NY unemployment tax refund delay since March with tiny $57 adjustment - normal?

Unfortunately, this is pretty typical for 2025 from what I've seen. NYS has been making adjustments to unemployment-related tax returns due to some calculation changes they implemented in February. The small adjustment ($57) likely means they found a slight discrepancy in how your unemployment benefits were taxed. The March-to-July timeframe is frustratingly normal this year - I had a similar wait for a $43 adjustment. At least you're getting something back instead of owing more!

Thanks for the info. It's just so frustrating that they don't explain what the adjustment is for! Did your letter give any details about why you got the $43?

same thing happend to me!! waited 5 months for $82 lol. the system is a joke tbh

Glad I'm not alone but sorry you went through it too. Did you ever figure out why they made the adjustment?

The adjustment is likely related to the NY-UBT-2 unemployment benefit tax recalculation. This happens when there's a discrepancy between what was reported on your tax forms and what the NYSDOL reported to the tax department. The $57 suggests a small difference in calculated taxable benefits - about $380-400 in benefits if using the standard 15% withholding rate.\n\nThe delay since March is unfortunately common this year. The tax department is prioritizing by filing date and refund amount, with smaller adjustments processed later. Some patience is needed, but if it's been over 120 days specifically, you should contact them directly to verify nothing else is holding up your refund.

Thank you for the detailed explanation! That makes a lot more sense now. It has been just over 120 days actually. Do you know the best way to contact them? I've tried calling the general number before and it's impossible to get through to anyone.

I was in the EXACT same boat! Waited from February to June for a $63 adjustment. Tried calling the tax department TWENTY times and couldn't get through. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with an agent - they got me through to someone in about 20 minutes when I'd been trying for weeks. The agent explained that my adjustment was due to a discrepancy between what my employer reported and what I reported on unemployment earnings. You can see how it works in their demo: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE - totally worth it just to get an actual explanation!

Thanks for the suggestion! I've been so frustrated trying to get through on the phone. Did the agent actually explain what caused the discrepancy in your case?

Yes! That was the whole point of calling. The agent explained that I had reported all my weeks of unemployment correctly, but there was a system glitch where one week of benefits ($420) wasn't properly recorded in their tax calculation system. So they had to manually adjust my taxable income, which resulted in the $63 refund. It was actually really helpful to understand what happened instead of just getting a check with no explanation.

wait ur getting a REFUND?? i got a letter saying i OWE them $342 because of unemployment tax adjustments!!!! this is such BS, i reported everything correctly!!! 😡😡😡

That's a completely different situation. If you received a bill for $342, it likely means they found unreported income or benefits you didn't pay taxes on. You should definitely appeal that with documentation showing you reported everything correctly. Don't ignore it - the penalties add up fast.

Everyone keeps talking about tax adjustments but nobody's addressing the REAL issue here - WHY DOES IT TAKE 4+ MONTHS???? This is our money they're holding onto. If we were late paying them, we'd get penalties and interest. But they can just sit on our refunds for months and months with zero consequences. The whole system is designed to work against us regular people while they get to use our money interest-free.\n\nAnd don't get me started on trying to call them. The phone system is DELIBERATELY broken to prevent you from getting help. I'm convinced of it.

I definitely agree that the timeframe is ridiculous. And it's so frustrating that there's no easy way to check the status or get updates.

Actually, NY state does pay interest on refunds delayed more than 45 days from the filing deadline (or the date you filed, if later). The interest rate is currently 6% annually. Check your adjustment notice - there should be an interest amount included if your refund was truly delayed since March.

my brother had something similar happen but he got back like $200. i think its just random how much they give you lol

It's not random at all. The adjustment amount is based on the specific tax situation for each individual. Your brother likely had more unreported or incorrectly reported unemployment income than the original poster, resulting in a larger tax adjustment.

just be happy u got something back! i waited 6 months last year and got NOTHING except a letter saying \

For anyone else dealing with this issue, I've learned that the NY Tax Department has a special unit handling unemployment tax adjustments this year. You can't reach them through the regular tax helpline - you need to specifically request the

That's super helpful info - thank you! Did you just ask to be transferred to that unit when you finally got through?

I had to wait for my tax return from last year too, but I didn't get any extra money. Just got exactly what I was expecting. Took about 2.5 months though which was annoying. This whole unemployment system is such a mess, I'm just glad to be working again and not dealing with it anymore!

I'd recommend checking the NY Tax Department website and looking at your account there. They often post more detailed explanations in your online account than what they send in the letters. Look for a section called \

I didn't think of checking online! I'll do that right now. Hopefully there's more information there than what was in the letter.

Just checked and there is some additional info! Looks like they found a discrepancy between the unemployment income reported on my W-2G form versus what the department had on record. Mystery solved! Thanks for the suggestion!