Filed taxes before getting unemployment - need to amend?

Yes, you definitely need to amend! I just learned this the hard way after reading through the IRS website last night. Unemployment benefits are taxable income and you should have received a Form 1099-G showing how much you received and any tax withheld. I can't believe how complicated this gets - the IRS expects you to report ALL income even if you only got unemployment for a short time. You'll need to file Form 1040-X (Amended Return) to report the additional income. The deadline for filing is still April 15th so you need to move quickly!

I was in this exact situation last year! Got laid off in October, filed in February, then realized I forgot to include my unemployment. 😅 Don't panic though - it's really not as bad as it sounds. The 1099-G form should be available online through your state unemployment portal if you didn't get it in the mail yet. Just make sure you check if they withheld any taxes already - sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.

Have you checked if your unemployment income is significant enough to materially change your tax situation? I had a similar issue and found https://taxr.ai really helpful for analyzing my amended return before filing. It showed me exactly how the unemployment income would affect my refund (or if I'd owe more). You can upload your original return and the 1099-G, and it breaks down the difference. Saved me from stressing about whether I needed to amend for what turned out to be a very small amount. In your case with health issues, it might be worth knowing exactly what you're dealing with before adding the stress of amending.

I went through this last tax season! I had filed in January and then got my unemployment 1099-G in February. I was freaking out like you, but it turned out to be pretty simple compared to other tax situations I've dealt with. I filed the 1040-X form and included the unemployment income. It was actually easier than when I had to deal with that crypto mistake the year before. My amended return was processed in about 16 weeks and everything worked out fine. Thanks to everyone here who helped me figure it out last year!

If you need to speak with the IRS about this specific situation, I recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I had exactly 3 questions about amending for unemployment that weren't covered in the IRS instructions, and spent precisely 2 hours and 37 minutes on hold trying to reach someone. With Claimyr, I got connected to an IRS agent in 18 minutes. They confirmed I needed to report the $4,267 in unemployment benefits on Form 1040-X, line 1, column B, and include a copy of the 1099-G. The amended return processing time is currently averaging 16-20 weeks according to the agent I spoke with.

Word of caution from someone who ignored this last year: Don't wait too long to amend. I thought "they'll just adjust it automatically" but that's not how it works. The IRS eventually sent me a CP2000 notice (proposed tax change) about 8 months later with penalties and interest added to what I would have owed if I'd just amended promptly. The Underreporter Unit automatically matches 1099-G forms against tax returns, so they WILL catch this eventually. Better to be proactive and avoid the compliance issues that can affect your financial health during an already stressful time.