Will my old EDD debit card from 2021 work with my new claim approval?
Just found out I'm approved for unemployment after applying last month (didn't expect to get laid off again, but here we are). I still have my EDD debit card from my previous claim that ended in September 2021. It's been sitting in my drawer for over 3 years now. Two questions: 1) Will they load my benefits onto this old card, or am I going to get a new Money Network card in the mail? I checked and the card doesn't have an expiration date until 2025. 2) Last time, I set up automatic transfers to my checking account when funds hit the card. Anyone know if those transfer settings are still active after all this time? Really hoping I don't have to wait weeks for a new card to arrive since rent is coming up fast. Any insights appreciated!
26 comments


Zoe Papadopoulos
If your card hasn't expired yet, they'll use the same one. The Money Network cards are good for several years. EDD doesn't automatically issue new cards just because you filed a new claim - they only send new ones if your old one expired or you reported it lost/stolen. As for the auto-transfers, those settings should still be active in the Money Network system. When I reactivated my claim last year after an 18-month gap, my direct deposit settings were still there. Just make sure you can still log into your Money Network account to verify everything before your first payment hits.
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Aiden O'Connor
•Thank you! That's a relief to hear. I was worried I'd be stuck waiting for a new card. I just tried logging into the Money Network site and my old password still works, so that's a good sign. Appreciate the quick response!
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Jamal Brown
congrats on getting approved! my card expired and i had to get a new one and it took like 10 days to come in the mail just fyi. the old transfers dont always work btw, mine didnt and i had to set it up again. just check your money network account
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Aiden O'Connor
•Thanks for the heads up! I'll definitely double check the transfer settings. 10 days doesn't sound too bad if I do need a new card, but hopefully the old one works.
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Fatima Al-Rashid
I JUST went through this exact situation!!! My old card from 2020 was expired (mine had an expiration date printed on it) so I had to wait for a new one and IT WAS AWFUL. Took almost THREE WEEKS to arrive even though they say 7-10 business days. I called EDD like 86 times and nobody could help speed it up. IF your card is still valid, you're golden. But if it's expired or you can't find it, prepare to wait because the Money Network people are SLOW AS MOLASSES. And yeah, you'll need to set up your transfers again if you get a new card because it's technically a new account number even though your EDD account is the same. Just my experience. The system is still a MESS in 2025!!!
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Aiden O'Connor
•Oh no, that sounds stressful! Luckily my card hasn't expired yet, so hopefully I won't have to deal with that. Sorry you had such a rough time - three weeks is ridiculous when you're waiting for money you need for bills.
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Giovanni Rossi
Here's the most accurate information about your situation: 1) If your card is still valid (not expired), EDD will use the same card for your new claim payments. Money Network cards typically have a 3-5 year validity period from issue date. 2) For automatic transfers, while the settings may technically still exist in their system, many people report needing to reestablish these after long periods of inactivity (usually anything over 12 months). I recommend logging into your Money Network account before your first payment to verify or update your transfer settings. One important note: You should verify your card is still active by calling the number on the back. Sometimes cards can be deactivated due to extended inactivity, even if they're not expired. It's a quick check that can save you headaches later. Finally, if you need to speak with someone at EDD about card issues but can't get through, try Claimyr.com - they've helped many people connect with EDD representatives without the endless busy signals. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km
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Aaliyah Jackson
•calling the number on the back is smart advice! i didnt think of that and ended up stressing for days wondering if my payment would show up. turns out my card was deactivated and i had to get a new one anyway.
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KylieRose
Okay I know this is a bit off topic but I'm in a similar situation and got confused about something different. When I certified for my new claim after being approved, it asked about work search activities. Back in 2021 we didn't have to list those during COVID. Is that something required now? Do I need to list 3 job contacts every time? Sorry to hijack but I saw we had similar timeline situations.
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Giovanni Rossi
•Yes, the work search requirements have fully returned to pre-pandemic standards. You need to list a minimum of 3 work search activities per week (so 6 total for a bi-weekly certification). These can include job applications, interviews, networking, creating profiles on job sites, etc. Keep detailed records in case EDD requests verification. The COVID waivers for work search ended long ago.
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Aiden O'Connor
•No worries! I was wondering about the work search requirements too. Seems like things have changed since our last claims. Good luck with your claim!
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Miguel Hernández
My card form 2019 stoped wroking even tho the expiraiton date wasnt until 2024... had to call and get a new 1. The stupid phone menu is impossible tho so have fun with that part lol
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Jamal Brown
•yep the phone system is the WORST. took me 3 days of calling to finally get through to a human about my card issues
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Zoe Papadopoulos
Important update: Just to clarify some information from other comments - as of 2025, EDD is still using Money Network for debit cards, but they've actually improved their systems a bit. Your certification and payment cycle might be different than last time. They now process most certifications within 1-2 days instead of the older system that took longer. So once you certify, check your card balance within 48 hours. Also, I highly recommend downloading the Money Network mobile app if you haven't already. It's much more reliable than the website for checking balances and managing transfers. The app will also send you notifications when deposits are made to your card.
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Aiden O'Connor
•That's really helpful to know! I didn't realize they had an app now - definitely going to download that. And good to hear the processing time is faster now. When I had unemployment in 2021, it sometimes took 3-4 days after certifying before the money showed up.
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Aaliyah Jackson
i had same situation but my old card expired had to get new one, but the auto transfer settings were lost and i had to set everything up again. the new money network app is better than the old one tho
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Aiden O'Connor
•Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm going to double check all my transfer settings just to be safe. Good to hear the app is improved!
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Fatima Al-Rashid
Anyone else notice that EDD payments are coming through faster now than they did in 2021? My friend got approved last month and his money was on his card literally THE NEXT DAY after certifying!! The ONE thing they've actually improved! Though watch out for the NEW identity verification stuff - way more complicated than the old ID.me system!
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Jamal Brown
•yeah payments are faster now, thats true. but the identity stuff is SO annoying. took me like 5 tries to get through it
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Aurora St.Pierre
Just wanted to share my recent experience since I went through something similar last year! My EDD card from 2020 was still valid (expires in 2026) and they absolutely used the same card for my new claim in 2024. The money showed up on my old card within 2 days of certifying, which was amazing compared to the old system. However, my automatic transfer settings had been wiped after about 2 years of inactivity, so I had to set those up again through the Money Network app. It only took a few minutes though, and the new app interface is actually pretty user-friendly. One tip: if you're worried about timing with rent, you can always use the card at ATMs or for purchases while you wait to set up transfers. Most major ATMs don't charge fees for Money Network cards, and you can get cash back at grocery stores too. Hope this helps ease some stress!
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Hassan Khoury
•This is super reassuring to hear from someone who actually went through it recently! I'm definitely feeling more confident that my old card will work. Good point about being able to use it right away even without transfers set up - I hadn't thought about just getting cash back at the store if needed. Thanks for sharing your experience and the practical tips!
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Debra Bai
Hey there! I just went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago. My card from 2020 was still good and EDD automatically loaded my new benefits onto it - no waiting for a new card! The key thing is to definitely call the number on the back of your card first to make sure it's still active. Mine was technically valid but had been deactivated due to long inactivity, so I had to reactivate it over the phone. Takes like 2 minutes once you get through. Also, your auto-transfer settings will probably need to be reset. I had to log into Money Network and set them up again, but it was pretty straightforward. The good news is once your first payment hits, you can transfer it immediately - no waiting period like some banks have. Since rent is coming up, worst case scenario you can always use the card directly at ATMs or get cash back at stores while you sort out the transfer situation. Good luck with everything!
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Chloe Boulanger
•This is exactly what I needed to hear! Thank you so much for the detailed breakdown. I'm definitely going to call the card number first thing tomorrow to make sure it's still active - that's such a good point about it potentially being deactivated from inactivity even if it's not expired. Really appreciate you mentioning the cash back option too, that gives me peace of mind knowing I'll have access to the funds right away even if I need to reset the transfer settings. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience!
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Adriana Cohn
Just wanted to add my recent experience to this thread! I was in almost the exact same situation - had an old EDD card from early 2021 that I thought might still work when I got approved for a new claim in late 2024. The good news: if your card hasn't expired, they'll absolutely use it! Mine worked perfectly and I saw my first payment within 24 hours of certifying, which was way faster than I remembered from 2021. The not-so-good news: like others mentioned, you'll probably need to reset your automatic transfer settings. Mine were completely gone after the long gap. But honestly, setting them back up in the Money Network app took maybe 5 minutes tops. One thing I wish someone had told me - even if your transfer settings need to be reset, you can still access your money immediately through ATMs or by using the card for purchases. I was stressed about rent too, but I just used the card directly at my bank's ATM to get cash. No fees and no waiting around for transfers to process. Also definitely call the number on your card first to make sure it's active - that tip from others here is gold. My card was valid but needed to be reactivated after sitting unused for so long. Quick 5-minute call saved me days of worry!
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Paloma Clark
•This is so helpful to read everyone's recent experiences! I'm feeling much more confident now that multiple people have confirmed their old cards worked. The tip about calling to reactivate is definitely something I'm going to do first thing. It's also reassuring to know that even if I need to reset transfer settings, I can still access the money right away through ATMs or purchases. Thanks for sharing such detailed info - this whole thread has been a lifesaver for easing my stress about the timing with bills coming up!
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Sydney Torres
Just wanted to jump in here since I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago! My EDD card from 2021 was still good (expires 2027) and they definitely used the same one for my new claim. The Money Network system has gotten SO much better since 2021 - payments now show up within 1-2 days instead of the 3-5 days it used to take. My auto-transfer settings were still there and working, which surprised me since I'd heard mixed reports about that. One thing that might help with your rent timing - if you're really worried about access to funds, you can always do a quick balance transfer to a friend or family member through the Money Network app (if they also have a Money Network card) or use Zelle/Venmo once the money hits your card. That way you're not dependent on ACH transfers to your bank if timing is tight. Sounds like you're in good shape though if your card is still valid and you can log into the account! The whole process is much smoother now than it was during the pandemic chaos.
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