How to get 1099-G tax form from ESD instead of W-2 for unemployment benefits?
I filed for unemployment last year and need my tax forms for filing this year. I went looking for a W-2 form but can't find it anywhere in my ESD account. Do they mail these out or am I supposed to download it from somewhere? I checked under my account settings but don't see anything about tax forms. Really stressed because my tax appointment is next week!
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Madison Allen
Just FYI - unemployment doesn't issue W-2 forms. They provide 1099-G forms instead since unemployment benefits are considered unearned income. You should be able to access your 1099-G by logging into your eServices account, clicking on the 'UI Claim' tab, and then selecting '1099G' from the menu. ESD typically makes them available by January 31st each year.
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Katherine Harris
•Omg thank you! That explains why I couldn't find a W-2! I'll check for the 1099-G right now.
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Joshua Wood
They should've emailed you when the 1099-G was ready. Check your spam folder maybe? Also, if you opted for paper communications when you set up your account, they might have mailed it instead of making it available online. If you can't find it online, you'll need to call ESD directly.
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Katherine Harris
•I don't remember what I chose for communications... probably online. I'll check my email including spam first before calling. Thanks!
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Justin Evans
Went through this last month! Log in to eServices → click on your claim → look for 1099G tab on left side menu. If it's not there or you can't access it, you'll need to call but GOOD LUCK with that. I spent 3 days trying to get through before I finally reached someone.
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Katherine Harris
•Ugh that sounds awful. I really hope I can find it online because I don't have days to waste calling them repeatedly...
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Emily Parker
i tried calling ESD last week bout my 1099 thing and kept getting disconnected after waiting for like an hour... super frustrating!! someone told me about this service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in like 20 mins. check out their site claimyr.com - they have a video showing how it works https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 - saved me a ton of time compared to calling myself all day
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Ezra Collins
•I used Claimyr too when I needed to update my address for my 1099-G. It definitely works better than trying to call ESD directly and waiting on hold forever. Though definitely check online first since that's faster if your form is available there.
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Victoria Scott
THEY SUCK AT COMMUNICATION!! I never got any email or notification that my tax forms were ready. Had to figure it out on my own. Also if you changed your address during the year sometimes they mail it to your old address which is TOTALLY STUPID. And they don't even tell you about the 1099-G vs W-2 thing when you're filing claims!!!
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Benjamin Johnson
•Actually they do explain this in the handbook they send when you first file for benefits, but I agree they could make it more obvious. The tax implications section is buried pretty deep in that document.
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Katherine Harris
UPDATE: Found it! It was right where you all said - under the UI Claim tab there's a 1099G option. For anyone else looking, once you click on that, you need to select the tax year and then there's a button to view/download the PDF. Thanks everyone for your help!
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Madison Allen
•Glad you found it! Make sure to save a copy for your records. Also, double-check that the amount on the 1099-G matches what you actually received in benefits. ESD occasionally makes mistakes, and it's a hassle to get them corrected after you file taxes.
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