Can I collect unemployment and social security benefits at the same time in Washington?
I'm 63 and just got laid off from my warehouse job after 8 years. I've been collecting Social Security early retirement benefits for about 6 months now ($1,247/month). Can I still file for unemployment through Washington ESD while getting my Social Security? I heard conflicting things - some people say it's fine, others say one affects the other. Really need the extra income to cover my mortgage until I find something else. Has anyone been in this situation?
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Keisha Taylor
Yes, you can collect both in Washington state. I went through this exact situation last year at 64. Washington ESD doesn't reduce your unemployment benefits because you're getting Social Security, and Social Security doesn't count unemployment as earnings that would reduce your benefits. Just make sure you report your Social Security income when you file your initial claim.
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Yara Khoury
•That's a relief! Do I need to report the Social Security amount on my weekly claims too or just the initial application?
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Keisha Taylor
•Just on the initial application. Since Social Security is a fixed amount each month, you don't need to report it weekly unless the amount changes.
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StardustSeeker
You're good to go with both benefits. The key thing is that Social Security retirement benefits aren't considered 'wages' for unemployment purposes. Washington ESD treats them as unearned income, so they won't offset your weekly benefit amount. However, if you start working and earning wages, that's when you need to be careful about Social Security earnings limits.
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Yara Khoury
•What are the earnings limits you're talking about? I'm planning to look for part-time work while collecting unemployment.
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StardustSeeker
•For 2025, if you're under full retirement age, Social Security reduces benefits by $1 for every $2 you earn over $23,400 annually. But unemployment benefits don't count toward this limit - only actual wages from work.
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Paolo Marino
I tried calling Washington ESD about this same question but couldn't get through after hours of trying. Their phone system is impossible! Has anyone found a better way to reach them when you have specific questions?
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Amina Bah
•I had the same problem until I found Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents automatically. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me so much time and frustration.
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Paolo Marino
•Interesting, I'll check that out. Getting through to ESD is such a nightmare.
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Oliver Becker
wait i thought social security counted as income?? my friend said it would reduce my unemployment benefits. this is confusing
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Keisha Taylor
•Social Security retirement benefits are different from wages. Washington ESD doesn't reduce UI benefits for Social Security retirement income. Your friend might be thinking of other types of income or different state rules.
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Oliver Becker
•ok that makes sense. so many rules to keep track of!
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Natasha Petrova
Been collecting both for 3 months now with no issues. Make sure when you do your weekly claims that you answer 'no' to the question about receiving other benefits - Social Security retirement doesn't count as 'other benefits' in that context. It's asking about things like workers comp or disability benefits.
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Yara Khoury
•Thanks for the tip about the weekly claims. I was worried I'd mess something up on those questions.
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Javier Hernandez
•Wait, I've been answering yes to that question because I get Social Security. Should I call and correct this?
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Natasha Petrova
•You should probably clarify with ESD. The question is usually about benefits that would offset unemployment, not retirement income.
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Emma Davis
The system is so confusing. I'm 62 and considering early retirement but worried about the unemployment implications if I lose my job. Can you collect unemployment if you voluntarily retire?
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StardustSeeker
•No, if you voluntarily retire you're not eligible for unemployment benefits. You have to be involuntarily separated from work and able and available for work. Taking early Social Security retirement while still wanting to work doesn't disqualify you though.
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Emma Davis
•That makes sense. So as long as I'm still looking for work, getting Social Security early doesn't matter for unemployment eligibility.
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Yara Khoury
Update: I filed my unemployment claim yesterday and included my Social Security information. The system accepted it without any issues. Now I just need to wait for the adjudication process to complete. Fingers crossed!
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Keisha Taylor
•Great! The adjudication shouldn't take too long since your situation is pretty straightforward. Just keep doing your weekly claims.
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LunarLegend
•How long does adjudication usually take? I'm in a similar boat and just filed.
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Yara Khoury
•From what I've read, it can be anywhere from a few days to several weeks depending on their caseload. I'll update when mine goes through.
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Malik Jackson
This thread is super helpful! I'm 65 and was worried about this exact issue. Good to know Washington state handles it reasonably. Some states have weird rules about this stuff.
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StardustSeeker
•Yeah, Washington is pretty straightforward about it. Some states do have different rules, but here they keep Social Security retirement and unemployment separate.
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Isabella Oliveira
•My sister in another state had issues with this, so I was nervous. Thanks everyone for the info!
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Ravi Patel
Pro tip: keep good records of both your Social Security and unemployment payments for tax purposes. Both are taxable income, so you'll need to report them when you file your taxes.
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Yara Khoury
•Good point! I hadn't thought about the tax implications. Do they send separate forms?
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Ravi Patel
•Yes, you'll get a 1099-G from Washington ESD for unemployment and an SSA-1099 from Social Security. Keep both for your tax preparer.
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Freya Andersen
Can confirm this works. I'm 66, collecting full Social Security, and was able to get unemployment when my company downsized last year. No issues at all with Washington ESD.
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Omar Zaki
•That's reassuring. How was the job search requirement at your age? Did they expect you to apply to as many jobs as younger claimants?
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Freya Andersen
•Same requirements - 3 job search activities per week. Age doesn't change the work search requirements, but they do accept things like networking events and skills training.
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CosmicCrusader
The whole system seems designed to confuse people honestly. I've been trying to reach Washington ESD for weeks about various questions and it's nearly impossible.
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Chloe Robinson
•Have you tried using Claimyr? It's been a game changer for me. They automatically call and get you connected to ESD agents. Worth checking out at claimyr.com if you're tired of the runaround.
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CosmicCrusader
•I'll look into that. The phone system is absolutely brutal.
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Diego Flores
•Second the Claimyr recommendation. Finally got my adjudication issues resolved after weeks of trying to call on my own.
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Anastasia Kozlov
This is exactly what I needed to know. I'm 64 and just got laid off after 12 years with my company. Already collecting Social Security for a year now. Going to file my unemployment claim this weekend.
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Yara Khoury
•Good luck! It's really not as complicated as it seems once you get started. Just be thorough on your application.
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Anastasia Kozlov
•Thanks! This thread gave me the confidence to move forward with it.
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Sean Flanagan
One thing to watch out for - if you're doing any consulting or freelance work while collecting both benefits, make sure you report those earnings to both Social Security and Washington ESD. The rules are different for each.
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Zara Mirza
•What are the reporting thresholds? Do you have to report every dollar or is there a minimum?
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Sean Flanagan
•For unemployment, you report all earnings from work. For Social Security, any earnings count toward the annual limit if you're under full retirement age.
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NebulaNinja
•This is why I keep detailed records of everything. Better safe than sorry with government benefits.
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Luca Russo
Final update from the OP: My claim was approved! I'm now collecting both Social Security ($1,247/month) and unemployment ($467/week). No issues whatsoever. Thanks everyone for the advice and reassurance!
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Keisha Taylor
•Congratulations! That should help with the bills while you're job hunting.
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Nia Wilson
•Great news! How long did the whole process take from filing to first payment?
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Luca Russo
•About 3 weeks total. Two weeks for adjudication and then the payment showed up a few days later.
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Mateo Sanchez
•This gives me hope. I'm in the same situation and just filed last week.
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Victoria Jones
This is such valuable information! I'm 62 and was just laid off from my manufacturing job after 15 years. I've been collecting Social Security early retirement for about 4 months now and was really worried that it would disqualify me from unemployment benefits. Reading through everyone's experiences here gives me confidence to file my claim. It's reassuring to know that Washington state treats these as separate benefits and that so many people have successfully collected both. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - it really helps those of us navigating this for the first time!
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