How to claim unemployment on taxes - Washington ESD benefits taxable?

I think I got that form but wasn't sure what it was for. So I just enter the amount from the 1099-G on my tax return?

Exactly. The amount goes on your Form 1040 where it asks for unemployment compensation. Make sure the amount matches what's on your 1099-G from Washington ESD.

You should definitely have received a 1099-G if you got unemployment benefits. Check your SecureAccess Washington account - sometimes they're available online even if the mail got lost.

I'll check my SAW account right now. This is stressing me out because tax season is almost over.

If you can't find it online, you might need to call Washington ESD to get a duplicate. Fair warning though - their phone lines are always busy and it's really hard to get through to someone who can help with tax forms.

Never heard of that service before. Did you have to pay anything to use it?

Yeah there's a fee but honestly it was worth it to avoid spending more days trying to get through on the phone. Much easier than the usual Washington ESD calling nightmare.

Interesting, I might try that if I can't get my 1099-G sorted out. The regular Washington ESD phone system is basically useless.

How do I know if I had taxes withheld? I don't remember choosing that option when I filed my claim.

It would show up on your 1099-G in box 4 as federal income tax withheld. If you didn't elect to have taxes taken out, it would be zero or blank.

They do include basic instructions with the 1099-G, but I agree it could be clearer. The main thing is just making sure you report the unemployment income - it's treated like any other income for tax purposes.

i guess ill just take it to h&r block and let them deal with it

I tried that but my SAW account is locked and I can't get back in. This is turning into a nightmare.

Account lockout issues are really common. You might need to use the account recovery process or call the technical support line.

Good luck calling Washington ESD tech support. I've been trying for weeks to get my account unlocked.

So if I can't get the form, can I just estimate the amount I received?

You should be able to calculate it from your payment history. Check your Washington ESD account for your weekly benefit amount and multiply by the number of weeks you received benefits.

That's what I had to do when my 1099-G got lost in the mail. Used my payment records to figure out the total.

Yes, all unemployment benefits are taxable including any supplemental payments. Everything should be included on your 1099-G from Washington ESD.

ok thanks that makes sense i guess

How long did it take them to get you connected to someone at Washington ESD?

They called me back within a few hours and had me connected to an Washington ESD agent the same day. Way better than trying to call myself.

That's good to know. I was worried about doing my taxes myself but maybe the software makes it easier.

Yeah, they make it pretty straightforward. The software will ask if you received unemployment and then guide you through entering the information.

I forgot about that part! I need to go back and check my 1099-G to see if I had any taxes withheld.

Yeah it's easy to miss. Look for box 4 on the form - that's where federal tax withholding would be shown.

That can happen if there were overpayments or adjustments during the year. You might need to contact Washington ESD to get a corrected 1099-G if the amount is significantly wrong.

Great, another reason to try calling Washington ESD. This is going to be fun.

If you need to reach Washington ESD about a 1099-G correction, you might want to try that Claimyr service. I used them for a different issue and they were really helpful getting me connected to the right department.

You'll need to check Oregon's tax rules for that. Since you were an Oregon resident when you received some benefits, you might need to report them on your Oregon return.

Ugh, this is getting complicated. I might need to talk to a tax professional.

I'm skeptical of these third-party services but at this point I'm desperate. The regular Washington ESD phone lines are impossible.

I was skeptical too but it actually worked. Sometimes you just need to try something different when the normal methods aren't working.

That's one good thing about living in Washington I guess. Makes taxes a little simpler.

Yeah, at least we don't have to deal with state tax complications on top of the federal requirements.