How do I check if I qualify for NY unemployment tax refund?

If you received unemployment in 2020 and your income was under $150,000, the first $10,200 of unemployment benefits should be tax-free at the federal level. The IRS is supposed to be automatically calculating this and sending refunds. I got mine about 3 weeks ago - it just showed up in my account. You don't need to do anything if you already filed your taxes before the law changed. Just wait and the IRS will (hopefully) get to you eventually.

I had this same issue and couldnt get anyone on the phone for weeks! I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to a live agent at the tax dept. Totally worth it - talking to an agent got me my refund processed within a week versus waiting who knows how long. Check out their YouTube video too: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

The answer depends on when your benefits were from. If you're talking about benefits from 2020, there was a federal tax break (up to $10,200 was exempt from federal taxes), but NY State didn't adopt that exemption. If this is about 2021 benefits, then there was no special tax break at all - you'd owe full taxes on everything.

I FINALLY got my refund last week after waiting since JUNE. If you're eligible, you'll get it eventually, but the IRS is slow as molasses. You can check your transcript on the IRS website to see if they've processed an adjustment. Go to irs.gov and look for 'Get Transcript' - you need to create an account if you don't already have one.

Ok but has anyone acually gotten a refund in NY state specifically? I've heard mixed things about whether NY is giving any refund at all for unemployment taxes.

Here's the full breakdown on the unemployment tax refund situation: Federal level: The American Rescue Plan made the first $10,200 of unemployment benefits tax-free for people with adjusted gross incomes below $150,000. This was ONLY for 2020 benefits, not 2021. If you filed your taxes before this law passed, the IRS is supposed to automatically recalculate and send you a refund if you qualify. New York State level: Unfortunately, NY did NOT conform to the federal change. This means you still owe NY state tax on ALL of your unemployment benefits, with no exemption. How to check your status: The best way is to access your federal tax transcript through irs.gov. Look for a code 971 (Notice Issued) followed by a code 846 (Refund Issued) with the amount. If you're still stuck trying to reach someone at the IRS or NY tax department, I highly recommend using claimyr.com - it's a service that waits on hold for you and calls you when a real person picks up. It's the only reason I was able to resolve my own tax issue after weeks of failed attempts to reach someone. Hope this helps!

Anyone else feel like NY unemployment is a complete dumpster fire? Been on UI since September and EVERY SINGLE THING has been a struggle. Now i gotta figure out these tax issues too 😫

U need to call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040. Ignore all the automated stuff and keep pressing options until you get a human. I did this and they told me my refund was being processed. Got it 2 weeks later.

If you used a tax prep service like H&R Block or TurboTax, you might want to check with them. Some are doing the recalculations for their customers and can tell you if youre getting a refund.

my bf got his unemployment tax refund automatically in July but I'm still waiting for mine... same situation, both filed in March. makes no sense how random the process is.

there's a specific tax line you need to call for unemployment tax questions: 1-800-919-9835. But beware, i was on hold for 3+ hours.

Keep in mind this only applies to 2020 unemployment benefits, not 2021. And only federal taxes, not NY state taxes. And only if your income was under $150,000. Lots of caveats.

I filed an amended return thinking I had to, and now I'm in limbo because the IRS says NOT to file amended returns for this. Don't make the same mistake I did!

i got my unemployment tax refund direct deposited on August 18. Was about $1,200. Never got any notice, it just appeared in my bank account with a weird description from the IRS. So keep an eye on your account!

dont even get me started on the ny unemployment website. trying to find ANY useful info there is like trying to find a needle in a haystack while blindfolded 🙄