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I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Just got my first SDI payment for my maternity leave and realized there's zero federal tax withholding. Like others have mentioned, I definitely don't remember seeing any clear option for tax withholding during the online application process - it must have been really buried or unclear. I'm planning to follow the advice here about having my partner adjust his W-4 to withhold extra federal taxes to cover my SDI and upcoming PFL payments. Does anyone know roughly what percentage of SDI benefits typically gets eaten up by federal taxes? I want to make sure we withhold enough but not too much. Thanks for starting this thread - it's so helpful to know I'm not the only one who missed this!
Hi Melody! I'm so glad to find someone else going through this exact situation right now. From what I've gathered in this thread and some quick research, the federal tax rate on SDI benefits depends on your overall tax bracket, but most people seem to recommend setting aside 15-20% to be safe. Since SDI benefits are taxed as regular income, if you and your partner normally fall into the 12% or 22% tax brackets, that's roughly what you'd owe on the benefits. But it's probably better to overestimate slightly than get hit with a surprise bill! I'm also planning to have my husband adjust his W-4 - seems like the most straightforward solution since we can't change the SDI withholding mid-claim. Good luck with your maternity leave! 💕
This is such a helpful thread! I'm currently 32 weeks pregnant and planning to apply for SDI soon, so this is exactly the kind of information I needed to know ahead of time. It sounds like I really need to pay close attention during the online application process to make sure I don't miss the tax withholding option. From reading everyone's experiences, it seems like the key things to remember are: 1) Look carefully for the tax withholding checkbox during the online application (apparently it's easy to miss!), 2) If you do miss it, you can't change it mid-claim, and 3) You'll get another chance to select withholding when you apply for PFL after your SDI ends. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions - especially the tip about adjusting your spouse's W-4 withholding to compensate. I'm definitely going to bookmark this thread to reference when I apply in a few weeks!
Victoria, you're so smart to be researching this ahead of time! I wish I had done that. Since you're planning to apply soon, here's what I'd recommend based on everyone's advice here: when you get to the online application, really take your time on each screen and look carefully for any tax-related options. Maybe even take screenshots as you go through the process so you can double-check later. Also, it might be worth having a conversation with your partner now about potentially adjusting their W-4 withholding just in case you do miss the option (like so many of us apparently did!). That way you'll have a backup plan ready to go. The 15-20% rule that others mentioned seems like a good guideline for how much extra to withhold. Good luck with your application and congratulations on your pregnancy! 🎉
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did u get paid yet??? im in the same boat and wondering how long it took
Yes! The money hit my account about 36 hours after I submitted the certification. It was processed the next day but took another day to show up in my bank account. Hope yours comes through quickly too!
I'm so glad you got your payment! This is really helpful information for anyone else going through pregnancy disability. I just want to add that if anyone is still having trouble with their SDI payments or certifications, make sure to keep detailed records of when you submit everything. Screenshot your submission confirmations and keep track of dates - it really helps if you need to call EDD later. Also, if you're having trouble accessing the online portal to certify, you can sometimes call the automated phone system as a backup option. The pregnancy journey is stressful enough without worrying about missed payments!
This is such great advice about keeping records! I wish I had known this when I started my claim. I definitely learned my lesson about setting up reminders and staying organized with all the paperwork. It's crazy how much you have to keep track of on top of everything else during pregnancy. Thanks for sharing these tips - they'll definitely help other moms going through this process!
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I just went through this same process last week! For the DE 2525XX form, I had to dig around a bit but found it under the "State Disability Insurance" section, not just general forms. Make sure you're looking specifically for disability forms. As for payment status, besides checking your online account, you can also call the SDI customer service line at (800) 480-3287 - the wait times are brutal but they can give you real-time updates. Also, if you submitted your claim recently, it typically takes 14 days from when they receive your completed form to process payment. Hope this helps!
This is gold! Thank you for the specific phone number and the tip about looking under "State Disability Insurance" - I was definitely searching in the wrong section. 14 days seems like forever when you're waiting for benefits, but at least now I have a realistic timeline. Really appreciate you sharing your recent experience! 🙏
Just wanted to add my two cents here - I recently had success getting my DE 2525XX form processed faster by making sure I included ALL supporting medical documentation upfront. Don't wait for them to ask for additional paperwork! Also, if you're dealing with a complex disability case, consider reaching out to your local assembly member's office. They have constituent services that can sometimes help push things through the bureaucratic maze. It's a free service that not many people know about. I got a response within 48 hours after weeks of getting nowhere on my own. Sometimes you need someone with more clout to advocate for you!
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I had the exact same issue with the 2525 form! What worked for me was logging into my UI Online account and going to the "History" tab - sometimes the form shows up there as a PDF even if you didn't get the physical mail. Also, try checking your address on file in your account settings - I discovered mine was missing my apartment number which was causing mail delivery issues. If you still can't find it, definitely try that technical support number Marcus mentioned - that line seems way less busy than the main UI line!
Great tip about checking the History tab! I never would have thought to look there. I'm definitely going to check my address info too - that's such a simple thing that could cause major headaches. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here, it's giving me hope that I can get this sorted out! 🤞
I'm dealing with this same nightmare right now! Been waiting 3 days for my 2525 form and the deadline is tomorrow. Reading through all these suggestions has been super helpful - especially the tip about the technical support line at 1-800-300-5616 instead of the main UI line. I'm also going to check my History tab in UI Online like Paolo suggested. It's so frustrating that we have to jump through all these hoops just to get a form that should have been mailed automatically. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions - this community is a lifesaver when EDD fails us! 🙏
Katherine Ziminski
I'm really glad you're getting this sorted out! Just wanted to add that if you're worried about the financial gap while waiting for SDI to kick in, you might want to look into local food banks or emergency assistance programs in your area. Many counties have temporary financial assistance for people dealing with medical emergencies. Also, if your husband's employer offers any kind of emergency hardship fund or if he has accrued sick leave that could be converted to partial pay, now would be the time to ask HR about those options. The combination of getting SDI filed plus finding some temporary relief could help bridge this difficult period. Wishing your husband a smooth recovery!
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Aidan Hudson
•Thank you so much for these additional resources! I hadn't thought about checking for local emergency assistance programs. We'll definitely look into food banks in our area - every little bit helps right now. I'll also have my husband reach out to his HR department tomorrow to see if there are any employee assistance programs available. The combination of filing for SDI today plus these temporary supports should hopefully get us through the next few weeks. Really appreciate everyone's advice and support during this stressful time!
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Hattie Carson
Just wanted to share my experience since I went through something similar! I filed for SDI about 7 weeks after my knee surgery due to similar issues with doctor fees and financial stress. Even though I was past the 49-day window, EDD still processed my claim but I only got benefits from the date I filed, not backdated to when I first became disabled. The key thing that helped me was being completely honest on the application about why I delayed - I wrote in the comments section that it was due to financial hardship and inability to pay the medical certification fee upfront. While I didn't get the full backpay, I was still approved and started receiving benefits within 3 weeks. Don't give up hope - even if you're slightly past the ideal timeline, they do consider individual circumstances. Make sure to document everything and be transparent about the financial hardship that caused the delay.
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