When does Washington ESD send out tax forms for unemployment benefits?

Good to know! I'll check my SAW account in a few weeks if I don't get anything in the mail.

Yeah I got mine last year around January 28th, so pretty much right at the deadline.

Yes, you'll still get a 1099-G showing the total amount you received and how much was withheld for taxes. You need both pieces of information for your tax return.

Makes sense, thanks for clarifying that!

I had the same issue trying to reach them about my 1099-G. Ended up using claimyr.com to get through to an actual agent. It's a service that helps you bypass the busy signals and get connected. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

Never heard of that before but might be worth trying. I'm getting desperate at this point.

Is that legit? Sounds too good to be true tbh

Yeah it's real, I was skeptical too but it actually worked. They handle the calling and waiting for you then connect you when an agent picks up.

That's really helpful! I'll bookmark that for when tax season gets here.

Wish I'd known this last year when I was scrambling to find mine right before the tax deadline...

Good point! I did move in November so I should probably double check that.

Yeah definitely update it ASAP. You can do it through your SAW account pretty easily.

How long does it take for the address change to go through? I just updated mine last week.

All unemployment benefits get reported on the same 1099-G form regardless of the program type. Standby, regular UI, it all goes on one form with the total amount.

Okay cool, so I just need to wait for one form then.

Yes, unemployment benefits are considered taxable income at the federal level. Washington state doesn't have an income tax so you don't worry about state taxes, but you'll need to report it on your federal return.

Well that's something at least! Thanks for the info.

If you didn't have taxes withheld you might want to set aside some money for when you file. I learned that the hard way...

Yes, they send a 1099-G for any amount of benefits received during the tax year, even if it was just a few weeks.

Okay good to know, I'll watch for it then.

Same here! I think they send them out in batches throughout January.

That makes me feel better about waiting. I was worried something was wrong if I didn't get it by mid-January.

How much does something like that cost though?

It's pretty reasonable considering how much time it saves you. Way less frustrating than spending all day hitting redial.

Oh wow, I never thought about that. How do you dispute a 1099-G if the amounts are wrong?

You have to contact Washington ESD directly to get a corrected form issued. It's a pain but necessary for accurate tax filing.

Not emailed directly, but you can download it from your SecureAccess Washington account once it's available. That's usually faster than waiting for mail anyway.

Perfect, that'll work great for my situation. Thanks!

Good reminder! It goes on line 7 of the 1040 form if anyone's wondering.

You guys are so helpful, I was definitely going to mess that up!

The 1099-G typically shows the gross amount you received before any garnishments. Garnished amounts usually aren't shown on the form since you didn't actually receive that money.

That makes sense, thanks for explaining that.

The online version through SAW is usually available before the mailed copy arrives. That might be your best bet for early filing.

You could also try calling Washington ESD to see if they can expedite it, though good luck getting through without using something like Claimyr to help with the connection.

Same here! Glad I'm not the only one who was worried about the timing.

Yeah this is way more straightforward than I thought it would be.

Good advice! I learned that lesson when I got audited a few years back (not unemployment related but still...).

Will definitely keep that in mind when mine arrives!

Agreed, this was really comprehensive. Nice to have everything in one place.

Seriously, you all are the best! I feel much more prepared for tax season now.