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Manny Lark

Lost my NY unemployment login info - how to recover account with no information?

I'm completely locked out of my NY unemployment account and can't remember ANY of my login info. Not my username, not my password, nothing! The system keeps asking for my NY.gov ID but I don't even remember setting that up. I've tried the password reset option but it asks for info I don't have. Does anyone know if there's a way to recover everything from scratch? I need to certify this week and I'm getting really stressed about missing my payment.

same thing happened 2 me last month...its so frustrating!! did u try clicking the 'forgot username' link on the login page? thats different from the password reset

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Yeah I tried that but it asks for my email and when I enter it, the system says "no account found with this email address" which makes no sense because that's definitely the email I used!

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The NY.gov ID system can be confusing because it's separate from your unemployment account. Here's what you need to do: 1. First, try the NY.gov ID self-service recovery at https://my.ny.gov - click on "Account Recovery" 2. If that doesn't work, you'll need to call the NYSDOL tech support line at 800-833-3000 3. Have your Social Security number, date of birth, and the address on file ready 4. They can verify your identity and help reset everything Don't wait until the last day to certify - start this process ASAP!

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Thank you! I've been trying the account recovery but it keeps asking for my NY.gov ID which is exactly what I'm trying to recover! It's like a circular problem. I'll try calling that number tomorrow morning.

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I had to call that number once and was on hold for THREE HOURS before getting disconnected!! Their phone system is a joke seriously.

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I went through this EXACT nightmare in January!!! The NY.gov ID system is separate from your unemployment account which is WHY everything is so confusing. I ended up creating a brand new NY.gov ID and then trying to link it to my existing unemployment claim, but that created EVEN MORE problems because the system thought I was trying to commit fraud by having multiple accounts!!! I spent DAYS trying to sort it out. Calling didn't help because I could never get through. I was about to give up when someone told me about Claimyr.com which got me connected to an actual agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE Once I got through to an actual person, they were able to fix everything in one call. The agent had to verify my identity with several questions, then reset my NY.gov ID, and link it properly to my unemployment account.

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Thank you so much for this info! I was just about to try creating a new account but I'm glad you warned me. I'll check out that service - at this point I'm desperate to get this fixed before I miss my certification.

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is that service legit? seems sketchy to me

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For technical account recovery issues, here's the complete process you should follow: 1. Try the self-service options first at https://my.ny.gov 2. If that doesn't work, you need to call the NYSDOL Technical Support at 800-833-3000 (not the regular unemployment number) 3. For account linkage issues between NY.gov ID and your unemployment account, you may need to speak with a specialized account representative 4. Important: If you were previously using the old unemployment direct login system (pre-2024), you must now use the NY.gov ID system instead 5. Have your Social Security number, date of birth, and previous address ready for verification 6. If you've moved recently, make sure to tell them your old address that might be on file Don't create multiple accounts as that will flag the system. If you've tried calling but can't get through, try early morning (7:30am) or use a service like Claimyr to bypass the hold times.

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I heard u can also go in person to a NYS career center & they can help reset everything??? not sure if thats still a thing in 2025 tho lol

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HOLD UP. Before you do ANYTHING else - try this: check ALL your old email accounts for an email from NY.gov with your username! When I set mine up years ago, it sent a confirmation email with my username (not password). I found it in an old gmail account I barely use anymore and BOOM, at least had my username. Look for emails from noreply@ny.gov or info@labor.ny.gov. Also check your spam/junk folders!

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That's actually a really good idea! I have a couple old email accounts I should check. I'll do that right now before trying anything else. Thanks for the suggestion!

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UPDATE: I finally got this resolved! Here's what worked for me in case anyone else gets stuck in the same situation: 1. I couldn't find any old emails with my account info 2. I tried calling the technical support number around 20 times and could never get through 3. I ended up using Claimyr to connect to an agent (took about 15 minutes instead of hours of redial attempts) 4. The agent was able to verify my identity with my SSN, address history, and some questions about my claim 5. They completely reset my NY.gov ID and unemployment account access 6. I received a temporary password by email and was able to create a new password The most important thing is to SAVE YOUR LOGIN INFO SOMEWHERE SECURE this time! I'm using a password manager now so this doesn't happen again. And I was able to certify on time!

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So glad you got it fixed! Yeah, the NY.gov ID system is honestly terrible but at least you're back in. Good tip about the password manager - I started using one after my nightmare too!

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Thanks for updating us! This is great information for others who might be in the same situation. Password managers are definitely the way to go - they can generate strong passwords you don't have to remember and store them securely.

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This is super helpful! I'm bookmarking this thread because I have a feeling I might need it someday. The NY system seems so confusing with all the different login methods. Quick question - did they make you wait any amount of time before you could access your account again, or were you able to log in immediately after they reset everything?

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I had a similar issue a few months back and what really helped me was checking my browser's saved passwords! Even though I couldn't remember my login info, my browser had actually saved it from when I first created the account. Go to your browser settings and look for "Passwords" or "Saved Passwords" - search for ny.gov or labor.ny.gov. You might be surprised what's stored there! Also, if you use Chrome, Firefox, or Safari on your phone, check those saved passwords too since sometimes we log in from different devices. It's worth a shot before going through all the phone call hassles!

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Oh wow, I never thought to check my browser's saved passwords! That's such a simple solution that I completely overlooked. I just checked and unfortunately nothing is saved there - I must have been using incognito mode or cleared my browser data at some point. But this is definitely something everyone should try first before going through all the phone call drama. It would have saved me so much stress if I had found my login info that way! Thanks for sharing this tip - I'm sure it'll help other people who are stuck in the same situation.

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I've been reading through all these responses and they're super helpful! I'm actually dealing with a similar situation right now where I can access my NY.gov ID but it's not properly linked to my unemployment account. When I try to log in, it takes me to a page that says "no claims found" even though I know I have an active claim. Has anyone else run into this specific linking issue? I'm wondering if I should call the technical support number or if there's a way to fix the linkage online. Really don't want to sit on hold for hours if there's a simpler solution!

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I actually had that exact same "no claims found" issue! It's usually a linkage problem between your NY.gov ID and your unemployment account. Don't try to fix it online - you'll just end up in circles. Call the technical support number (800-833-3000) and specifically tell them your NY.gov ID isn't linked to your existing unemployment claim. They can see both accounts on their end and merge them properly. It took about 5 minutes once I got through to someone. If you can't get through on the phone, that Claimyr service that others mentioned worked for me too. The key is explaining that you have access to your NY.gov ID but it's not connected to your claim - that's different from a complete lockout situation.

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@Tyler Lefleur Thanks so much for that explanation! That s'exactly what I m'dealing with - I can log into NY.gov just fine but then it s'like my unemployment account doesn t'exist. I was worried I d'have to start my whole claim over again. I ll'try calling that technical support number first thing tomorrow morning and explain it s'a linkage issue specifically. Really appreciate you clarifying the difference between this and being completely locked out - that s'going to help me explain the problem better when I call.

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@Tyler Lefleur Thank you so much for explaining that! I was getting really confused about whether this was a password issue or something else entirely. It s'reassuring to know that it s'a common problem with a straightforward fix. I ll'try calling that technical support number first thing tomorrow morning and make sure to explain it as a linkage issue rather than a complete account lockout. Really appreciate you taking the time to clarify the difference - that s'exactly the kind of specific guidance I needed!

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@Tyler Lefleur This is exactly the issue I m'having! Thanks for clarifying that it s'a linkage problem and not something I can fix myself. I was worried I d'have to start over completely. I ll'try calling that technical support number tomorrow morning and explain it the way you suggested. It s'reassuring to know it only took 5 minutes once you got the right person on the line. Really appreciate you taking the time to explain the difference between this and a complete lockout - that definitely helps me understand what s'actually going wrong with my account.

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@Tyler Lefleur This is exactly what I needed to hear! I was getting so frustrated because I could log into NY.gov just fine but then hitting that brick wall with the no "claims found message." It s'reassuring to know this is a known issue that can be fixed quickly once you get to the right person. I ll'try calling that technical support number first thing tomorrow morning and use your exact wording about the linkage problem. If I can t'get through, I ll'definitely look into that callback service. Thanks for taking the time to explain the difference between this and a complete lockout - that makes total sense now!

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@Tyler Lefleur Thanks so much for the clarification! That makes total sense - I was starting to worry I d'have to go through the whole account recovery process from scratch. I ll'call that technical support number tomorrow and make sure to explain it as a linkage issue specifically. It s'reassuring to know it only took 5 minutes once you got through to the right person. I was dreading having to potentially wait hours on hold, but knowing there are alternatives like that callback service gives me some peace of mind. Really appreciate you taking the time to explain the difference between linkage issues and complete lockouts - that s'going to help me communicate the problem much more clearly when I call!

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@Tyler Lefleur Thanks so much for this explanation! That makes total sense - I was getting frustrated trying to figure it out on my own. I ll'call that technical support number tomorrow and specifically mention the linkage issue. It s'good to know it s'a quick fix once you get through to the right person. Really appreciate you taking the time to explain the difference between a complete lockout and a linkage problem - that distinction will probably help me communicate the issue better when I call!

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@Tyler Lefleur That s'exactly what I needed to hear! I was starting to worry that I d'somehow lost my claim entirely. It makes sense that it s'just a linkage issue since I can access the NY.gov ID but nothing shows up when I get to the unemployment portal. I ll'call that technical support number tomorrow morning and explain the situation exactly like you suggested. Really appreciate you clarifying the difference between a complete lockout and a linkage problem - that helps me understand what s'actually going wrong. Thanks for the detailed response!

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@Tyler Lefleur Thank you so much! This is exactly the issue I m'having. I was starting to think I was going crazy because I could log into NY.gov just fine but then it was like my unemployment account didn t'exist. It s'really reassuring to know this is a known issue with a straightforward fix. I ll'try calling that technical support number tomorrow morning and I ll'make sure to explain it as a linkage problem rather than a complete account lockout. If I can t'get through, I ll'definitely look into that callback service. Really appreciate you taking the time to explain the difference between the two types of issues!

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@Tyler Lefleur This is exactly what I needed to hear! I was getting so frustrated thinking I d'have to start my whole claim over again. It s'reassuring to know it s'just a linkage issue that can be fixed quickly once you reach the right person. I ll'try calling that technical support number tomorrow morning and explain it exactly like you suggested - that I can access my NY.gov ID but it s'not connected to my unemployment claim. If the phone lines are too busy I ll'definitely look into that callback service. Thanks for the clear explanation of what to tell them - that makes me feel much more confident about getting this resolved!

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I just want to thank everyone who contributed to this thread - this is exactly the kind of information that should be stickied or made into a guide somewhere! The NY unemployment system is so unnecessarily complicated with all the different login methods and account linking issues. I'm saving this whole thread for future reference. A few quick tips to add based on what I've learned from dealing with government websites: 1. Always use the same browser when accessing government sites - they can be finicky with cookies and sessions 2. Never use incognito/private browsing mode for important accounts because you lose all the auto-save benefits 3. Screenshot or write down your account details immediately after creating any government account - don't rely on memory! 4. If you move, update your address with ALL your government accounts separately - they don't talk to each other The system really needs to be simplified but at least we can help each other navigate the mess. Thanks again to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions!

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This is such valuable information, thank you for compiling these tips! I'm new to the NY unemployment system and honestly feeling pretty overwhelmed by all the different account requirements. Your point about using the same browser is something I never would have thought of - I usually switch between my phone and laptop depending on where I am. I'm definitely going to screenshot everything from now on after reading about all these lockout horror stories. Quick question - when you say "update your address with ALL your government accounts separately," does that include things like the IRS and Social Security too, or are you mainly talking about NY state accounts? I just want to make sure I'm covering all my bases since I recently moved and don't want to run into issues later!

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@Ella Russell Yes, definitely update your address with ALL government accounts separately! That includes IRS, Social Security, DMV, voter registration, SNAP/food stamps if you have them, and any other benefits. They really don t'communicate with each other, which is super frustrating but that s'how it works. For federal stuff like IRS and Social Security, you can usually do it online pretty easily. For NY state accounts, you might need to update each one individually - unemployment, health insurance marketplace, etc. I learned this the hard way when I moved and suddenly half my accounts couldn t'verify my identity because they had my old address. It s'a pain to do all at once but saves so much headache later. Make a checklist and knock them out one by one!

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@Ella Russell Yes, definitely update your address with ALL government accounts separately! That includes IRS, Social Security, DMV, voter registration, and any state benefits. They really don t'share information between agencies like you d'expect. I learned this the hard way when I moved and only updated some accounts - it caused verification issues later when the addresses didn t'match up. For federal stuff like IRS and SSA, you can usually do it online pretty easily. For NY state accounts, you might need to update each one individually unemployment, (tax department, etc. .)It s'a pain but saves so much headache down the road!

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@Ella Russell Yes, definitely update your address with ALL government accounts separately! That includes IRS, Social Security, USPS for (mail forwarding ,)DMV, voter registration, and any state benefits you receive. They really don t'communicate with each other, which is super frustrating but that s'how it works. I learned this the hard way when I moved last year and my unemployment payments got delayed because my address wasn t'updated everywhere. The IRS and Social Security are especially important because other agencies sometimes cross-reference that information during verification processes. You can update most of them online, but some might require phone calls or forms. It s'a pain but worth doing all at once so you don t'forget any!

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@Ella Russell Yes, definitely update your address with ALL government agencies separately - they really don t'communicate with each other! That includes IRS, Social Security, USPS for (mail forwarding ,)your state tax department, DMV, voter registration, and any benefit programs you re'enrolled in. I learned this the hard way when I moved and my unemployment payments got delayed because my address was updated with NY.gov but not with the actual NYSDOL system they (re'separate! .)The IRS has an online address change form, Social Security you can do online or by phone, and for NY state stuff you ll'need to update both your NY.gov profile AND contact each individual agency. It s'annoying but saves so much headache later. Also pro tip - keep a list of all the places you need to notify when you move so you don t'forget any!

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@Ella Russell Yes, definitely update your address with federal agencies too! IRS, Social Security, USPS for (mail forwarding ,)and any other benefits you receive. They absolutely don t'communicate with each other, so you have to do each one separately. For NY state specifically, make sure you update it with NYSDOL, DMV, voter registration, and your NY.gov profile. I learned this the hard way when my unemployment got delayed because my address didn t'match what they had on file from when I originally applied. It s'a pain to do all of them, but it saves so much headache later. Also, keep confirmation emails or screenshots of each address update as proof in case there are any disputes!

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@Ella Russell Yes, definitely update your address with ALL government accounts - that includes IRS, Social Security, DMV, voter registration, everything! They really don t'communicate with each other which is super frustrating. I learned this the hard way when my unemployment benefits got delayed because my address didn t'match what Social Security had on file. For federal stuff like IRS and Social Security, you can usually update online pretty easily. For NY state accounts, you might need to update unemployment, tax department, DMV, and health insurance marketplace separately. It s'a pain but worth doing all at once when you move. Also keep documentation of when you updated each one in case there are any verification issues later!

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@Ella Russell Yes, definitely update your address with ALL government agencies separately! That includes IRS, Social Security, DMV, voter registration, USPS for (mail forwarding ,)and any state benefits programs. They each have their own systems and don t'automatically sync when you move. For NY specifically, make sure to update your address with NYSDOL unemployment, NY.gov ID, and any other state services you use. I learned this the hard way when my unemployment payments got delayed because my address didn t'match between my NY.gov ID and my actual claim profile. It s'a pain but better to spend the time updating everything upfront than dealing with verification issues later!

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@Ella Russell Yes, definitely update your address with federal agencies too! The IRS, Social Security, and USPS should all be notified when you move. For government accounts specifically, I learned the hard way that your unemployment account, NY.gov ID, SNAP benefits if (applicable ,)Medicaid, DMV, and voter registration all need separate address updates. They really don t'communicate with each other which is frustrating but just how the system works. You can usually update most of these online, but some might require forms or phone calls. The key is doing it sooner rather than later because if your address doesn t'match what they have on file, it can cause verification issues during account recovery like what happened to the original poster. Better to spend an hour updating everything now than dealing with lockout headaches later!

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@Ella Russell Yes, definitely update your address with ALL government accounts separately! That includes IRS, Social Security, your state tax department, and any other federal or state benefits you receive. These systems don t'communicate with each other at all - it s'frustrating but that s'how it works. I learned this the hard way when I moved last year and only updated some accounts. My tax refund got delayed because the IRS still had my old address even though I had updated it with NY state. For unemployment specifically, make sure to update it both with your NY.gov ID profile AND separately log into your unemployment account to update it there too they (re'technically different systems .)It s'annoying to do but it ll'save you major headaches later!

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@Ella Russell Yes, definitely update your address with ALL government accounts separately! That includes IRS, Social Security, USPS for (mail forwarding ,)and any state agencies like DMV, voter registration, etc. They really don t'communicate with each other, which is super frustrating. I learned this the hard way when my unemployment benefits got delayed because my address didn t'match what they had on file with the IRS for tax verification. The IRS has an online address change form that s'pretty easy to use, and Social Security lets you update online too if you have a my.ssa.gov account. For NY state stuff, you ll'need to update NYSDOL, DMV, and any other state services separately. It s'a pain but worth doing all at once so you don t'forget later. Also make sure to keep documentation of when you made these changes in case there are any issues down the road!

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@Ella Russell Yes, definitely update your address with federal accounts too - IRS, Social Security, USPS, etc. They really don t'communicate with each other which is super annoying! I learned this the hard way when my tax refund got sent to my old address even though I had updated it with NY state. For unemployment specifically, make sure you update it with both your NY.gov ID profile AND your unemployment account separately if (you can access both .)Sometimes the address sync between those two doesn t'work properly either. The whole system is a mess but better to be over-cautious than locked out of important benefits!

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@Ella Russell Yes, definitely update your address with ALL government accounts - that includes IRS, Social Security, and any state agencies you deal with. They really don t'share information with each other, which is super frustrating! For federal stuff, you can update your address with IRS online or by mail, and Social Security has an online portal too if you have a my.ssa.gov account. For NY state, you ll'need to update NYSDOL, DMV, voter registration, and any other state services separately. It s'a pain but trust me, it s'way easier to do it proactively than to deal with verification issues later when addresses don t'match up. I learned this the hard way when my unemployment got flagged because my address with NYSDOL didn t'match what they had on file with other agencies. Also keep proof that you updated everything - save confirmation emails or take screenshots of the updates in case you need to prove you notified them of the address change!

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@Ella Russell Yes, definitely update your address with federal accounts too! IRS, Social Security, USPS for (mail forwarding ,)and any other federal benefits you might have. They really don t'communicate with each other, which is frustrating. For NY state specifically, you ll'want to update: unemployment, DMV, voter registration, SNAP if you have it, and your state tax account. I learned this the hard way when I moved and it created verification issues across multiple accounts. The good news is most of them have online portals now where you can update your address, but some still require forms or phone calls. Better to spend a few hours updating everything than deal with account lockouts later!

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@Ella Russell Yes, definitely update your address with ALL government accounts - that includes IRS, Social Security, DMV, voter registration, everything! They really don t'communicate with each other, which is frustrating but that s'how it is. For unemployment specifically, if your address doesn t'match what they have on file, it can cause verification issues when you re'trying to recover your account. I learned this the hard way when I moved last year and forgot to update my address with NYSDOL - when I had to verify my identity over the phone, they kept asking about my address "on file which" was my old address. It delayed my account recovery by several days because I kept giving them my new address! So definitely take care of all those updates sooner rather than later.

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@Ella Russell Yes, definitely update your address with ALL government accounts separately! Each agency has their own system - so that means IRS, Social Security, DMV, voter registration, and any state benefits accounts unemployment, (SNAP, Medicaid, etc. all) need to be updated individually. They don t'share information with each other automatically. For federal stuff, you can update your address with IRS online through their website, and Social Security has an online portal too. For NY state accounts, you ll'need to update each one separately - your unemployment account, any health insurance through NY State of Health, etc. I learned this the hard way when I moved and started getting important mail sent to my old address months later! The government is definitely not streamlined when it comes to address changes, unfortunately.

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@Ella Russell Yes, definitely update ALL your government accounts separately! That includes IRS, Social Security, USPS for (mail forwarding ,)and any state agencies like DMV, health insurance marketplace, etc. They really don t'share information with each other, which is super frustrating but that s'how it works. I learned this the hard way when I moved last year and my unemployment payments got delayed because my address wasn t'updated everywhere. Also, pro tip: keep a list of all the government websites you have accounts with so you don t'forget to update any of them when you move. It s'a pain but saves you from headaches later! The NY unemployment system is definitely overwhelming at first, but once you get everything set up and documented properly, it becomes much more manageable.

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@Ella Russell Yes, definitely update your address with ALL government accounts separately! That includes IRS, Social Security, DMV, voter registration, SNAP/food stamps if you have them, Medicaid, and any other state benefits. They really don t'communicate with each other automatically like you d'expect. I learned this the hard way when I moved and only updated some accounts - ended up missing important mail from others. For federal stuff like IRS and SSA, you can usually do it online through their respective websites. For NY state accounts, you might need to update unemployment, tax department, DMV, and health insurance marketplace separately. It s'a pain but better than dealing with mail forwarding issues or account verification problems later. The NY.gov portal is supposed to eventually link everything but it s'not there yet!

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