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Eli Wang

When will I get my 1099-G from Washington ESD unemployment?

I got unemployment benefits last year and I'm trying to do my taxes but I haven't received my 1099-G form yet. Does anyone know when Washington ESD usually sends these out? I need to file my taxes soon and I'm not sure what to do without the form. I checked my mail every day this week but nothing yet.

Washington ESD typically mails 1099-G forms by January 31st each year. If you haven't received yours by early February, you should be able to access it online through your SecureAccess Washington (SAW) account at esd.wa.gov.

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Thanks! I'll check my SAW account. I didn't know they posted them online too.

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yeah the online version is usually available before the paper one arrives in the mail

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I'm in the same boat - still waiting for mine. Last year I got it around February 5th so I'm not too worried yet. But it's frustrating when you want to get your taxes done early.

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Same here! I always try to file early but the 1099-G is always the last thing I get.

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At least I'm not the only one waiting. I was starting to think they forgot about me.

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If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD about your 1099-G, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually reach an agent. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Really helped me when I needed to verify my tax form information.

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Interesting, never heard of that before. Did they actually help you get through?

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Yeah, saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals. The agent was able to confirm my 1099-G amount over the phone.

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You can also calculate the amount yourself if you really need to file early. Just add up all the unemployment payments you received in 2024. Your payment history should show all the weekly benefit amounts.

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Good idea! I kept track of most of my payments. Is there anything else I need besides the total amount?

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The 1099-G will show total benefits paid and any federal taxes withheld. If you had taxes withheld, that info should be in your payment history too.

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UGH why is everything with Washington ESD so slow?? I swear they take forever with everything. First it took months to get my claim approved, now I can't get my tax forms on time.

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I understand the frustration, but they're actually required to send them by January 31st, which is still within the legal timeframe.

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I know but other places send tax forms way earlier. My employer had my W-2 ready in mid-January.

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Just got mine in the mail today! So they are definitely going out now. Should be in mailboxes this week.

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That's great news! I'll keep checking my mail. What zip code are you in if you don't mind me asking?

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98103 in Seattle. Probably depends on your mail route when it gets delivered.

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pro tip - if you move during the year make sure to update your address with washington esd or your 1099g will go to the wrong place

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Oh no, I moved last fall and forgot to update my address! How do I fix this?

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you can update it online through your saw account or call them. but calling takes forever

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The online version through SAW is definitely the way to go. I've been checking every day and it showed up there yesterday even though I haven't gotten the paper copy yet.

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Perfect! I'm going to log in right now and check. Thanks for the heads up.

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The online version is also easier to save for your records. I just download the PDF and keep it with my other tax documents.

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Does anyone know if the 1099-G includes the extra $600 weekly payments from a couple years ago? I'm trying to figure out if I reported everything correctly on my old tax returns.

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Those enhanced benefits from 2020-2021 would have been included on the 1099-G for those tax years. Your 2024 form should only show regular UI benefits you received last year.

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Got it, thanks. I was getting confused about which years had which benefits.

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I called Washington ESD yesterday about my 1099-G and actually got through after using that Claimyr service someone mentioned. The agent confirmed mine was mailed on January 28th so should arrive any day now.

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Glad Claimyr worked for you too! It's really the only way I can get through to them anymore.

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Wait, you actually talked to a human at Washington ESD? That's like finding a unicorn.

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Just a reminder that unemployment benefits are taxable income, so make sure you report the full amount on your tax return. Some people forget and get in trouble later.

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Yeah I learned this the hard way a few years ago. Had to pay a bunch of extra taxes because I didn't expect the unemployment to be taxable.

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I had taxes withheld from my benefits so hopefully I won't owe too much extra.

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If you're really in a hurry to file, most tax software lets you enter the unemployment amount manually and then you can update it later when you get the actual 1099-G.

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That's a good backup plan. I might do that if mine doesn't show up in my SAW account soon.

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Just make sure the amounts match exactly when you get the real form. You don't want any discrepancies with the IRS.

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Mine finally showed up online today! Total was exactly what I calculated from my payment history. Now I can finally finish my taxes.

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Awesome! I'm going to check mine again right now. Fingers crossed it's there.

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Same here, been checking every morning. The suspense is killing me lol

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For anyone still waiting, I work at an accounting firm and we tell clients to wait until at least February 5th before panicking about missing 1099-Gs. The mail can be slow sometimes.

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That's reassuring coming from a professional. I was starting to stress about it.

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Good to know there's a professional timeline. I'll try to be more patient.

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UPDATE: Just checked my SAW account and my 1099-G is finally there! Shows $8,400 in benefits received last year. Now I can get my taxes done this weekend.

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Congrats! I should probably stop being lazy and actually check mine instead of just waiting for the mail.

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That gives me hope! Going to log in right now and see if mine posted too.

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PSA: Don't forget that if you received unemployment in multiple states, you'll get separate 1099-G forms from each state. Just in case anyone moved during the year.

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Good point! I worked in Oregon for a few months before moving back to Washington. Need to check with both states.

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I only got benefits from Washington ESD so I should just have one form to worry about.

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Anyone else having trouble logging into their SAW account? I keep getting an error message when I try to access my 1099-G.

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Try clearing your browser cache and cookies. The SAW website can be finicky sometimes.

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I had the same problem yesterday. Turns out my account was locked and I had to reset my password.

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The Claimyr service mentioned earlier actually helped me get through to Washington ESD when I had a similar login issue. Turns out there was a problem with my account that needed an agent to fix.

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Thanks for the suggestion! If I can't get it working today I might try that.

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Yeah, sometimes the technical issues need an actual person to resolve. Claimyr makes it so much easier to reach someone.

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FINAL UPDATE: Got my paper 1099-G in the mail today! Matches exactly what was online. Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice and reassurance.

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Glad it all worked out! This thread was really helpful for knowing what to expect.

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Perfect timing for tax season. Now we can all get our returns filed!

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