Washington ESD unemployment benefits - where to put on 1040 tax form?

Thanks! I did get the 1099-G. So I just enter the total amount on line 7? Do I need any other forms?

Yep, just the total from box 1 of your 1099-G goes on line 7. No additional forms needed unless you had taxes withheld, which would show in box 4.

Same here! I had no idea unemployment benefits were taxable income. Makes me wonder what other things about Washington ESD I don't know.

You can request tax withholding on future unemployment benefits through your Washington ESD account. It's under the payment preferences section.

Interesting, I've been trying to call Washington ESD for weeks about my tax situation with no luck. How does Claimyr work exactly?

They basically handle the calling for you and get you connected to a real Washington ESD agent. Way better than sitting on hold for hours or getting hung up on.

I used Claimyr last month when I needed to update my tax withholding preferences. Got through to Washington ESD in like 20 minutes instead of the usual nightmare.

Good point! I did work in Oregon for part of the year before moving to Washington. Will need to check if I owe Oregon taxes on the unemployment.

Yes, you'll likely need to file in Oregon too if you worked there. Check their state tax rules for unemployment compensation.

Not stupid at all! Your part-time job income goes on the regular wage lines (W-2), and unemployment goes on line 7. They're reported separately but both count as taxable income.

That makes sense. Thanks for explaining it clearly!

The 1099-G only shows what was paid in 2024. If you filed late in 2023 or had delays, some payments might have been in different tax years. Check your payment history in your Washington ESD account.

Oh that makes sense! I did have some adjudication issues that delayed payments. I'll check my account history.

If you can't get into your Washington ESD account or need help verifying payment dates, that Claimyr service mentioned earlier might help you get through to an agent to sort it out.

Smart thinking! I definitely want to set up withholding if I ever need unemployment again. Better safe than sorry.

How much do they typically withhold? Is it a fixed percentage or can you choose?

I think it's 10% federal withholding. You can turn it on or off but can't choose a different percentage from what I remember.

Good catch! I was using an old tax software version. Let me make sure I'm looking at the current forms.

That was only for 2020 tax returns filed in 2021. No exclusion for 2024 - all unemployment income is fully taxable now.

Figured as much but had to ask. Thanks for confirming!

This is really important advice. The IRS payment plans are pretty reasonable compared to the penalties for not paying.

Good to know there are options if I end up owing more than I can pay right now.

They're required to send them by January 31st, but you can also access your 1099-G online through your Washington ESD account. Check there if you haven't received the physical copy.

I'll check online. Thanks! Didn't know I could get it digitally.

If you're having trouble accessing your Washington ESD account, that Claimyr service people mentioned earlier might help you get through to an agent to request a duplicate 1099-G.

If you expect to owe $1,000 or more in taxes, you should make quarterly estimated payments. But it's often easier to just have taxes withheld directly from your unemployment benefits.

Makes sense. I'll set up withholding through Washington ESD if my claim continues.

Ouch, but good to know the final number. I'm expecting something similar unfortunately.

Live and learn, right? At least unemployment helped when we needed it most.