Reporting severance pay twice during EDD certification? Already listed it on initial application

Yes, you need to report it again when you actually receive it. The initial application was just informing EDD you would be receiving severance in the future. Now that you've received the payment, you must report it during the certification for the weeks it was received. Make sure to indicate the correct week if it was only received in one of the two weeks you're certifying for.

ya def report it!! my cousin didnt report sum money he got and ended up with overpayment notice later. not worth the headache

I went through this exact situation last year. You absolutely need to report the severance when you actually receive it during certification. The initial application just gave EDD a heads-up that severance was coming, but certification is where you report what actually happened during those specific weeks. When you report the severance, make sure to enter the correct gross amount before taxes. Your weekly benefit amount will likely be reduced or zeroed out for the week(s) you received severance, depending on the amount. This is normal and prevents overpayment issues later. Just be precise about which certification week the payment was received - if you got it during week 1 of your two-week certification period, only mark it for that week, not both weeks.

i remember when i was on unemployment in 2022 and they asked about income i just put no for everything even tho i had some side gig money coming in...ended up getting hit with an overpayment notice for like $4k later!!! EDD eventually finds out everything so just be honest now

THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO TRICK YOU!!! They ask the same questions multiple times in different ways to catch you in a "lie" so they can deny benefits. I got caught in this exact trap last year with my severance. First they wanted to know on the application, then again during certification, then AGAIN during a phone interview!!! And each time if your answers don't match EXACTLY they flag you for fraud investigation!! Make sure you report EVERYTHING exactly as it happened or they WILL come after you later. The EDD computers cross-reference everything with employer reports.

Has anyone else noticed how impossible it is to reach an actual human at EDD if you have questions like this? I spent THREE DAYS trying to get through on their phone line last month when I had a similar question about reporting income. Always got the "we're experiencing high call volume" message and then they'd hang up. I ended up using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an EDD agent within 30 minutes. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km. Definitely worth it for peace of mind on confusing questions like this severance reporting issue.

I think people are making this more complicated than it is. Just answer the questions honestly as they come up. If they ask if you received income, and you did receive severance that week, select Yes and enter the details. EDD's computer system will sort it out.

To clarify a bit more about how this works: When you initially report expected severance on your application, EDD uses that information to determine your initial eligibility for benefits. When you later report actually receiving that severance during certification, EDD uses that to calculate your benefit amount for those specific weeks. For the week you received severance, your benefit will be reduced according to this formula: if your severance exceeds your weekly benefit amount, you'll receive $0 for that week. If your severance is less than your weekly benefit amount, you'll receive the difference. The important thing is that your certification matches what actually happened during those specific weeks. For all future certification periods where you don't receive severance, you'll answer "No" to that question and receive your normal benefit amount.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this exact situation a few months ago. I also panicked thinking I was "double reporting" my severance, but it's actually completely normal and required. Think of it this way: the initial application is like telling EDD "hey, I'm expecting to receive severance sometime in the future." The certification is where you report "I actually received that severance during this specific week." They're two different purposes - one is predictive, one is factual reporting. I got my severance during my third certification period and reported it then. My benefits were reduced to $0 for that week (since my severance was higher than my weekly benefit), but then resumed normally the following certification period. No issues, no fraud flags, no overpayment notices. The key is just being consistent and accurate. Make sure the amount you report during certification matches what you actually received (gross amount before taxes). You've got this!

I just went through this exact same situation last month! I was so worried about "double reporting" my severance too, but everyone here is absolutely right - you definitely need to report it again during certification. I actually called EDD (after many attempts) and the agent explained it perfectly: the initial application is just letting them know severance is coming, but the certification is where you report what actually happened during those specific weeks. She said it's like the difference between saying "I'm expecting a package" vs "I received the package." My severance was about $6,200 and it wiped out my benefits for that one week, but everything went back to normal the next certification period. No red flags, no fraud investigation, nothing scary like that. Just make sure you report the gross amount before taxes and assign it to the correct week. You'll be fine!

I went through this exact same worry when I was on unemployment! You absolutely need to report the severance again during certification - it's not double reporting, it's just how the system works. The initial application was basically you saying "heads up, I'm going to get severance" and now the certification is you saying "okay, I actually got it this week." I was terrified I'd get flagged for fraud too, but it's totally normal. My case worker even told me that NOT reporting it during certification would be the actual problem, since that's when they calculate your actual benefits for those specific weeks. Since your severance was $5,800 and that's probably way more than your weekly benefit amount, you'll likely get $0 for whichever week you received it. But don't worry - your benefits will resume normally for the next certification period. Just be accurate about which week you actually got the money and report the gross amount before taxes. You're doing everything right by being so careful about it!