Washington ESD sent me 1099-G for unemployment - what type of payment is this for taxes?

Thanks! So I do have to pay federal taxes on the full $8,200? That's going to be a big hit since I didn't have any taxes withheld.

Yes, the full amount is taxable. You should have had the option to have 10% withheld when you filed your weekly claims. If you didn't, you might owe taxes plus potentially a penalty for underpayment.

Really? I didn't know you could make payments for the previous year. How do you do that?

You can make quarterly estimated payments to the IRS. Just use Form 1040ES. Better to pay something now than get hit with penalties later.

I've been trying to log into my SAW account for weeks but keep getting error messages. The Washington ESD phone lines are always busy when I try to call about it.

Have you tried using Claimyr? I discovered it when I was having trouble reaching Washington ESD agents last year. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Really helped me get through to someone about my 1099-G issue.

Never heard of that service before. Does it actually work for getting through to Washington ESD?

Mine only has an amount in Box 1, so that sounds right. Thanks for clarifying that.

What if the amount on the 1099-G doesn't match what I think I received? Mine seems too high.

You should check your payment history in your Washington ESD account. Sometimes there are adjustments or overpayments that affect the total. If it's wrong you'll need to contact Washington ESD to get a corrected 1099-G.

I get the frustration but unemployment is considered income replacement by the IRS. It's been taxable since the 1980s with only a few exceptions during COVID.

still seems wrong to tax people when there down on their luck

Good to know. I'm using TurboTax so hopefully it walks me through it correctly.

TurboTax should handle it fine. Just have your 1099-G handy when you get to the unemployment section.

Perfect, thanks everyone for the help. This makes way more sense now.

Check your address on file with Washington ESD first. If that's correct and you still don't have it by February, you need to contact them. You're still required to report the income even without the form.

This happened to my brother. He had to call Washington ESD multiple times before they admitted they had the wrong address and sent a new one.

This is exactly the kind of situation where Claimyr really helps. Getting through to Washington ESD about missing tax documents can be a nightmare otherwise.

The 1099-G from Washington ESD should only show regular state unemployment benefits. Any federal supplements like the extra $600 or $300 weekly would have been included in those totals, but pandemic-specific programs like PUA had their own 1099-Gs.

Got it, so it's all combined then. Thanks for clearing that up.

Yes, Box 4 on the 1099-G shows federal income tax withheld. That amount gets reported as tax payments on your return, just like withholding from a regular job.

Perfect, I see that on mine. So at least I won't owe as much since some was already withheld.

On Form 1040, unemployment goes on line 7 in the 'Income' section. It's labeled as 'Unemployment compensation' so you can't miss it. Don't put it in the 'Other Income' section.

Oh good, that makes it easier. I was looking in the wrong section entirely.

You'll need to contact Washington ESD to request a corrected 1099-G. Don't just report what you think is correct - the IRS will flag the discrepancy. Get the official correction first.

Good luck getting through to them though. I've been trying for weeks about a different issue and can never get past the busy signal.

That's why I keep recommending Claimyr for these Washington ESD contact issues. It's been a lifesaver when I need to actually talk to someone there about important stuff like tax documents.

Yes, you still need to report all unemployment income regardless of which state you're living in when you file. The 1099-G from Washington ESD goes on your federal return no matter where you are.

That's what I figured but wanted to make sure. Thanks!

The payer should be listed as 'Washington State Employment Security Department' or similar on your 1099-G. Just enter it exactly as it appears on the form.

Found it, thanks. It says 'WA Employment Security Dept' on mine.

Just add both amounts together on line 7 of your 1040. The total unemployment from all sources goes on that one line. Make sure you have both 1099-G forms when you file.

Sounds straightforward enough. Thanks for the clarification.

They do both. You should receive a paper copy by mail and can also access it through your SecureAccess Washington account online. The online version is usually available first.

Mine came in the mail last week but I lost it already. Good to know I can get it online too.

It really is pretty simple once you understand where everything goes. The 1099-G has all the information you need right on it.

Glad it helped! I've had good experiences with them too when I need to reach Washington ESD for various issues.

Might have to try that myself. Been putting off calling about my own tax form issue because I can't stand being on hold forever.