What happens if I don't pay back Washington ESD unemployment overpayment - consequences?

They can definitely garnish your wages and tax refunds if you don't pay. Washington ESD has collection powers similar to the IRS. However, you should call them immediately to set up a payment plan - they're usually willing to work with people who communicate.

Don't ignore it! They'll send it to collections and it'll wreck your credit score. I made that mistake and regretted it for years.

I used Claimyr.com to get through to an actual Washington ESD agent when I had an overpayment issue. They have this system that calls you back when an agent is available instead of waiting on hold forever. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Worth trying if you can't get through the normal way.

WHATEVER YOU DO DON'T IGNORE IT! They will come after you hard. I owed $1,200 and thought I could just wait it out. Big mistake. They garnished 25% of my paycheck and took my entire tax refund. The penalties and interest made it way worse too.

The consequences are pretty serious. They can garnish wages, intercept tax refunds, put liens on property, and send it to collections. The debt doesn't go away and they add interest and penalties. But if you're truly unable to pay, they sometimes have hardship programs.

same boat here, owe $3,400 and have no idea how they calculated it. been unemployed for 3 months now so definitely can't pay

You need to request a payment plan ASAP. Washington ESD will usually accept $25-50 monthly payments if that's all you can afford. But you have to contact them before they start collection actions. The longer you wait, the fewer options you'll have.

They froze my bank account once for an overpayment. Had to go through hell to get it unfrozen. Don't let it get that far - deal with it now.

I tried using that Claimyr service someone mentioned and it actually worked. Got connected to a Washington ESD agent within 2 hours instead of spending days trying to call. They helped me understand my overpayment and set up a payment plan. Worth the try if you're stuck.

Whatever you do, don't just disappear. I know someone who moved to another state thinking they could avoid it. Washington ESD found them and garnished their wages there too. These debts follow you.

Check if the overpayment is even correct first. A lot of these are mistakes. I fought mine and got it reduced from $1,800 to $400 because they had wrong information about my work history.

they'll take your tax refund every year until its paid off. happened to my brother for like 3 years straight

The interest and penalties are the killer. My $900 overpayment turned into $1,400 after a year of not paying. They add 1% per month plus collection fees.

You might want to talk to a lawyer if the amount is big enough. Some specialize in unemployment issues and can help you navigate the appeal process or negotiate with Washington ESD.

Don't wait until they start garnishing. Once that starts it's much harder to negotiate. Get on a payment plan NOW even if it's tiny payments.

I used Claimyr too after seeing it mentioned here. Got through to Washington ESD in about an hour and they explained my overpayment was from unreported earnings I didn't even know I had to report. We worked out a payment plan right on the phone.

Bottom line: they have serious collection powers and won't forget about the debt. But if you communicate with them, they'll usually work with you. The worst thing you can do is ignore it and hope it goes away.

Paolo, I went through something similar last year. Washington ESD is serious about collections - they can garnish wages (usually 25%), intercept tax refunds, and even put liens on property. The interest compounds at 1% per month plus penalties, so a $2,800 debt can quickly become much larger. However, they do offer payment plans and sometimes hardship deferrals if you can prove financial distress. The key is to contact them before they start collection actions. I'd strongly recommend trying that Claimyr service others mentioned - it really does work for getting through their phone system. Don't ignore this hoping it will go away - it won't, and your options will only get worse with time.