What bank does unemployment use for Texas TWC payments?

So the card just shows up in the mail without me doing anything? I didn't get any kind of confirmation that it was coming. How do I know if my payment actually processed yet?

Check UBS or call Tele-Serv at 800-558-8321 to see your payment status. TWC updates everything overnight, so checking once a day is enough. Once a payment shows as processed, the card should be on its way.

The ReliaCard took about 8 days to reach me after my first payment. Just make sure your mailing address in UBS is correct or it'll go to the wrong place.

That's exactly what I needed to know, thank you. So I can set up direct deposit later if the card is too slow for this month?

Spent two hours trying to reach TWC about a similar question and kept getting disconnected. Might give that a shot to get through to someone.

Setting up direct deposit through UBS is pretty easy once you're logged in. Look under payment options and you'll put in your routing and account numbers. Changes usually take effect within a couple of days.

Wait, payment request? I thought you just submitted your weekly claims and the money came automatically. Am I supposed to be doing something every two weeks?

You have to actively request payment - TWC doesn't send it automatically. You do it online in UBS or by calling Tele-Serv, and you have a window from Sunday through Wednesday each payment period. If you miss that window you can still file Thursday through Saturday but try not to make a habit of it.

Nobody told me this when I applied, I might have missed a payment request already. Going to log in right now and check.

The same thing tripped me up when I first filed. I kept waiting for money and nothing came because I didn't know I had to request it. Check UBS immediately.

My card took the full 10 days and I was going crazy. But you're right that after the first one it's smooth - my payment requests process and money shows up two days later like clockwork.

10 days is going to be a problem for me with rent due. I'm going to try to set up direct deposit instead. Is there a minimum I need in my bank account for them to verify it or anything like that?

No minimum or verification deposit needed. You just enter your routing number and account number in UBS. Some banks take a day or two to show the deposit but there's no verification step on TWC's end.

Logging into UBS right now to try to find this. Is it under account settings or somewhere in the benefits section?

In UBS it's in the payment options area - look for something related to how you want to receive benefits. It's not buried too deep, you should find it within a couple of clicks from the main menu.

Direct deposit was the best decision I made when I filed. Set it up on day one and never had to worry about a card in the mail.

How long did it take to get your payment after the bounce? That sounds like a nightmare when you need the money.

It was about a week before it got straightened out. TWC had to reissue the payment and I had to verify the corrected account info. Really frustrating but eventually got resolved.

Oof, noted. I'll be very careful entering the numbers. Thanks for the warning.

Banks sometimes have different routing numbers for direct deposit versus checks, worth double checking which one to use with your specific bank.

Are there fees for using the ReliaCard at regular stores when you buy stuff? Or just at ATMs?

Point of sale purchases are free, it's just ATM withdrawals at out-of-network ATMs that have fees. Using it like a debit card at a store is totally fine.

U.S. Bank has quite a few ATMs in Texas. The ReliaCard also lets you do cash back at grocery stores which is handy if there's no U.S. Bank near you.

I did my payment request the day after I applied and I'm worried I did it too early. Does it matter if I submit before TWC has decided on my claim?

You're supposed to submit payment requests even before a decision comes through - TWC says to do it about one to two weeks after applying and then keep going every two weeks on schedule. They figure out eligibility on the back end and pay approved weeks. Doing it early is better than missing the window.

That's right, keep requesting on schedule regardless of where your claim stands in the process. Waiting for a decision before requesting payment is a common mistake and you can't go back and get missed weeks paid.

The mailed instructions are actually important - there's a specific date in there for when to make your first payment request. A lot of people overlook that letter and then wonder why their timeline is off.

Those mailed letters from TWC are easy to miss if you're not watching for them. Especially if you're used to everything being digital now.

Agreed, and by the time the letter arrives people have often already missed the ideal window. The whole thing could be explained so much more clearly upfront.

Didn't even know child support could come out of unemployment payments. Glad your cousin got that sorted.

Up to 50 percent for child support is a lot when your weekly amount is already not that much. At least there's a cap on it.

So I'm not getting paid for the first week I was unemployed at all? That seems really unfair.

You do eventually get paid for it, it's just held in reserve. If you go back to work, you have to request it specifically through UBS or by calling Tele-Serv, TWC won't just release it automatically. If you're never going back and exhaust your benefits instead, it gets paid then.

That's so confusing. So I need to remember to request it separately when I get a job? How would I even know to do that?

In UBS there's an option to request your waiting week payment when you've met both conditions - both receiving at least twice your weekly amount AND returning to full-time work. It's under the payment options area. Easy to miss but it's there.

Didn't know you could transfer from the ReliaCard to a personal account. That's actually useful if you forgot to set up direct deposit before the first payment came in.

Yeah it's a handy option. There might be a transfer limit or processing time involved but it's doable. Check the ReliaCard terms for specifics.

Can you appeal an overpayment if you think it was calculated wrong? Or are you just stuck paying it back?

You can appeal an overpayment determination but only within 14 days of the date it was mailed. After that window closes you're on the hook for the amount. TWC can't just forgive or waive overpayments even if they're not your fault, it has to be repaid.

14 days is a really short window. I hope people are watching their mail closely.

How did you know your claim was in adjudication? Mine just says pending and I don't know what that means exactly.

Adjudication just means they're looking into something about your claim - it could be your job separation, your income, any number of things. If your status says pending it might mean something similar. Keep doing your payment requests on schedule no matter what the status says.

Pending and adjudication are kind of the same ballpark - both mean TWC is still reviewing something. The important thing is to keep those payment requests going and not stop because of the status showing something uncertain.

I haven't been keeping a work search log at all. Is that going to be a problem?

TWC can ask for it at any time and you need to have it ready. Start keeping track now - date, company, position, how you applied. It doesn't have to be fancy but it needs to exist.

Even a simple spreadsheet works. Record every application, every job board search that leads to a contact, every networking reach out that could count as an activity. Better to have too much documented than not enough.

For people who are unbanked or don't have a checking account the ReliaCard is actually a decent solution since it works like a Visa everywhere.

Good point, the ReliaCard doesn't require a bank account at all. For anyone without a traditional account it might actually be the easier option long term.

You can also use the ReliaCard to pay bills online or set up automatic payments, so it functions well as a primary payment method if needed.

Wait, I have to pay taxes on unemployment? I didn't realize that. Definitely setting up withholding then.

A lot of people get surprised by that at tax time. The 10 percent withholding option saves you from an unexpected bill in April. You can find the withholding option in UBS under your account settings.

Learned this the hard way my first time collecting. Got a 1099-G in January and owed a chunk at tax time. The 10 percent withholding isn't always enough depending on your situation but it's better than nothing.

The ReliaCard is a prepaid debit card, not a savings or checking account with interest. Your neighbor is mistaken on that one. It's just a convenient way to access the funds TWC deposits, there's no interest component.

That's what I figured. Thanks for clearing it up. My neighbor was also convinced you couldn't switch to direct deposit which I see is also wrong based on this whole thread.

How do you update your address in UBS? I moved recently and I'm not sure if mine is current.

Log into UBS and look for account or profile settings, there should be a contact information section where you can update your address. Do it as soon as possible so you don't miss any mail from TWC.

Updating your address in UBS is important for more than just the card - TWC mails determination letters, overpayment notices, all sorts of things. If your address is wrong you could miss something with a 14-day response window and not know until it's too late.