Reporting retirement distributions when certifying for EDD - yes or no?

pretty sure u need 2 report it but it dosent mean u wont get benefits. its just deducted from ur weekly amount i think

Yes, you absolutely need to report retirement distributions when certifying. EDD requires you to report all income, and retirement distributions do count. Check the "yes" box and enter the amount when prompted. It will likely reduce your weekly benefit amount (WBA) using a specific formula, but won't necessarily disqualify you completely. The formula they use typically reduces your weekly benefit dollar-for-dollar after the first $25 (or 25% of your WBA, whichever is greater). So if your WBA is $450 and your retirement is $430, you'd still qualify for some benefits. Not reporting it could lead to an overpayment determination later, which comes with penalties and possible disqualification from future benefits.

I went through EXACTLY this same thing!!!! I get a tiny pension ($368/mo) and didn't mention it when I first applied for benefits in Jan 2025. Then I read somewhere that EDD could PENALIZE me so I panicked and called them 46 TIMES trying to fix it!!! Never got through!!!

If you're having trouble reaching an EDD representative to clarify this situation, I'd recommend trying Claimyr. I was in a similar situation with questions about reporting income and couldn't get through for weeks. Used their service and got connected to an EDD rep in about 20 minutes. Saved me so much stress. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km and their website is claimyr.com. Definitely worth checking out if you're struggling to get through the phone lines.

Here's the actual rule directly from EDD: "You must report all income you receive, whether from employment or another source, during the week you earn it, not when you receive the payment." Retirement payments fall under "another source" and must be reported. The important distinction is WHEN to report it. For regular employment, you report when earned. For retirement distributions, you report for the week you receive the payment. You should check "Yes" to receiving income, select "Pension/Retirement" as the source, and enter the amount. The system will automatically calculate any reduction to your benefits. And don't worry about not mentioning it on your initial application. Just report it correctly going forward when you certify. If there's an issue, EDD will contact you for an eligibility interview to clarify the situation.

my neighbor had this exact situation and he marked NO on the certification form and got AUDITED six months later and had to pay back like $4000 plus a 30% penalty!!! dont risk it!!

wait i think i was wrong before...pensions might be different than retirement accounts? like if ur just taking money out of ur 401k thats not income i dont think

Just to follow up - make sure you're answering all the certification questions accurately. Question #6 specifically asks about pension/retirement income. Mark "Yes" there and enter the amount. Don't overthink this too much. EDD deals with retirement income situations all the time. As long as you're honest from this point forward, you'll be fine. They're mainly concerned with willful fraud, not honest mistakes that you're actively trying to correct.

I'm new to this whole unemployment process too and this thread has been really eye-opening! I had no idea about all these reporting requirements. I don't have retirement income but I do have some dividend payments from stocks - I'm assuming those need to be reported as well? It's honestly pretty overwhelming trying to figure out what counts as "income" and what doesn't. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and knowledge here, it's really helping those of us who are navigating this for the first time.

I'm going through something similar right now! I have a small pension from my old teaching job ($340/month) and was also confused about reporting it. After reading through all these responses, I'm definitely going to mark "yes" and report it properly. It's scary thinking about potential penalties, but it sounds like being honest is the way to go. The EDD system is confusing enough without having to worry about getting in trouble for making mistakes. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in trying to figure this stuff out!

I went through this exact same situation last year! I have a small pension from my previous job ($520/month) and was terrified about reporting it correctly. What really helped me was keeping detailed records of when I received each payment and the exact amounts. I created a simple spreadsheet with the dates and amounts so I could reference it during certification. One thing I learned is that EDD is actually pretty understanding if you're making an honest effort to comply. I had a small discrepancy in one of my certifications (forgot to report some freelance income) and when they contacted me for an interview, the rep was actually quite helpful in explaining how to handle it going forward. My advice: report the $430 retirement distribution, keep good records, and don't stress too much about it. The people who get in real trouble are those who intentionally try to hide income, not folks like us who are genuinely trying to do the right thing but navigating a confusing system.

I'm in a really similar boat - I have a small monthly distribution from my old 401k ($385/month) and I've been losing sleep over whether to report it or not. Reading through everyone's responses here has been incredibly helpful! It sounds like the consensus is definitely to report it and mark "yes" during certification. What really resonates with me is what Jessica said about EDD being more understanding when you're making a genuine effort to comply. I keep hearing horror stories about audits and penalties, but it seems like those happen more to people who are intentionally trying to hide income rather than folks like us who are just confused about the rules. I'm going to follow the advice here and start keeping detailed records of my payments too. This whole process is stressful enough without having to worry about accidentally doing something wrong. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know we're all figuring this out together!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! I have a monthly pension payment from my previous employer ($412/month) and I was also confused about reporting it during certification. After reading through all these helpful responses, I'm convinced that reporting it is definitely the right thing to do, even if it reduces my weekly benefit amount. What really helped me understand this better was Cynthia's explanation about reporting retirement payments for the week you receive them, not when you earn them. That clarifies so much! And Manny's breakdown of the formula they use for reducing benefits was super helpful too - it sounds like most of us will still qualify for some benefits even with retirement income. I'm going to follow Jessica's advice about keeping detailed records in a spreadsheet. The last thing any of us want is to deal with an audit or overpayment situation down the road. It's reassuring to hear that EDD tends to be more understanding with people who are genuinely trying to comply versus those who intentionally hide income. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread has been a lifesaver for those of us trying to navigate this confusing system for the first time!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in almost the exact same situation - I have a small monthly pension distribution ($475) from my former job and was completely unsure about how to handle it during certification. I made the mistake of not mentioning it when I first filed my claim over the phone because I honestly didn't think about it at the time. After reading through everyone's experiences and advice, it's crystal clear that I need to report it and mark "yes" during certification. The explanation about EDD being more concerned with intentional fraud rather than honest mistakes from people genuinely trying to comply is really reassuring. I was terrified about potential penalties, but it sounds like being transparent going forward is the best approach. I'm definitely going to start keeping detailed records like Jessica suggested - a simple spreadsheet with payment dates and amounts seems like the smart way to stay organized. It's frustrating that the system is so confusing for regular people, but I'm grateful for communities like this where we can help each other figure things out. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences - you've really helped ease my anxiety about this whole process!

I'm in a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly reassuring! I have a monthly pension payment of $525 from my old job and was completely panicked about whether to report it. Like many others here, I didn't mention it during my initial phone application because I honestly didn't think about it in the moment - the whole process happened so fast and I was focused on getting through all the employment history questions. After reading through everyone's experiences, it's absolutely clear that I need to report it during certification and check "yes" for receiving income. What really helped was understanding that EDD is primarily concerned with intentional fraud, not honest mistakes from people genuinely trying to follow the rules. The detailed explanations about the benefit reduction formula were super helpful too - it sounds like most of us will still receive some unemployment benefits even with retirement income. I'm definitely going to implement the spreadsheet tracking system that Jessica mentioned. Having detailed records with exact dates and amounts seems like the smart way to stay organized and avoid any potential issues down the road. It's both frustrating and comforting to know that so many of us are navigating this same confusion. Thanks to everyone for sharing their knowledge and experiences - this community support makes such a difference when dealing with such a stressful and confusing system!