Should I report 1099 income on EDD certification? Unsure about $1500+ from independent contractor work

You absolutely need to report ALL income when certifying, including 1099 work. It doesn't matter if the employer paid into UI or not. The question on the certification asks if you worked or earned any income - not just W2 income. You should report the income for the week you EARNED it, not when you get paid. So if you worked those 3 days during this certification period, report the expected income even if you haven't received payment yet. Your friend is giving you incorrect advice that could result in an overpayment determination later. EDD cross-references with tax filings, and they will eventually discover unreported income.

i did the same thing last yr and didnt report my doordash money cuz someone told me 1099 doesnt count... big mistake! edd found out when i filed taxes and now i owe like $4k in overpayments plus penalties :( definitely report it

YES REPORT IT!! I got caught in this exact situation last year and ended up with a FALSE STATEMENT PENALTY which means 30% reduction in benefits PLUS having to pay back everything with interest. The EDD system is designed to catch these things when tax forms get filed. Better to report now and maybe get reduced benefits for those weeks than deal with the nightmare of fighting overpayment notices later!

To clarify how EDD handles 1099 income during certification: 1. Report income in the week you EARNED it (worked), not when paid 2. EDD uses a formula: you can earn up to 25% of your weekly benefit amount (WBA) without reduction 3. After that threshold, they reduce your benefit $1 for each $1 earned 4. If you earn more than your WBA + 25%, you receive $0 for that week So if your WBA is $450, you can earn up to $112.50 without reduction. If you earned $1500 in one week, you would receive $0 for that week but would still be eligible for the other week in your certification period where you didn't work. Reporting accurately now prevents overpayment notices and potential penalties later.

I went through something similar and tried calling EDD to ask them directly but spent HOURS trying to get through... never could reach anyone. I ended up reporting everything just to be safe. Lost some benefits but better than owing money later. If you need to actually talk to someone at EDD about this or other issues, I finally got through using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have this system that calls EDD for you and connects you when an agent is available. Saved me from wasting entire days on hold. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km Personally I think it's worth it when you need answers directly from EDD about complicated situations like yours.

my cousins roommate didnt report his etsy shop income and edd came after him 2 years later!!!! they got access to his bank statements and everything. not worth the risk just to get a couple extra weeks of benefits.

wait im confused tho. if ur a 1099 worker arent u supposed to be on PUA not regular UI? or did that end?

I just submitted my certification and reported the income. Better safe than sorry! I estimated the amount based on hours worked and my agreed rate. Hope I did it right... Thanks everyone for the advice and saving me from potential fraud penalties down the road!

honestly this whole system is so confusing!! i wish they would just explain things clearly on their website instead of making us figure it out ourselves 🤦‍♀️

Good for you Jessica for reporting it! You definitely made the smart choice. I went through a similar situation a few months ago and was terrified about getting it wrong, but EDD really doesn't mess around when it comes to unreported income. Just a heads up - when you get your actual payment, if it ends up being significantly different from what you estimated (like more than $50-100 difference), you might want to call and let them know. They're usually pretty understanding about good faith estimates vs actual amounts, especially when you clearly tried to report accurately from the start. The stress of not knowing what to do is real, but you handled it the right way. Way better to potentially lose some benefits now than deal with overpayment letters and penalties later!

Great thread everyone! As someone who learned this lesson the hard way, I want to emphasize something that might not be obvious - even if you think your 1099 income might be "irregular" or "one-time," EDD still expects you to report it. I made the mistake of thinking a small freelance project "didn't count" and ended up with a mess to clean up later. Also, for anyone reading this who might be in a similar situation in the future - if you're ever unsure about the exact amount to report when you haven't been paid yet, it's better to overestimate slightly than underestimate. You can always contact them to adjust downward if the actual payment is less, but underreporting can trigger fraud investigations even if it was an honest mistake. Jessica, you absolutely did the right thing by reporting it. The peace of mind is worth way more than potentially losing a week or two of benefits!

This thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - I have some freelance graphic design work (1099) that I completed last week but won't get paid for until next month. I was totally confused about when and how to report it. Reading through everyone's experiences, especially the horror stories about overpayments and penalties, really drove home how important it is to be accurate with reporting. The fact that EDD cross-references with tax filings later makes so much sense - of course they're going to catch unreported income eventually! @Jessica I think you made the absolute right call by reporting it. The stress of wondering "what if" would have been terrible, and now you can rest easy knowing you followed the rules correctly. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge here - this community is amazing for helping people navigate these confusing situations!