How does unemployment payment work - NYS Department of Labor benefit calculation?
I just got approved for unemployment benefits and I'm trying to understand how the payment system actually works. My weekly benefit amount shows $420 but I'm confused about when I get paid and how much I'll actually receive. Do they take taxes out automatically? When do the payments hit my account after I file my weekly claim? I've been reading the NYS Department of Labor website but it's not super clear about the timing. Also, is the $420 gross or net? Any help would be appreciated!
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Dylan Wright
The $420 is your gross weekly benefit amount before taxes. NYS Department of Labor will withhold 10% federal tax and 3.5% state tax if you elect to have taxes taken out (which I recommend). So you'd actually receive around $362 per week. Payments usually hit your account 1-2 business days after you complete your weekly claim certification, assuming no issues with your claim.
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Fatima Al-Farsi
•Thank you! That makes sense. How do I elect to have the taxes taken out? I don't want to owe a huge tax bill next year.
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Sofia Torres
i think you can change the tax withholding in your my.ny.gov account under the unemployment section. definitely do it now rather than later, trust me on that one lol
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GalacticGuardian
To set up tax withholding, log into your my.ny.gov account and go to the unemployment services section. There should be an option to manage your benefit preferences where you can elect federal and state tax withholding. The timing depends on your payment method - direct deposit is faster than the debit card they send you. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims by Sunday night for that week's eligibility.
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Dmitry Smirnov
•Wait, I have to file every single week? Even if nothing changes with my job search status? This is so confusing...
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Dylan Wright
•Yes, you must file weekly claims every week to receive benefits, even if your situation hasn't changed. You'll need to report any work you did that week and confirm you're actively seeking work. Miss a week and you won't get paid for that week.
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Ava Rodriguez
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about your payments, I had good luck with a service called Claimyr at claimyr.com. They helped me get connected to an actual agent when I couldn't get through on my own. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.
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Miguel Diaz
•Interesting, never heard of that. Did they charge you anything for helping you get through?
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Zainab Ahmed
The whole system is ridiculous if you ask me. Why can't they just explain this stuff clearly on their website instead of making everyone guess? I've been dealing with NYS Department of Labor for months and still don't understand half of what they're doing.
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