There’s a lot to wade through if you’re suddenly out of work. What is unemployment compensation? Who is eligible? What’s the application process for benefits? How much compensation is offered to unemployed workers and how long will the benefits last? These are just a few of the questions that workers who have lost a job or had their hours reduced need answered.
And answers aren’t always easy to get. That’s mostly because the rules differ a bit from state to state. It can also be a challenge to get one-on-one, real-time advice.
What Is Unemployment Insurance?
Unemployment benefits assist those who are involuntarily unemployed and meet specific eligibility requirements.
Those benefits come from unemployment insurance programs that are run as partnerships between federal and state governments. Each state and territory is allowed to set the criteria for its unemployment program, but they all do so using federal guidelines, and the U.S. Department of Labor oversees the Federal-State Unemployment Insurance Program.
Unemployment insurance is financed by taxes paid by employers and remitted to the federal trust fund, where it’s divided into three buckets:
• Individual states’ accounts for covering normal unemployment insurance benefits.
• A fund to make loans to states that deplete their own reserves.
• A program that covers half of the extended unemployment benefits made available when states go through long periods of high unemployment. (The states are expected to cover the other half of those extended benefits.)
Determining Eligibility for Unemployment Benefits
Arguably the most essential thing to understand about unemployment benefits is that the money is set aside for those who have lost a job or had their hours cut through no fault of their own. Those who quit a job or are fired for cause may not be eligible for compensation.
The unemployed person also must meet state standards for the amount of wages earned or the amount of time worked during a certain period — known as the “base period” — which for most states is the earliest four of the last five complete quarters of the calendar year. Under traditional circumstances, most states also require those receiving compensation to keep looking for employment — and a state may ask for regular updates on the job search.
Part-time workers may be eligible for benefits, depending on their state’s eligibility requirements. If a worker earned enough money, it may not matter that they were considered part time. While part-time workers and those who have had their hours cut may not receive full benefits, they could get partial payments. As such, it’s worth checking the state’s rules.
Workers who received a severance package (a lump sum or installments) should check out their state’s rules for receiving unemployment.
Unemployment Insurance Amounts Vary
Generally, benefits are based on a percentage of a worker’s weekly earnings, but the amount — and how it’s determined — varies from state to state.
Many states offer calculators for those who want to know what their benefits will be. State-by-state benefits information and calculators are also available at CareerOneStop.org , which is sponsored by the US Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration, or at FileUnemployment.org .
How Long Do Benefits Last?
In most states, benefits usually end after 26 weeks, but there are exceptions. Some states provide a little more time, others a little less, and some base their cap on their current unemployment rates.
Be Prepared Before Starting the Application Process
Most states and territories ask applicants to file for benefits online or by phone, and the state websites will take applicants through the various necessary steps to claim their benefits.
To save time and frustration, applicants may want to gather information and documents they’ll need before logging on, including:
• Pen and paper to jot down notes, including password and confirmation information
• Social Security number
• Driver’s license or state ID card number
• If applicable, an Alien Registration Number
• Cell and/or landline contact numbers and full mailing address
• Employer Registration number or Federal Employer Identification Number for the most recent employer (available on the W-2 form)
• Names and addresses for all employers for the past two years
• For active or ex-service members claiming based on military service, a copy of the most recent separation form DD214
• Bank account routing and account numbers (for states that offer direct deposit)
Some states’ websites can get inundated with claims, so applicants may have to be patient about getting online. And it’s probably a good idea to set aside at least an hour — with limited distractions — to file.
Waiting for the First Payment
Once an applicant files a claim, the state’s unemployment agency will review it and gather more information if necessary. That means the agency may interview the applicant to ask questions and/or contact that person’s last employer to ask about earnings and when employment ended.
If there aren’t any complications, an applicant may receive a check within a few weeks. The number of claims that currently need to be processed could affect how fast things move.
Some states also impose an unpaid waiting period, usually no longer than a week, before a person can receive benefits.
After filing, a claimant can access their account to check on the status of a claim, whether a payment has been made, and how many weeks of compensation are left once payments start.
Once applicants are approved, they still have to file for benefits weekly or biweekly. (That’s when, depending on the state, they may be expected to prove they’ve been actively seeking employment or that they’re still eligible for benefits.)
Unemployment Compensation and Taxes
The federal government taxes unemployment benefits as though they’re ordinary wages. Some states also tax payments or a portion of those payments. Unemployment recipients can choose to have federal income tax withheld — at a flat rate of 10% — by filing a Voluntary Withholding Request (Form W-4V).
Taxpayers who don’t have federal taxes withheld may have to make estimated quarterly tax payments if they expect to owe $1,000 or more in taxes for the year. The IRS can charge a penalty for failing to pay these quarterly taxes.
Additional Steps To Take
Some jobs may come back in weeks or months, while others might be lost forever. And even those workers who keep their jobs or find new ones may be left reeling as the economy struggles. There are a few steps that all Americans — employed or not — may consider taking to help themselves through an economic crisis.
Making a Budget
Budgeting is one way to stay on course during a financial upheaval. It can help with setting priorities and making sure important bills aren’t missed.
Getting Career Help
Career coaching and networking can help with a job search. It can also be useful when it comes to reassessing goals and perhaps even setting a new career path.
Getting Financial Advice
Losing a job can be a heart-breaking, confidence-killing, bank account-busting experience. But there’s help out there for those who need it, and a job loss may be the nudge needed to seek professional advice about saving and investing.
Ready for some good news? SoFi’s financial planners can offer professional assistance for people who are figuring out how to get those bills paid, how to get a new job — or a better one, and how to protect and grow their money as they move forward to reach their goals. And SoFi members can access that advice at no additional cost.
External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.
Third Party Trademarks: Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. (CFP Board) owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® (with plaque design), and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.
Tax Information: This article provides general background information only and is not intended to serve as legal or tax advice or as a substitute for legal counsel. You should consult your own attorney and/or tax advisor if you have a question requiring legal or tax advice.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform. Information related to lending products contained herein should not be construed as an offer to sell, solicitation to buy or a pre-qualification of any loan product offered by SoFi Lending Corp and/or its affiliates.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above, please visit https://www.sofi.com/legal/.
SOIN0323022
