How do I get my 1099-G from California EDD unemployment?

I logged in but I'm not seeing it in payments, is it maybe under a different menu? My UI Online looks kinda different than the screenshots I've been seeing online.

Try looking under 'Tax Information' or sometimes it's a banner at the top of your dashboard when you first log in during tax season. The layout changed a bit recently. If still can't find it try the document inbox on the left side menu.

Also worth noting that if your mailing address on file was old or wrong they may have mailed it somewhere else, so checking online is always the safer bet.

Oh okay I think I found it! There's a thing that says 1099G Tax Form on the left side. Thank you!!

same, found mine this way. so much easier than waiting for mail

Hopefully I won't need to call but saving this just in case my online access doesn't work out. Thanks!

I've heard of Claimyr before, does it actually work? EDD phone lines are absolutely brutal

Yeah it worked for me. Got a call back from an actual EDD rep within a couple hours. Way better than hitting redial 50 times.

Yes unfortunately unemployment benefits ARE taxable at the federal level. California does not tax them at the state level but you have to report the federal amount. That's exactly what the 1099-G is for - it shows how much you received so you can report it on your federal return.

oh man. okay thanks for telling me. now i gotta find my 1099-G too lol

This is a really common misunderstanding. The 1099-G will also show any federal taxes you had withheld if you opted into that. EDD lets you withhold 10% for federal taxes from each payment - if you did that it'll show in Box 4 on the form.

That's really good to know. How did you figure that out?

I just went through my bank statements and added up every EDD deposit manually, then compared to the 1099-G. The difference matched up with a payment that came through in the first week of January. Tax preparer said it's a timing thing that happens sometimes with payments at year end.

This is accurate, it's a cash basis accounting thing. The 1099-G reflects when payments were actually issued by EDD not necessarily when your benefit weeks were for.

If you're locked out of myEDD you'll need to go through the account recovery process. On the login page there's an 'Unlock Account' option. You'll verify your identity and reset access. Don't keep trying to log in or it'll stay locked longer.

okay i found the unlock account thing, it's asking me to verify with my SSN and some claim info. fingers crossed this works

ugh the myEDD site is SO bad. i had the same lockout happen twice. good luck

Is there a specific number to call for this or just the main EDD line?

The main EDD customer service line handles 1099-G requests. Just be prepared for wait times. If you keep getting disconnected or can't get through after multiple attempts, some people have had luck using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to navigate EDD's phone system - there's a demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10 showing exactly how it connects you to a live agent.

Okay good to know. I think I got my online access working finally so hopefully won't need to call but that's helpful info.

Yes, you still need to report it. There's no minimum threshold for reporting unemployment benefits - any amount is taxable federally and needs to go on your return. EDD should still issue you a 1099-G for it.

ugh okay fine. thanks i guess lol

Worth noting - even if the tax impact is small, not reporting it can cause issues if the IRS gets the 1099-G from EDD and your return doesn't match. Just include it and you're fine.

I didn't have any overpayment so that shouldn't affect me, but good info for people who did.

oh god i had an overpayment situation last year. i paid some of it back. where exactly is the repayment shown on the form?

Box 4 shows federal tax withheld and I believe overpayment repayments made in the same year are reflected in Box 2 being adjusted downward. Honestly for complicated overpayment situations I'd double-check with a tax pro because the rules get nuanced.

If the PDF download keeps failing try a different browser. Chrome and Firefox tend to work better than Edge for the EDD site. Also make sure pop-up blockers aren't preventing the PDF from opening.

oh interesting. i'll try that next time. the screenshot method works but it's annoying

No - if you never received any benefit payments you won't get a 1099-G. The form only gets issued if you actually received unemployment compensation. A denied claim with zero payments means no 1099-G.

okay phew. that makes sense. thanks for clarifying

Correct. The 1099-G reflects actual payments made to you. Zero payments = no form. You might still see a $0 form in some edge cases but typically EDD just doesn't generate one if nothing was paid out.

Great point. I moved earlier this year so I should definitely update my address even though I'm not actively claiming anymore.

Exactly. You can update your mailing address in the UI Online account settings. Takes about two minutes and it's worth doing.

Yes you can dispute it. First compare the 1099-G amount against your payment history in UI Online - you can see a record of every payment made. If the amounts genuinely don't match you can contact EDD to request a corrected 1099-G. They'd issue what's called a corrected form (sometimes noted as 'Corrected' on the form itself).

How do I actually reach someone at EDD for this though? I feel like every time I call I get a busy signal or it hangs up

Honestly for something like disputing a 1099-G amount you really do need to talk to an actual EDD agent. I mentioned Claimyr earlier in this thread - claimyr.com - that service is specifically great for situations where you need to actually reach a live person. The video demo (https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10) explains how it works. Getting through to EDD on your own can take forever for something like this.

Okay I'll look into that. I really don't want to mess up my taxes over an incorrect amount on the form.

Go to myedd.edd.ca.gov and click 'Forgot Username' or 'Forgot Password' - you can recover access using your Social Security Number and some verification questions. If you used an email you no longer have access to that gets trickier and you might need to contact EDD directly to sort out account access.

i tried forgot password but the recovery email is an old address i don't have anymore. great.

In that case you'll need to contact EDD to regain account access - they can reset things with identity verification. Be patient with hold times. Some folks use Claimyr at claimyr.com to get through faster when the lines are jammed.

Great news! Good luck with your taxes. For anyone else finding this thread - the myEDD portal is definitely the fastest way to get your 1099-G, no need to wait for mail or spend hours on hold with EDD.

glad you got it sorted! this thread was helpful for me too honestly

bookmarking this for next tax season lol

Good addition. Also worth noting that EDD sends 1099-Gs for other programs too like Paid Family Leave and State Disability Insurance - those would show up separately and be reported differently on your taxes. The standard unemployment one is what most people in this thread are asking about.

Oh interesting - I did use some SDI briefly before switching to UI. I should check if there's a separate 1099-G for that too.

Yes check your UI Online inbox and the 1099-G section for both. SDI and UI are separate programs and EDD handles the reporting differently for each.