Do I have to file unemployment benefits on my taxes - NYS Department of Labor payments
Got unemployment from NYS Department of Labor for about 6 months last year and now doing my taxes. Do I actually have to report this as income? I thought unemployment was supposed to help people, not create more tax problems. I made around $8,200 in UI benefits total. My friend said she didn't report hers but I'm worried about getting in trouble. Anyone know the real rules here?
11 comments


Dmitry Kuznetsov
Yes, unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor are considered taxable income by the IRS. You should have received a 1099-G form showing your total benefits for the year. If you didn't get one, you can download it from your my.ny.gov account. The good news is you can have taxes withheld from future benefits if you file again.
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Sofia Hernandez
•Ugh, I never got a 1099-G form. How do I get it from my.ny.gov? I can barely navigate that site when I was filing my weekly claims.
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Ava Thompson
same boat here, had to pay taxes on my UI benefits. it sucks but its the law. you can elect to have 10% withheld when you certify if you ever file again
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Miguel Ramos
Log into your my.ny.gov account and look for tax documents under the NYS Department of Labor section. The 1099-G will show your total benefits paid. If you can't find it there, call the tax information line. Don't skip reporting it - the IRS already has a copy of your 1099-G from the state.
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Sofia Hernandez
•Called NYS Department of Labor like 20 times and can never get through to anyone. Is there another way to get help with this?
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Zainab Ibrahim
I used Claimyr last year when I couldn't reach NYS Department of Labor about my 1099-G issues. They got me connected to an actual agent in like 10 minutes instead of waiting on hold forever. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me so much frustration during tax season.
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StarSailor
•Never heard of that service before. Does it actually work or is it just another scam? I'm desperate at this point but don't want to waste money.
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Zainab Ibrahim
•It's legit - they just help you get through to NYS Department of Labor faster. I was skeptical too but it worked for me when I needed to resolve a tax document issue.
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Connor O'Brien
Wait I'm confused - do I report the gross amount or just what I actually received? Some weeks they took out child support so my actual deposit was less than the benefit amount.
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Dmitry Kuznetsov
•Report the gross amount shown on your 1099-G. Any deductions for child support, overpayments, or other withholdings don't change the taxable amount for IRS purposes.
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Yara Sabbagh
The whole system is ridiculous. You lose your job, get a tiny amount to survive on, then they tax you on it too. But yeah you have to report it or the IRS will come after you eventually.
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