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Grant Vikers

How much is unemployment benefits in Washington - what should I expect?

I'm about to file for unemployment for the first time and I'm trying to figure out how much money I can expect to receive. I've been working full-time making about 55k per year at a tech company that just laid me off last week. Does anyone know how Washington ESD calculates the weekly benefit amount? I'm really stressed about making my rent and bills while I look for another job.

Washington ESD uses your highest earning quarter from your base period to calculate your weekly benefit amount. They take that quarter's wages, divide by 26, then you get about 60% of that amount. So if your highest quarter was $6,500, you'd get around $150 per week. But there's also a minimum and maximum - I think the max is around $999 per week for 2025.

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Thanks! So they don't just look at my most recent pay? They go back further to find the highest quarter?

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Exactly! They look at the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed your claim. It's called your base period.

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The exact formula is: (highest quarter wages ÷ 26) × 0.604 = weekly benefit amount. For restaurant work at $18/hour, if you worked consistent hours you're probably looking at somewhere between $200-300 per week depending on your exact earnings. You can also check the Washington ESD website - they have a benefit calculator tool that gives you an estimate.

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Perfect, I'll try that calculator. Do you know if tips count toward the wage calculation?

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Only if your employer reported them as wages on your paystubs. Cash tips that weren't reported won't count.

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Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount based on your earnings in your base year, which is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed. The maximum weekly benefit amount for 2025 is $999 per week, but most people get somewhere between $200-600 depending on their previous wages.

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Thanks! So it's not a flat rate for everyone? How do they calculate the exact amount?

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Right, it's based on your actual earnings. They take your highest earning quarter from your base year, divide by 13, then apply their formula. You can get an estimate on the Washington ESD website before you file.

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Washington ESD uses your highest earning quarter from your base period to calculate benefits. For 2025, the maximum weekly benefit is around $999 but most people get less. They take your highest quarter earnings, divide by 26, then you get about 3.85% of that amount weekly.

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Thanks! So if I made about $14k in my highest quarter, that would be around $520 per week? That's actually better than I expected.

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That sounds about right, but double-check your quarterly earnings on your pay stubs. Sometimes bonuses or overtime can bump up your highest quarter significantly.

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Washington ESD calculates your weekly benefit amount based on your earnings from the highest quarter in your base period. For most people, that's about 3.85% of your highest quarter earnings, but it can't exceed the maximum weekly benefit amount which is currently $999 per week in 2025. You'll also get an additional $25 per week for each dependent child.

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Thanks! So if I made around $6,500 in my best quarter, that would be roughly $250 per week? That's actually better than I expected.

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Yeah, that sounds about right. Just remember you'll need to file your weekly claims every week and meet the job search requirements to keep getting benefits.

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Washington ESD uses your highest quarter earnings from your base period to calculate benefits. For 2025, the maximum weekly benefit is $999. Your weekly benefit amount (WBA) will be roughly 3.85% of your highest quarter wages. So if you made $13,000 in your best quarter, you'd get around $500/week.

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That's helpful! How do I know what my highest quarter was? Is there a way to check that before I file?

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You can check your wage history on the Washington ESD website once you create your account. They'll show all your reported wages by quarter.

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Just remember you have to meet the minimum earnings requirement too. You need at least $7,500 in your base period and earnings in at least two quarters. Most people qualify but it's worth checking.

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Good point - I've been working there for 2 years so I should definitely meet that requirement.

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yeah the minimum is pretty low, most full time workers easily hit it

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Washington ESD uses your highest earning quarter from the past 15 months to calculate your weekly benefit amount (WBA). The maximum weekly benefit for 2025 is $999 but most people get way less than that. You'll get roughly 3.85% of your highest quarter earnings divided by 13 weeks.

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Thanks! That's actually really helpful. So if my highest quarter was around $14,000 would that mean about $415 per week?

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Yeah that sounds about right, maybe a little less. The exact formula is on the Washington ESD website but your calculation is close.

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the minimum is like $295 i think and max is $999 but most people dont get anywhere near the max unless they were making really good money

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I was making $65k and my weekly benefit is around $590, so yeah it's nowhere near the max but still decent.

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thats not bad at all, should cover most expenses while job hunting

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If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to check your benefit calculation or have questions about your claim, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting hung up on.

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How much does something like that cost? I'm already worried about money.

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It's worth checking out their site for pricing info. For me it was totally worth it since I was spending entire days trying to get through to Washington ESD and getting nowhere.

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I used Claimyr too when my claim got stuck in adjudication. Much better than wasting time on hold all day.

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Your benefit amount also depends on whether you qualify for any additional programs. Some people get Trade Adjustment Assistance or other supplemental benefits that can increase the total amount. But the basic UI calculation is what most people get.

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I don't think I'd qualify for anything special, just regular unemployment. But good to know there might be other options.

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Make sure you apply as soon as possible after losing your job. There's a waiting week but the sooner you file the sooner your claim starts processing.

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One thing to keep in mind is that unemployment benefits are taxable income. You can choose to have taxes withheld from your weekly payments or you'll owe when you file your tax return. I learned this the hard way last year.

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Oh wow, I didn't know that. So I should probably have them take out taxes then?

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Yeah definitely. It's either 10% federal withholding or you can opt out and pay later. I'd recommend having them withhold it to avoid a big tax bill.

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This is good advice. I got hit with a $1,200 tax bill because I didn't withhold anything from my UI benefits.

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also make sure you understand the job search requirements. you have to apply for at least 3 jobs per week and keep records of everything or they can stop your benefits

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Do they actually check that you're applying for jobs or is it just on the honor system?

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They definitely check. Washington ESD can audit your job search activities and you need to keep detailed records. Use WorkSourceWA whenever possible since those applications are automatically tracked.

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With your salary of $52k, you're probably looking at around $400-500 per week, but it really depends when you worked those hours. The system looks at specific quarters so if you just started that job recently your benefit might be lower.

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I've been at this job for 2 years so hopefully that helps. $400-500 would actually be manageable.

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Don't forget you can collect for up to 26 weeks in Washington, so even if it's not your full salary it gives you time to find something good.

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I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks to ask about my benefit amount calculation because something seems off. Every time I call I get disconnected or sit on hold for hours. It's so frustrating when you just need one simple question answered!

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Have you tried calling right when they open at 8 AM? I heard that's the best time to get through.

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I've tried everything - early morning, late afternoon, different days. Nothing works. The phone system is completely broken.

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I had the same problem until I found this service called Claimyr that actually gets you connected to Washington ESD agents. You just give them your info and they call you back when they have an agent on the line. Check out claimyr.com - there's even a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of frustration.

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dont forget you have to pay taxes on unemployment too so whatever amount they give you isnt what you actually get to keep

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Oh no, I didn't think about taxes! How much do they take out?

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You can choose to have 10% federal taxes withheld when you file your weekly claims. Washington state doesn't have income tax so no state taxes to worry about.

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One thing to keep in mind is that Washington ESD has been really backed up lately with processing claims. I filed 3 weeks ago and I'm still waiting for my first payment. The benefit calculation is straightforward but actually getting through to them to check on your claim status is nearly impossible.

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Oh no, that's exactly what I was worried about! How long are people waiting right now?

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It varies but I've heard anywhere from 2-6 weeks for a straightforward claim. If there are any issues it can take much longer.

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I actually found a service called Claimyr that helps you get through to Washington ESD agents faster. They have a system that calls for you and gets you connected when an agent is available. Check out claimyr.com - they even have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works.

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just got approved last week and i'm getting $487 a week which is way more than i expected honestly

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That's encouraging! How long did it take for your claim to get approved?

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took about 2 weeks but i had to call them to get it moving. couldn't get through for days until i used claimyr.com - that service actually got me connected to someone at Washington ESD in like 10 minutes

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Just heads up - actually getting through to Washington ESD to ask questions about your benefit amount can be a nightmare. I spent weeks trying to call them about my calculation. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me through to an actual agent in like 20 minutes. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

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Never heard of that service - does it actually work? I've been trying to reach someone at Washington ESD for days.

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Yeah it worked great for me. They basically call on your behalf and connect you when they get through. Saved me so much frustration.

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Interesting, might have to try that. The regular Washington ESD phone system is absolutely useless.

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The benefit amount is just the starting point - you also need to think about taxes. Washington doesn't tax unemployment benefits but the feds do. You can have them withhold 10% or pay quarterly estimated taxes.

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Good reminder about taxes. I completely forgot about that part.

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Yeah I learned that the hard way last year when I owed like $2000 at tax time because I didn't have anything withheld.

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just to give you a real world example - i was making about 60k and got $580 per week. took about 3 weeks to get my first payment but then it was pretty regular after that

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That's really helpful, thank you! Did you have any issues with the weekly claims or job search requirements?

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nah the weekly claims are pretty easy, just takes a few minutes online each week. job search stuff is more annoying but manageable

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Your base period matters a lot for the calculation. It's usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file in January 2025, they'd look at your earnings from October 2023 through September 2024.

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That seems like a weird way to calculate it. What if you just started a good job recently?

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There's an alternate base period if you don't qualify under the standard one, but it can get complicated. Sometimes it helps to wait a bit before filing if you know your recent quarters were much better.

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Be careful with that advice. You want to file as soon as you're unemployed to avoid gaps in coverage. The benefit calculation is what it is.

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just filed last week and got $287 per week, was making about $22/hour at my old job

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That's helpful to know! How long did it take for them to determine your amount?

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took about 5 days after I filed, they sent me a letter with the breakdown

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the benefit amount also depends on if you have any dependents. you can get extra money for kids under 18. i think its like $25 per kid per week or something like that

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I don't have kids so that won't apply to me, but good to know for others reading this.

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Actually it's up to $50 per dependent per week in Washington, with a maximum of 5 dependents counted.

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I've been trying to get through to Washington ESD for weeks to ask about my benefit calculation and I can never reach anyone! The phone system is impossible. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to a human there?

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I had the same problem until I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com). They basically call Washington ESD for you and get you connected to an actual agent. Saved me hours of trying to get through myself. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works.

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Really? That sounds too good to be true. How much does it cost?

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It's worth it compared to spending entire days calling and getting nowhere. They handle all the waiting and callback stuff.

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The benefit amount also depends on whether you have any dependents. You can get additional money for each dependent child under 18. I think it's like $25-30 extra per week per kid but don't quote me on that exact amount.

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I don't have kids so that won't apply to me, but good to know for others reading this.

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It's $29 per dependent for 2025. Just looked it up on the Washington ESD site.

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The restaurant industry is tricky because of inconsistent hours and tip reporting. I worked at a casino restaurant and my benefit amount was way lower than I expected because some of my highest earning weeks were in a different quarter than my base period. Make sure you understand which quarters they're using for your calculation!

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Oh wow, I never thought about that. My hours have been all over the place depending on the season.

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Yeah, that's why the calculator is just an estimate. Your actual amount might be different based on when you worked your highest earning quarters.

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Does anyone know if overtime counts differently? I used to get a lot of overtime at my last job and I'm wondering if that affects the calculation.

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Overtime wages count the same as regular wages - it's all just part of your total quarterly earnings that Washington ESD uses in the calculation.

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Good to know, thanks! I was worried they might exclude it somehow.

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Don't forget about the waiting week! Washington ESD has a one-week waiting period before you can receive benefits, so even if everything goes smoothly, you won't get paid for your first week of unemployment.

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Wait, what? So I have to wait a whole week before I can even start getting benefits?

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Exactly. It's called a waiting week and it's required by law. You still file your weekly claim but you won't get paid for that first week.

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The waiting week is only if you file a new claim. If you had a claim in the past year and still have benefit weeks available, you might not have another waiting week.

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The key thing is to file your weekly claims every single week, even if you work part-time or have other income. If you skip a week you can lose benefits permanently for that week.

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What if I forget to file one week? Can I make it up?

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Nope, if you miss the deadline for filing your weekly claim that week is just gone. That's why I set reminders on my phone every Sunday.

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Washington's benefits are actually pretty decent compared to other states. The maximum benefit amount gets adjusted every year based on the state's average wage. Last year it was like $936 max so it went up quite a bit for 2025.

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Good to know Washington takes care of people better than some places.

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Yeah but remember you still have to meet all the job search requirements and file your weekly claims on time or they'll cut you off.

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One thing to remember is that unemployment benefits are taxable income. You can choose to have taxes withheld or pay them later, but don't forget about that when budgeting.

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Oh wow I didn't think about taxes. Should I have them withhold it or pay later?

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I always have them withhold 10% just so I don't get surprised at tax time. You can change this setting in your account.

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learned this the hard way - owed like $800 in taxes on my unemployment from last year 😭

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Also keep in mind you have to actively look for work to keep getting benefits. Washington requires 3 job search activities per week and you need to log them in WorkSourceWA. Don't slack on this because they do audit people.

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What counts as a job search activity? Just applying to jobs?

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Applying to jobs, networking events, career fairs, informational interviews, even some training activities. They have a list on the WorkSourceWA website.

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I got audited last year and had to provide documentation for every single job search activity I claimed. Keep good records!

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Does anyone know if the benefit amount changes if you work part time while collecting unemployment? I might be able to pick up some freelance work.

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Yes, Washington has a partial unemployment system. You can work part-time and still collect some benefits, but your weekly benefit gets reduced based on how much you earn.

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Good to know. I'll probably try to pick up some side work then to supplement the unemployment.

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Just make sure you report ALL earnings when you file your weekly claim. They cross-reference with employers and tax records.

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