Can you use Chime for Washington ESD unemployment benefits?
I'm about to file my first unemployment claim with Washington ESD and I only have a Chime account for banking. Will Washington ESD accept Chime for direct deposit of my UI benefits? I've heard some government agencies don't work with online banks but I really don't want to have to open a traditional bank account just for this. Has anyone successfully used Chime or other online banks for their unemployment payments?
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Evelyn Rivera
Yes, Chime works fine with Washington ESD! I've been getting my weekly benefits deposited to my Chime account for about 6 months now with no issues. Just make sure you enter your routing and account numbers correctly when you set up direct deposit in your eServices account.
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Kolton Murphy
•That's such a relief! Did you have any delays with the first payment or did it go through normally?
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Evelyn Rivera
•First payment took the usual 2-3 business days after my claim was approved. No different than any other bank deposit.
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Julia Hall
I use Chime too and it's been great. Actually gets my deposits faster than my friend who uses Wells Fargo - mine usually shows up Tuesday mornings while hers doesn't hit until Wednesday.
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Arjun Patel
•That's because Chime processes ACH transfers earlier in the day. Most traditional banks wait until later business hours.
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Jade Lopez
•wait really? i might need to switch to chime then, im tired of waiting til wednesday for my money
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Tony Brooks
Just used Claimyr last week to get through to Washington ESD about my direct deposit setup and the agent confirmed that any bank with valid routing/account numbers works, including Chime, Cash App, and other online banks. The service at claimyr.com got me connected in like 10 minutes instead of spending hours trying to call. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.
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Kolton Murphy
•Thanks for the tip! I might need to use that if I run into any issues setting up my claim.
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Ella rollingthunder87
•How much does that service cost? I've been trying to reach Washington ESD for weeks about my adjudication status.
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Tony Brooks
•It's worth it when you need to actually talk to someone. Way better than spending all day redialing and getting busy signals.
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Yara Campbell
One thing to watch out for - make sure you have the correct Chime routing number. They have different ones for different types of deposits and I initially used the wrong one which caused a delay.
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Kolton Murphy
•Oh no, which routing number should I use? I don't want to mess this up.
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Yara Campbell
•Use the ACH routing number that shows in your Chime app under Settings > Account Info. It's different from the wire transfer number.
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Evelyn Rivera
•Yes! The ACH number is what you need for direct deposit. The wire transfer number won't work for government benefits.
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Arjun Patel
Washington ESD accepts pretty much any legitimate bank for direct deposit. I've seen people use Credit Karma, Varo, Current, and tons of other online banks without issues. The key is just making sure your account can receive ACH transfers.
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Isaac Wright
•What if you don't want direct deposit? Can you still get paper checks?
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Arjun Patel
•Yes, you can opt for a debit card instead through KeyBank, but direct deposit is usually faster and more convenient.
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Jade Lopez
ive been using chime for my unemployment for like 8 months, never had a problem. sometimes the money shows up sunday night which is nice for monday bills lol
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Kolton Murphy
•That's awesome! I was worried I'd have to deal with opening a new bank account on top of everything else.
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Julia Hall
•Yeah Chime's early deposit feature is clutch when you're living paycheck to paycheck on unemployment.
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Ella rollingthunder87
I'm still stuck in adjudication hell and can't even get to the point of setting up direct deposit. Been calling Washington ESD for three weeks straight with no luck getting through.
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Tony Brooks
•That's exactly when I used Claimyr - was stuck in adjudication for a month and finally got through to explain my situation. The agent was able to see what documents they needed and expedite my claim.
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Ella rollingthunder87
•I might have to try that. This is ridiculous how hard it is to reach anyone at Washington ESD.
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Maya Diaz
•The phone system is completely overwhelmed. I gave up trying to call directly and just waited it out, took 6 weeks total.
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Tami Morgan
Pro tip: set up your direct deposit as soon as your claim is approved, don't wait. It takes a few days to process the banking info and you don't want any delays with your first payment.
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Kolton Murphy
•Good advice! I'll make sure to do that right away once my claim goes through.
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Rami Samuels
•Yeah I waited too long to set mine up and had to wait an extra week for my first check because of the processing delay.
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Haley Bennett
Just want to add that you should keep your Chime account in good standing while receiving benefits. If your account gets closed for any reason, Washington ESD will switch you to the KeyBank debit card system which can be a hassle to set up.
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Kolton Murphy
•What would cause a Chime account to get closed?
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Haley Bennett
•Usually overdrafts, suspicious activity, or not using the account for extended periods. Just keep it active and in good standing.
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Arjun Patel
•Good point. Also make sure to update Washington ESD immediately if you ever change banks or account numbers.
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Douglas Foster
I tried using Cash App first but had issues, switched to Chime and it's been smooth sailing ever since. Some of these newer fintech banks can be hit or miss with government payments.
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Kolton Murphy
•What kind of issues did you have with Cash App?
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Douglas Foster
•Payments kept getting returned for some reason, customer service couldn't figure it out. Chime just works better for this stuff.
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Nina Chan
Washington ESD's website has a list of acceptable banking institutions somewhere in the FAQ section. Chime is definitely on there along with most major online banks.
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Ruby Knight
•I couldn't find that list when I looked. Do you remember where exactly it was?
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Nina Chan
•I think it was under the direct deposit section in eServices, but honestly it might have been removed. Either way, Chime definitely works.
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Diego Castillo
Been using Chime for unemployment since 2023 and never had a single issue. The deposits are reliable and fast. Don't overthink it!
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Kolton Murphy
•Thanks everyone! Sounds like Chime is definitely the way to go. Really appreciate all the feedback.
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Logan Stewart
•Yeah you're good to go with Chime. Just make sure you file your weekly claims on time!
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Mikayla Brown
One more thing - if you ever need to speak with Washington ESD about your direct deposit setup, calling through Claimyr saved me hours of frustration. The regular phone lines are impossible to get through on.
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Sean Matthews
•How does that service work exactly? Do they just help you get connected?
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Mikayla Brown
•Yeah they handle the calling and waiting, then connect you directly to a Washington ESD agent. Check out their demo video to see the process.
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Zainab Ismail
I've been using Chime for my Washington ESD benefits for over a year now and it's been fantastic. The early deposit feature means I usually get my payments on Monday evening instead of waiting until Tuesday or Wednesday like traditional banks. Just make sure you're using the correct ACH routing number from your Chime app settings - not the wire transfer number. Also, definitely set up direct deposit immediately once your claim is approved to avoid any delays with your first payment. You're all set with Chime, don't stress about needing a traditional bank account!
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