NY unemployment benefit amount shows 'net $384' - are taxes being deducted automatically?

Yes, that 'net' amount means taxes are already being withheld. NY unemployment gives you the option to have 10% federal tax withheld automatically (there's no state tax on UI benefits). Since your amount is showing as 'net' on your monetary determination, you checked that box on your application. Your gross amount is probably around $427 before the 10% withholding. This actually saves you from owing a big tax bill next year. Many people don't realize unemployment benefits are taxable income.

I spent FOUR DAYS trying to get through to someone at NYSDOL about this exact same question last month. Finally gave up and used Claimyr to connect with them (claimyr.com). They got me through in about 20 minutes. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE Agent confirmed that 'net' means after tax withholding. You can actually change your tax withholding preference by logging into your account and going to payment options. In case you want to get the full amount now and just handle taxes yourself later.

net means after taxes duh

The monetary determination letter is confusing! The system automatically deducts 10% for federal taxes if you opted for it (it's actually a smart choice). Just be aware that your 1099-G form next January will show the FULL amount before tax withholding, and you'll need to report the withheld amount on your tax return. Also, double-check your base period wage calculations on that determination letter. I found mistakes in mine where they missed one employer completely. If something seems wrong, you have 30 days to request a review.

My determination said $412 net but then when I got paid it was only $371!!! They took more out than what the paper said. When I finally got through to someone (took 3 weeks of calling) they said something about a different calculation for the first week? Anyone else have this happen?? The whole system is BROKEN and nobody can explain anything clearly!!

I get confused with all this stuff too. My letter had different amounts all over it and I couldn't tell what I was actually getting. Ended up being what it said under the 'Weekly Benefit Rate' section. Took me almost a month to finally understand my actual payment amount lol

my roommate had the same issue but he got $455 net so ur getting less than him. did u work full time before? might be why urs is lower

One more thing to be aware of - that $384 weekly amount stays fixed for your entire benefit year, even if you return to work and then need to claim again. However, when your benefit year ends, you'd need to apply again and they'd recalculate based on more recent wages. Also, remember to certify every week, even if there's a problem with your claim. Missing certifications can't be made up later unless you have a very good documented reason.

my letter said $427 but i get $384 every week. so ya they take taxes out

Has anyone noticed their payment amounts randomly changing? I was getting $402 for three weeks then suddenly it dropped to $362 with NO EXPLANATION! Called a million times, no answer. Checked my account, no messages. How are we supposed to budget when they just change things with no notice??

Just wanted to add that you can also check your payment history in your NY.gov account under "View and Maintain Account Information" to see the exact breakdown of your payments. It shows your gross amount, tax withholding, and net payment for each week. This helped me understand exactly what was being deducted and why. Also, if you ever need to change your tax withholding election, you can do it online in your account settings under "Payment Method and Tax Withholding." You don't have to call - I changed mine from no withholding to 10% withholding online and it took effect the next week.

I went through the same confusion when I first got my determination letter! The "net" amount definitely means after tax withholding. What helped me was logging into my NY.gov account and looking at the payment details section - it breaks down exactly what your gross benefit is versus what gets withheld. One thing to watch out for: if you have any child support obligations, they can also deduct from your unemployment benefits automatically. That would show up separately from the tax withholding. But if it's just showing the 10% federal tax withholding, then your $384 is what you'll actually receive each week. The paperwork really could be clearer about this stuff. Hope this helps with your budgeting!

Just wanted to share my experience since I went through this exact same confusion a few months ago! Yes, the "net $384" means they're already withholding the 10% federal taxes. I made the mistake of not selecting tax withholding on my initial application and ended up owing about $1,200 when I filed my taxes - definitely learned that lesson the hard way! If you want to double-check, you can log into your NY.gov unemployment account and look under "Payment Information" - it'll show you the gross amount (probably around $427 in your case) and then the net after the 10% federal withholding. Pro tip: Keep good records of all your unemployment payments because you'll need them for tax filing. The 1099-G they send in January can sometimes have errors, so having your own records helps verify everything is correct.

I had this exact same confusion when I first received my monetary determination! The "net $384" definitely means taxes are already being withheld. When I called NYSDOL (after many attempts), they confirmed that if you selected the 10% federal tax withholding option during your application, that amount is already deducted from what's shown as your "net" benefit. You can verify this by logging into your NY.gov account and checking the payment details - it should show both your gross weekly benefit amount (probably around $427) and the net amount after the 10% withholding. This way you'll know exactly what to expect each week for budgeting purposes. I'd recommend keeping the tax withholding since unemployment benefits are fully taxable income. Better to have it taken out now than face a big tax bill next April!

I went through this same confusion a few months back! The "net $384" on your monetary determination does mean they're already withholding the 10% federal taxes that you opted for when you applied. Your gross weekly benefit is probably around $427, and they automatically deduct about $43 for federal taxes, leaving you with the $384 net amount. What really helped me understand this was logging into my NY.gov unemployment account and looking at the "Payment History" section - it breaks down each payment showing gross amount, federal tax withheld, and net payment received. This way you can see exactly where your money is going. One thing that caught me off guard was that when tax season came around, my 1099-G showed the FULL gross amount of benefits received, not the net amount. So make sure to save documentation showing the taxes that were withheld throughout the year - you'll need that info when filing your return. The $384 is exactly what you should budget for each week. Having the taxes taken out automatically is honestly the smart choice - saves you from a potentially large tax bill next April since unemployment benefits are fully taxable at the federal level.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact same situation last year! Yes, the "net $384" on your monetary determination means they're already taking out the 10% federal tax withholding that you elected when you applied. Your gross benefit is probably around $427 before taxes. I found it helpful to set up direct deposit if you haven't already - you can do this in your NY.gov account under payment settings. This way you'll get your $384 deposited automatically each week after you certify, no waiting for checks in the mail. Also, just a heads up - make sure you're certifying for benefits every Sunday night or Monday morning. The system opens at 6 AM on Sunday and you have until the following Saturday to certify for that week. Missing your certification window can delay payments, and you can't go back and certify for missed weeks later. Good luck with everything! The system definitely isn't user-friendly but once you get the hang of the routine it becomes more manageable.

I had this exact same confusion when I first got my monetary determination letter! The "net $384" definitely means they're already withholding the 10% federal taxes you opted for during your application. Your gross weekly benefit amount is likely around $427, with approximately $43 being withheld for federal taxes. What really helped me understand this was logging into my NY.gov account and going to "View Payment History" - it shows a clear breakdown of each payment with gross amount, tax withholding, and your net payment. This way you can see exactly where every dollar goes. One important thing to remember: when you get your 1099-G tax form next January, it will show the GROSS amount of all benefits paid (not the net), so make sure to keep records of how much tax was withheld throughout the year. You'll need those numbers when filing your tax return. The $384 is what you should budget for each week - it's smart that you chose the tax withholding option since unemployment benefits are fully taxable income. Much better to have it taken out now than face a big surprise bill next April!

I went through the exact same confusion with my monetary determination letter! That "net $384" definitely means they're already withholding the 10% federal taxes you selected during your application. Your gross benefit is probably around $427 before the tax deduction. What really cleared things up for me was logging into my NY.gov unemployment account and checking the payment details section - it shows the breakdown of gross amount, federal tax withheld, and your actual net payment. This way you can see exactly what's happening with your money each week. The $384 is what you should budget for - that's your take-home amount after taxes. You made the right choice with the automatic withholding since unemployment benefits are fully taxable. I learned this the hard way when a friend didn't opt for withholding and ended up owing over $1,000 at tax time! Also, keep good records of your payments because when you get your 1099-G next January, it'll show the gross amount (not net), and you'll need to account for the taxes that were already withheld throughout the year.