ESD taking money for overpayment - what income amount to report for DSHS benefits?

You need to report the FULL amount ($480) before deductions. DSHS considers your gross UI benefit as income, not what you actually receive after the overpayment recovery. I went through this exact situation in 2024 - overpayment recovery doesn't reduce your countable income for benefit eligibility purposes.

u shud def report the $360 since thats what ur ACTUALLY getting. my cousin did it that way n got approved for more food benefits. the way i see it, if ur not receiving that money its not income right??

I'm dealing with the EXACT same situation!!! ESD is taking 33% of my benefits for an overpayment they say was my fault but it WASN'T!! I've been trying to call them for WEEKS to get this fixed but can't get through. I reported the full amount to DSHS and got denied for Apple Health because they said I make too much. This system is DESIGNED to keep people poor and desperate!!! Why can't they just forgive these overpayments when they were THEIR mistakes?!?!

To correctly report income for DSHS benefits when you have an ESD overpayment recovery: 1. Report the FULL UI benefit amount before deductions ($480 in your case) 2. You can explain the overpayment situation in the comments or notes section of the application 3. For SNAP (food benefits), you may still qualify even with the full amount reported depending on your household size and expenses 4. For Apple Health, the income limits are higher than many people realize You can also request a lower recovery rate from ESD if the current rate is causing financial hardship. To do this, call the ESD Collections Unit at 1-866-697-4831 or submit a financial statement showing your income and expenses through your eServices account.

i had this happen in 2023... try getting through to ESD directly to request a hardship reduction on the repayment amount. if their taking 25% you can probably get it lowered to 15% or even 10% if you explain your situation. i know people have had luck using claimyr.com to get through to ESD agents faster - they have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 and yes, like others said, you have to report the full amount to DSHS. but with a reduced recovery percentage you might still qualify for some help.

My daughter had this situation last winter. She reported the full amount to DSHS but brought documentation of the overpayment recovery to her interview appointment. The caseworker noted it in her file, and while it didn't change the official income calculation, it helped them understand her full financial situation when determining emergency assistance eligibility.

ALSO!!!! Make sure you ask ESD for a WAIVER OF OVERPAYMENT if it wasn't your fault!!!! They don't tell people about this option but you can request it if the overpayment wasn't because of fraud!!! I'm still fighting with them about mine because they messed up my earnings calculation but are blaming me!!!!

when i applied for SNAP last year they asked for my bank statements and they could see the actual deposits so i couldn't hide anything anyway. they definitely know what you're actually getting vs what the full benefit is supposed to be.

One more important thing: even if you have to report the full UI amount, make sure you're claiming all possible deductions on your DSHS application. Housing costs, utilities, childcare expenses, and medical expenses can all help you qualify for more benefits even with higher income. Don't leave any deductions on the table!

I went through a similar situation with ESD overpayment recovery a few months ago. Just wanted to add that when you call ESD to request a hardship reduction, be prepared with specific documentation of your monthly expenses - rent, utilities, food costs, etc. They'll likely ask for proof that the current recovery rate is causing genuine financial hardship. Also, if you qualify for reduced recovery, make sure to get the new rate in writing through your eServices account. The process took about 3 weeks for me, but I was able to get my recovery rate reduced from 25% to 15%, which made a huge difference in my ability to cover basic expenses while still paying back the overpayment.