How to get proof of income from Washington ESD unemployment benefits?

Perfect! I found it under the tax forms section. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

wait where exactly is that? I've been looking all over my account and can't find any tax documents section

I had the same problem with calling Washington ESD. Spent hours on hold just to get disconnected. Actually found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that helped me get through to an agent. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration.

How does that work exactly? Do they actually connect you to Washington ESD or is it something else?

They help you get through the phone system to reach an actual Washington ESD representative. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

Good point. How would I know if something's missing? Should I compare it to my payment history?

Yes, cross-reference with your payment history in your Washington ESD account. Add up all the weekly payments and make sure they match the 1099-G total.

They need to verify all income sources to assess your ability to repay the loan. Unemployment benefits count as income for lending purposes.

I guess that makes sense but it's still a pain to gather all this paperwork

Thanks for the update! I'll check that section. I was looking under 'Payment History' which only shows the weekly breakdown.

Did your bank accept just the 1099-G or did they want additional documentation?

They accepted the 1099-G along with my other tax documents. Seemed to be exactly what they were looking for.

That's helpful to know. Where would I find the award letter in my Washington ESD account?

It should be in the same correspondence section where you found the 1099-G. It's usually called 'Monetary Determination' or something similar.

That's interesting. I guess it depends on what you're applying for and how formal they want the documentation to be.

Exactly. For the apartment they just wanted to see consistent income over the previous few months. A bank loan is probably more strict.

Good point about timing. Luckily I needed 2024 information and it's available now.

What if you need proof of income for ongoing UI benefits? Like if you're still receiving unemployment?

For ongoing benefits, I'd use the payment history screen or maybe ask Washington ESD for a benefit verification letter. Though getting them on the phone is the hard part.

Agreed! The website layout isn't very intuitive. I always have to click around randomly until I find what I'm looking for.

This is exactly why I ended up using Claimyr when I needed help. Sometimes it's easier to just talk to a real person instead of trying to figure out their website.

Great advice! I saved it to my computer and also printed a hard copy just in case.

I always save important documents like this in multiple places - computer, cloud storage, and print a copy.

Yes, it should show both the total benefits paid and any federal taxes withheld in separate boxes. Box 1 is total unemployment compensation, Box 4 is federal income tax withheld.

Perfect, that's exactly what I needed to know for my tax prep. Thanks!

Fortunately I only received benefits from Washington, but that's good to know for others who might have moved between states.

I had this situation when I moved from Oregon to Washington mid-year. Had to get documents from both states.

Happy to help! The 1099-G worked perfectly for my loan application. Good luck with your mortgage!

Same here, I need this for refinancing. At least now I know exactly what to look for on the Washington ESD website.

That's a good point. I made sure to explain my employment situation clearly in my loan application.

If you need to discuss your specific situation with Washington ESD, definitely consider using Claimyr to get through to them. Much easier than trying to call on your own.

Excellent advice! I'm creating a dedicated folder for all my unemployment documents now.

I wish I had done this from the beginning. Now I have unemployment paperwork scattered everywhere.