What happens when California State Disability Insurance claim payments run out?
It is time to find a job (if physically able) because the other alternatives are not very promising. Otherwise, it may be impossible to pay your regular bills.
Filing for an extension may work until you reach the time limit. Then you are out of luck. Collecting unemployment rarely works because of two rule conflicts, but you can try.
Long-term disability might kick in for those who bought a policy from an insurance company before they got hurt or became sick.
Applying for Social Security Disability is the best option because most people are entitled to the benefit. But, the payout is low, and the qualifications are tough to meet.
CA State Disability Spent: Viable Options
People often have at least one and sometimes three viable options to pursue after California State Disability Insurance runs out. However, there are no guarantees, and you may have to tap into multiple resources to survive.
Extending Benefits
Individuals can often extend California State Disability Insurance benefits after their initial claim estimate expires – provided they did not exceed the maximum number of weeks allowed by the program.
Complete the Physician’s Supplementary Certificate (DE 2525XX).
The DE 2525XX form is meant for people whose medical condition continues past the first anticipated time to return to work. For example, you have a baby, and the doctor projects that you need eight weeks to heal from a C-section – but your recovery takes longer than expected because of an infection.
Keep in mind that you cannot extend benefits indefinitely. The claim payments end after you have been out of work for 39 (SEEC) or 52 weeks (SDI) – regardless of whether you can return to work or not. Therefore, you may need to find an alternative.
Social Security
Social Security provides the avenue that helps many people replace income after the California State Disability Insurance expires. Most individuals have coverage already in force because the government requires employees and employers to pay FICA payroll taxes, which fund the premiums.
Apply for Social Security Disability right away to avoid unnecessary gaps in benefits. The approval process can be lengthy, so do not delay getting the process started.
The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) qualifying criteria also fit neatly with most people’s end date. SSDI covers individuals with permanent (not temporary) medical conditions expected to last at least one year or result in death.
- SDI ends after 52 weeks, which matches the one-year requirement exactly
- SEEC terminates after 39 weeks, leaving a 13-week overlap as SSDI begins payments after a six month (26 weeks) elimination period
Financial Assistance
Financial assistance programs for low-income families might keep you afloat after California SDI claim payments cease. Now that regular checks are no longer coming in; you might meet the eligibility criteria for other government benefits.
It could make sense to see if you qualify for any of these support programs. In these cases, a lack of income moves you to the front of the line.
- Apply for Housing vouchers to lower rent payments
- Apply for CalFresh (Food Stamps) to reduce grocery bills
- Apply for CalWORKS (TANF) for emergency cash aid
- Apply for Low Income Home Energy Assistance to cut utility bills
- Apply for Med-Cal to lower healthcare costs
CA State Disability Exhausted: Dead Ends
Many people immediately consider two enticing alternatives after California State Disability Insurance runs out. Unfortunately, these avenues offer little help if you remain unable to work beyond the cutoff.
You can receive benefits while under the care of a doctor who certifies that you cannot perform your regular and customary work – until you reach the endpoint of your program.
- State Disability Insurance (SDI): 52 Weeks
- Self-Employment Elective Coverage (SEEC): 39 Weeks
Collecting Unemployment
Collecting unemployment for medical reasons could be tough after California State Disability Insurance stops paying claims. Two nuances in the law make this avenue very challenging.
- You must be physically able to work to qualify for unemployment benefits. You do not meet the criteria if your medical condition continues beyond the contractual 39 or 52 week period.
- An employee’s poor health is not listed as a good cause reason to quit under the CA unemployment law. However, your spouse may qualify because he or she needed to resign to care for a seriously ill family member.
Long-Term
Applying for Long-Term Disability (LTD) benefits could be a dead-end after California State Disability Insurance expires. Many LTD plans make claim payments to age 65 while replacing up to 70% of income. However, you must have coverage already in force, and the elimination period might affect your payout amount.
You must buy a long-term policy before becoming sick or suffering a crippling injury – otherwise, the insurance company will deny any claims. The state does not provide a program covering permanent medical conditions, and a private company will not sell a new policy to someone unable to work.
The elimination period (if you have coverage) describes how many days you must be out of work before the long-term disability policy begins making claim payments. Most LTD plans will integrate benefits with SDI and SEEC until it ends. The integration (or offset) discourages malingering by capping total income replacement at 70% of prior earnings.
| 90 Days | Offset 275 Days | Offset 183 Days |
| 180 Days | Offset 185 Days | Offset 3 Days |
| 1 Year | Wait 92 Days | |
| 2 Years | Wait 1 Year | Wait 457 Days |