Still waiting on my NY unemployment tax refund - already got regular tax return

I got mine! It took forever though. The IRS was supposed to automatically recalculate and send the additional refund for the unemployment tax break. They did it in waves and I was in like the last group. Didn't get mine until early September and I filed back in January. Check your tax transcript on the IRS website - that's where I first saw it was coming before it hit my account.

After spending WEEKS trying to call the IRS and getting absolutely nowhere, I finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual human at the IRS. Talking to an agent got my refund unlocked so fast! They handle the waiting on hold part and call you back when someone actually picks up. Best thing I ever did to finally get my money - it was the only way I could talk to a live agent. Check out this video that explains how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

You might not even be eligible for the unemployment tax refund. The exclusion was only for 2020 taxes (for unemployment received in 2020), not 2021. Lot of people are confused about this. If you collected unemployment in 2021, that money is fully taxable - no special exclusion. The $10,200 exclusion was only for unemployment collected in 2020 that was reported on 2020 tax returns.

The whole ny unemployment and tax situation is SO confusing. I waited 7 months for my unemployment tax refund last year and it came to like $1200. But yeah, that was for 2020 unemployment, not 2021. For 2021 unemployment, you have to pay the full taxes - no exclusion.

Here's what happened: The American Rescue Plan that passed in March 2021 made the first $10,200 of 2020 unemployment benefits tax-free. BUT this only applied to unemployment you received in 2020, not 2021. So if you're waiting for a special refund on your 2021 unemployment benefits, unfortunately it's not coming because that tax break expired. Only unemployment from 2020 qualified for the special treatment.

LOL why is dealing with the ny unemployment system ALWAYS a nightmare? Even when you're not collecting anymore, they find ways to confuse you. 😂 I spent 3 months thinking I was getting an extra refund last year before I figured out I wasn't eligible.

Your tax preparer gave you bad information. The unemployment tax exclusion of $10,200 was ONLY for unemployment benefits received in 2020, which would have been on your 2020 tax return (filed in 2021). There is NO exclusion for unemployment benefits received in 2021. All unemployment compensation received in 2021 is fully taxable on your 2021 return. If you want definitive answers, your best bet is to: 1. Call the IRS directly to confirm (though good luck getting through - their phone lines are jammed) 2. Check your tax transcript on the IRS website for any pending adjustments 3. Speak with a different tax professional for a second opinion If you're still struggling to reach someone, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me actually get through to the IRS after weeks of failed attempts. They call and wait on hold, then connect you when a real person answers. Talking to an agent directly is the only way to get a straight answer sometimes with these tax issues.

i have a simlar situation. filed in march, got my refund in april but my preparer also said i would get an extra unemployment refund. now im worried after reading these comments that it might not be coming. did anyone actually get an unemployment tax refund for 2021 benefits??

Last time I was confused about my tax return, I spent 3 DAYS trying to reach the IRS. Finally found claimyr.com and they got me through to an agent within a couple hours. The agent explained exactly what was going on with my return and fixed an issue that was holding up part of my refund. Highly recommend if you need actual answers instead of reddit guesses!

Who else is sick of the constant changes to the tax code?? 😫 One year unemployment is tax-free up to a certain amount, the next year it's fully taxable again. How are normal people supposed to keep track of this stuff??

Bad news: your tax preparer was wrong. That unemployment tax exclusion was only for 2020 unemployment benefits, not 2021. The American Rescue Plan that Biden signed in March 2021 only applied to the prior year's unemployment. All unemployment from 2021 is fully taxable. Your tax person should have known this!

Stop waiting and call them! After two months of waiting for answers about my refund, I finally used claimyr.com to get through to a real IRS agent - found out my return was missing a form and that's why it was delayed. Talking to a real person is the only way to get actual answers about your specific situation.