When does DUA end after Texas storms? Need to plan for my business recovery

DUA benefits typically last up to 26 weeks from the date the disaster was declared, not from when you applied. Check your determination letter for the exact end date for your case. I was in the same boat after last year's flooding - the end date should be clearly listed on your TWC account under 'Claim and Payment Status.' If you can't find it there, you really need to speak with a TWC agent directly. I tried calling for days but kept getting busy signals until I used Claimyr (claimyr.com). They got me connected to a TWC rep in about 20 minutes when I'd been trying for a week on my own. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh. The agent was able to tell me exactly when my benefits would end and what options I had afterward.

Thanks for the info. I'll check my determination letter when I get home tonight. I vaguely remember seeing something about 26 weeks but wasn't sure if that was guaranteed or could end earlier. Never heard of Claimyr before but might try it if I can't find my end date. Did the TWC rep tell you if there's any way to get an extension on DUA if my business isn't fully operational by then?

DUA benefits definitely have a fixed end date and unfortunately they don't offer extensions like regular unemployment sometimes does. The standard period is 26 weeks from the disaster declaration date, but it can sometimes be shorter depending on the specific disaster declaration terms. You should be focusing on two things right now: 1) Making sure you're submitting your payment requests correctly every two weeks with accurate work search information, and 2) Looking into SBA disaster loans if you haven't already - they can provide longer-term assistance for business recovery.

The SBA loans are WAY better than DUA if u can get approved. My cousin got one after Hurricane Harvey hit his shop and it had super low interest. DUA is just temporary but those loans give u years to rebuild properly

mine ended exactly 26 weeks after the governer declared the disaster not when i applied so check when your county was declared that's probably your end date

That makes sense. My county was declared in early March so I guess I'm looking at benefits ending around September? That's coming up faster than I thought. I need to hustle on getting more business lined up.

NOBODY at TWC ever explains this stuff clearly!! I was on DUA last year and they just STOPPED my payments with barely any warning. I got ONE letter two weeks before it ended saying

I had a completely different experience with TWC during the hurricane recovery. They sent me multiple notices about my DUA end date, and even provided information about other recovery resources. Make sure your contact information and correspondence preferences are updated in the system. They typically send notices both electronically and by mail about benefit exhaustion dates.

Just so you know, you need to keep doing your work search activities the entire time you're on DUA, even while rebuilding your business. TWC requires minimum 3 work search activities weekly. I'm not sure if working on rebuilding your own business counts toward those activities - you should definitely clarify that with TWC directly. If you haven't been recording work search activities, your benefits could be at risk before they naturally end.

I've been documenting all my rebuilding activities plus attempts to get new clients as my work search. A TWC rep told me when I first applied that for self-employed people, efforts to restart your business do count as work search activities. But I've been doing at least 5 activities each week just to be safe because I really can't afford to lose these benefits before I'm back on my feet.

OMG i was on DUA after the tornados hit last yr & nobody tells u but after DUA ends u MIGHT qualify for regular unemployment if u worked enough before starting ur business! wish someone told me that b4 my benefits stopped!

This is partially correct, but with important caveats. You can only qualify for regular UI after DUA if you had sufficient W-2 employment during your base period (typically 4-5 quarters before applying). Most self-employed individuals won't qualify unless they had traditional employment before their business. Additionally, you would need to be fully unemployed, not just rebuilding a business. It's always worth checking with TWC about your specific situation though.

Thanks everyone for the helpful info. I just checked my TWC account and found my determination letter - looks like my DUA runs until September 15th (exactly 26 weeks from when I applied). That gives me about 10 weeks to get my business back to at least partial capacity. Going to look into those SBA disaster loans too as a backup plan. Really appreciate all the advice!

Glad you found your end date! Just remember if anything changes with your income before September 15th, you need to report it on your payment requests. If you start making money from your business, even if it's not back to normal levels, you have to report it and TWC will adjust your benefit amount. A lot of people miss this part and end up with overpayment notices later.