over a month and kept getting nowhere with EDD phone support. The combination of specific timing (8am-2pm weekdays), using Firefox browser, and ensuring exact name matching seems to be the magic formula that actually works. I also want to add one more tip that helped me when I finally got through to a human at EDD - if you've had ANY payment issues in the past (even resolved ones), ask them to check for account flags or holds that might be blocking payment method changes. Sometimes these flags don't get cleared automatically even after issues are resolved. The Money Network card is such a predatory system - those fees really add up when you're already dealing with financial stress from unemployment. It's frustrating that the state makes it so difficult to switch to direct deposit, but at least this community has figured out the workarounds! Going to bookmark this thread to share with others who are stuck in the same situation.

As a newcomer to this community and EDD benefits, I can't believe how complicated they've made something as basic as switching to direct deposit! Reading through this thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the timing restrictions (8am-2pm weekdays only) or that different browsers could make a difference. I've been trying to switch from Money Network for about 3 weeks now, always getting that same "unable to verify account information" error. Like many others here, I was attempting this in the evenings after work, which apparently is completely pointless due to their system maintenance schedule. It's so frustrating that this critical information isn't posted anywhere on their website! Going to try the winning combination tomorrow morning: Firefox browser, 9am sharp, double-check my routing number is current, and make sure my name matches my EDD profile exactly. The Money Network fees are brutal when you're already stretching every dollar. Thank you everyone for sharing your solutions and creating this incredibly useful troubleshooting guide!

Just wanted to add my experience to this amazing thread! I was stuck with Money Network for 2 months and tried switching probably 15 times with no luck. After reading all these solutions, I tried the magic combo this morning - Firefox browser at 8:30am, verified my routing number was current (it wasn't! My bank updated theirs last year), and made sure my name matched my EDD profile exactly. BOOM - worked on the first try! I literally jumped up and cheered in my kitchen lol. The verification went through immediately and I got the confirmation email within minutes. One thing I'll add is that when you're checking your name match, look at the EXACT formatting on your EDD profile - mine had my middle name spelled out fully, but I was entering just the initial. That small difference was probably part of my problem. Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who figured this out and shared their solutions. This community is incredible! No more $3 ATM fees and waiting days for payments to show up on that awful Money Network card. Direct deposit here I come! 🎉

As someone who just joined this community after struggling with unemployment benefits for the first time, I can't thank everyone enough for this incredibly detailed troubleshooting guide! I've been stuck with the Money Network card for about a month now and have attempted to switch to direct deposit probably 8-10 times, always getting that same frustrating "unable to verify account information" error. Reading through all these experiences, I realize I've been making several mistakes: trying in the evenings (didn't know about the 8am-2pm restriction!), using Chrome exclusively, and probably not checking my name formatting carefully enough. It's honestly mind-blowing that none of this critical information is available on the official EDD website. I'm going to try the proven combination tomorrow morning: Firefox browser, 9am timing, triple-check my routing number is current, and verify my name matches my EDD profile exactly (including middle name formatting). The Money Network fees are absolutely killing my budget - every $2-3 fee hurts when you're already financially stressed. This thread should definitely be required reading for anyone dealing with EDD payment issues. Thank you all for figuring out these workarounds and sharing them so generously. Will absolutely report back with results!

This thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm new to the EDD system and have been battling the exact same direct deposit issue for weeks. Like so many others here, I kept getting that "unable to verify account information" error and had no idea why. What strikes me most is how this community has essentially created the comprehensive troubleshooting guide that EDD should have provided from the start. The combination of timing restrictions (8am-2pm weekdays), browser compatibility (Firefox over Chrome), exact name matching, current routing numbers, and checking for account flags is information that should be readily available on their official website. I'm planning to try the proven approach tomorrow morning - Firefox browser at 9am sharp, with all my details triple-checked against my EDD profile. Those Money Network fees are absolutely brutal when you're already dealing with unemployment stress. Thank you to everyone who shared their hard-won solutions here. This is what community support looks like! Will definitely update with my results to hopefully add another success story to help future people stuck in this same frustrating situation.

As a newcomer to this community and dealing with EDD benefits for the first time, I'm amazed at how helpful this thread has been! I've been stuck with the Money Network card for about 6 weeks now and have tried switching to direct deposit countless times, always getting that same infuriating "unable to verify account information" error. Reading through everyone's experiences has been eye-opening - I had no idea about the timing restrictions (8am-2pm weekdays only), browser compatibility issues (Firefox vs Chrome), or how picky the system is about exact name formatting. It's absolutely ridiculous that none of this crucial information is available on the official EDD website! I've been making so many mistakes - trying late at night after work, using Chrome exclusively, and probably not being careful enough about how my name appears on my EDD profile vs what I was entering. Those Money Network fees are eating into my already tight budget every week. Going to try the proven combination tomorrow morning: Firefox browser at 9am, current routing number verified with my bank, and exact name match including middle name formatting. This community has basically created the troubleshooting guide that EDD should have provided from day one. Thank you all for sharing your hard-earned solutions - will definitely report back with results!

As someone brand new to this community and the EDD system, I cannot express how grateful I am for this thread! I've been battling this exact same direct deposit issue for over a month now - getting that same "unable to verify account information" error every single time I try to switch from Money Network. Reading through all these experiences has been a revelation. I had absolutely no clue about the timing restrictions (8am-2pm weekdays), browser compatibility problems (who would think Firefox vs Chrome matters for a government website?), or how incredibly picky the system is about exact name formatting. The fact that this critical information isn't documented anywhere on the official EDD site is beyond frustrating. I've been doing everything wrong - attempting this late at night after work hours, using Safari exclusively, and probably being too casual about how exactly my name appears in different fields. Meanwhile, those Money Network fees keep adding up ($2.50 here, $3.00 there) which really hurts when you're already stretching every dollar. This community has essentially reverse-engineered the secret sauce that EDD never bothered to explain. Tomorrow morning I'm going to try the proven formula: Firefox browser at 9am sharp, triple-verify my routing number is current, and match my name formatting exactly to my EDD profile including any middle name details. Thank you everyone for turning your frustrating experiences into solutions that help others. This is what real community support looks like! Will absolutely update with my results to hopefully add another success story to help future people stuck in this same nightmare.

I had the same issues like everyone else, and the lady at the bank said to take off the first 0 of my bank account to see if that worked, and it did. If your account starts with 0, take it off, and see if that works. I also used firefox, and did it it before 2 PM. I clapped when it worked. LOL

As someone who just discovered this community while desperately searching for solutions to this exact problem, this thread is absolutely incredible! I've been stuck with the Money Network card for 2 months and have probably attempted to switch to direct deposit 20+ times with that same maddening "unable to verify account information" error. I can't believe all the hidden requirements that nobody tells you about - the 8am-2pm weekday restriction, Firefox vs Chrome making a difference, exact name formatting including middle names, checking for leading zeros in account numbers, and even making sure there are no old account flags blocking changes. This is like a master class in navigating EDD's broken system! I've been doing literally everything wrong: trying on weekends, using Safari, being casual about name formatting, and never thinking to check with my bank about account number formatting. Those Money Network fees have probably cost me over $60 already - money I really can't afford to lose right now. Tomorrow morning I'm going to follow this community-created playbook: Firefox browser at 9am, verify current routing number with my bank, match my name exactly to my EDD profile, remove any leading zeros from my account number, and clear my browser cache first for a fresh session. Thank you to everyone who shared their hard-won solutions here. This thread should honestly be featured on EDD's official website - it's more helpful than anything they've provided! Will definitely report back with hopefully another success story to add to this amazing collection.

As someone completely new to both this community and dealing with EDD benefits, I'm blown away by how helpful this thread has been! I've been struggling with this exact same direct deposit issue for about 3 weeks now - getting that frustrating "unable to verify account information" error every time I try to escape the Money Network card. Reading through everyone's experiences has been such an education. I had no idea about any of these system quirks: the 8am-2pm weekday timing restrictions, Firefox vs Chrome browser differences, exact name formatting requirements, removing leading zeros from account numbers, or checking for old account flags. It's absolutely mind-boggling that EDD doesn't provide any of this crucial information on their official website! I've been making every mistake in the book - trying late at night, using Edge browser, being careless about name details, and never thinking about account number formatting. Meanwhile those Money Network fees keep draining my already tight budget ($2.50 ATM fees, $1.00 balance inquiry fees, etc.). This community has essentially crowd-sourced a complete troubleshooting manual that puts EDD's own support to shame. Tomorrow morning I'm going to follow the proven playbook: Firefox browser at 8:30am, current routing number verified with my bank, name matched exactly to my EDD profile including middle name, remove any leading zeros from account number, and start with a clean browser session. The collective problem-solving here is incredible - turning individual frustrations into solutions that help everyone. Thank you all for sharing your hard-earned knowledge! I'll definitely update with my results to hopefully add another success story to this amazing resource.