How much are unemployment taxes in Washington state?

That's a relief about the state taxes! So it's just federal then. Do you know if there are any deductions I can take to reduce the amount?

Standard deduction for 2024 is $14,600 for single filers, so if your total income including unemployment was less than that, you might not owe anything federal either.

Ouch, $2,200 is a lot! Was that just on the unemployment or your total income? I'm trying to figure out if I should start setting money aside now.

That was on my total income - I also had some part-time work income. The unemployment portion was probably around $1,800 in taxes. Definitely start setting aside money now if you can.

That's really helpful! I had no idea you could set up withholding. Is it hard to get through to Washington ESD to set this up?

You can do it online through SAW, but if you need to call them, I actually found this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

Thanks, I'll check that out. The few times I've tried calling Washington ESD it's been impossible to get through.

I get the frustration but unemployment benefits are meant to replace your regular income, so it makes sense they'd be taxed the same way. At least in Washington we don't have state income tax on top of federal.

i guess but when youre already barely making ends meet every dollar counts. just seems wrong to tax people when theyre down

Good to know about the 1099-G form. Do they mail it or is it available online through the Washington ESD website?

They mail it but you can also access it through your SecureAccess Washington account. Usually available online before the mailed version arrives.

Wow, that's a lot! Were you able to work out a reasonable payment plan with the IRS?

Yeah, they let me pay it off over 12 months. There's a small fee but it was manageable. Just make sure you don't ignore it if you can't pay the full amount.

I usually do my own taxes so that's helpful. Is there anything else specific about unemployment that I need to watch out for?

Not really - it's pretty straightforward. Just make sure you report the full amount from your 1099-G even if you had taxes withheld during the year.

I didn't know unemployment could qualify for EITC! That could help offset some of the tax burden.

Actually, I think I was wrong about that - EITC usually requires earned income from work, not unemployment benefits. You'd need to check with a tax professional to be sure.

That seems like the smart move. I'm going to try to set that up online through my Washington ESD account this week.

Good plan! If you run into any issues with the website, that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier might be worth trying to get through to a rep.

That's something I hadn't thought about. Hopefully I'll be back to regular work soon and won't have to worry about quarterly payments.

Yeah, it's mostly an issue for people with ongoing self-employment income. If you go back to a regular job with withholding, you should be fine.

True, we're lucky in that regard. I have friends in other states who get hit with both federal and state taxes on their unemployment benefits.

You're welcome! That's a reasonable estimate for budgeting purposes. Good luck with everything!

Just remember to keep good records and don't stress too much about it. The tax situation is manageable if you plan ahead.

Good to hear it worked for you! I might try that if I can't get the withholding set up online.

Yeah, their system got me through to a real person in like 20 minutes. Way better than trying to call on your own.

That's a good point. I'd rather overpay and get a refund than owe a big chunk at tax time.

Will do! I've been keeping everything in a folder just in case. Thanks again everyone!