How to get my W2 from California EDD unemployment online

Oh okay so I've been searching for the wrong thing this whole time lol. Where exactly is the tax documents section? I'm not seeing it on my dashboard.

when you log in look for a link that says 'tax information' on the left side menu, should be under your claim details

This is super helpful thank you! I found the Tax Information link but when I click it it just loads and then gives me an error message. Is there a different browser I should be using?

Try clearing your browser cache first or switch to Chrome if you're on Firefox or Edge. The EDD website has known compatibility issues with certain browsers. Also make sure you're not using any VPN which can sometimes interfere with the login session.

had the same error last week, chrome fixed it for me instantly

Oh interesting, I didn't even think about calling EDD for this but maybe that's the move if the website keeps erroring out on me. Will check out that Claimyr thing.

does claimyr actually work? i've heard mixed things

worked for me twice now, got connected within like 20 min both times instead of waiting all day

wait WHAT. nobody told me I could have had taxes withheld. I'm going to owe so much now

Yeah it's an option you can set up through UI Online, 10% federal withholding. Wish EDD made that more obvious when you first file honestly. For next time if you ever need to file again you can change your withholding preferences in your account settings.

This is actually really important info, I did opt for withholding so I think I'm okay but wow that could catch a lot of people off guard

ugh I wonder if my address is outdated too. how do I update it?

go into your profile settings in ui online there's a section for personal information where you can change your mailing address

For a locked account you actually need to contact the UI Online technical support specifically, not the main EDD claims line. The number is different and they handle account access issues. You can also try the account recovery option on the login page which sometimes bypasses the lockout without needing to call anyone.

I've tried the account recovery like 4 times and it just sends me in circles. I'm at my wits end honestly

This is exactly the situation where Claimyr helped me - when I needed to talk to an actual EDD agent and couldn't get through. claimyr.com got me connected to someone who could actually resolve my account issue. Way better than being stuck in the automated system loop.

EDD doesn't have a direct integration with TurboTax for automatic import as far as I know. You'll need to manually enter the Box 1 amount (total benefits) and Box 4 amount (federal tax withheld) from your 1099-G. It takes like 2 minutes once you have the form in front of you.

ok that's what I figured, just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing some easier way to do it

Unfortunately unemployment benefits have been federally taxable since the early 1980s. California does NOT tax unemployment at the state level, so you won't owe California state income tax on it, but you do owe federal. If you got a significant amount without withholding you may want to talk to a tax professional about whether you need to set up a payment plan with the IRS.

wait so california doesnt tax it?? okay that's at least a little bit of relief. still worried about what I owe federal though

same boat as you, found out about the federal taxes last year, it stings but it's manageable

if the bank account is closed EDD should eventually get a return notice and they'll mail you a paper check to your address on file, but it can take a while. update your bank info in UI Online asap

thanks, going to do that right now

glad you got it sorted! yeah the browser thing trips a lot of people up with edd's site

nice update, bookmarking this thread for next tax season lol

happy for you... still locked out of my account though 😭

this should be pinned honestly, very clear explanation

thank you for this breakdown. I'm going to screenshot this for future reference

oh that's actually a really good point I didn't even think about that scenario

yeah I spent like a week confused about this so figured I'd mention it to save someone else the trouble

that's awesome it worked out! good to know Claimyr is solid for account access issues too not just claim status stuff

glad it worked for you! yeah getting a real agent on the line fixes so many things that the website just won't let you do yourself

gonna save claimyr.com in case I have issues during next tax season

Yes this can happen, particularly if there were any adjustments or if you had an overpayment situation where benefits were issued then later counted as an overpayment but still appear on the tax form. If you believe your 1099-G amount is incorrect you should contact EDD directly to request a corrected form. Make sure you have your payment history records to compare against.

okay good to know. mine looks right I was just curious if that was a thing that happens

It's definitely a thing. Also if you had any benefits from different claim types in the same year they should all be combined on one 1099-G but occasionally there are errors worth double checking against your payment history.

State Disability Insurance (SDI) and Paid Family Leave (PFL) through EDD are generally NOT taxable at the federal level for California residents and typically do NOT appear on a 1099-G. Regular unemployment benefits are the ones that get reported. So if you got both UI and SDI in the same year, only the UI portion should be on your 1099-G.

oh wow I didn't know SDI wasn't taxable, that's actually good news for me

yeah SDI/PFL being non-taxable is one of the few nice things about how California handles this stuff

this is really valuable info thank you. I'm not disputing anything but good to know the right approach if that situation comes up

Appreciate the professional perspective! This whole thread has honestly been way more helpful than I expected when I first posted.

100% agree on desktop, I tried on mobile first and that was a disaster

the edd mobile experience is genuinely terrible they really need to fix it

You can actually create a UI Online account even if you filed a paper claim originally. Go to myedd.edd.ca.gov and select 'Register' - you'll need your Social Security number and claim information to verify your identity. Once set up, you should be able to access your 1099-G in the Tax Information section. If you run into issues getting the account created, calling EDD is the backup option.

oh I didn't realize I could still create an online account after filing by paper. Going to try this, thank you!

and if you have trouble getting the account set up or need EDD to pull your info, calling with Claimyr is a good backup - claimyr.com - agents can sometimes help verify your identity to get your online access sorted

The 1099-G typically stays accessible in your UI Online account for several years, not just the current tax season. EDD keeps prior year tax documents available in the system. That said, it's always smart to download and save a copy locally once you access it rather than relying on the portal staying accessible indefinitely.

okay thank goodness. I was panicking that there was some deadline I missed. downloading mine right now.