My tax person told me that they're STILL processing some of these refunds from last year! The IRS is so backed up it's ridiculous. I filed in February 2024 and didn't get my unemployment tax adjustment until November! You might still be in their system waiting to be processed.

Just to clarify one thing - the refund being discussed was for unemployment benefits received in 2024, not the refund itself. The American Rescue Plan excluded a portion of unemployment benefits from taxation for that tax year only. If you received unemployment in 2024 and had federal taxes withheld (or paid estimated taxes on it), and your AGI was under $150,000, you should have qualified. The IRS was supposed to automatically recalculate and issue refunds, but many people fell through the cracks. Definitely check your tax transcript first before taking any other steps.

I had this exact situation back in February. After weeks of trying to call with no success, I tried using Claimyr (the service someone mentioned above), and it actually worked. Got through to someone who told me my claim had a "pending review" status due to my former employer contesting the reason for separation. Once I talked to the agent, they removed the hold and I received all my backpay within 3 days. Definitely try to get through to a human - either through persistent calling, your state rep, or a service like that.

Just wanted to check back - were you able to make any progress with your claim? Sometimes if your work history includes multiple employers in your base period, that can also cause delays as they verify information with each one.

Just wanted to add one more thing - if your landlord is threatening eviction due to late rent, make sure to get documentation from NYSDOL about your pending payments. New York has temporary protection if you can prove you're waiting on unemployment funds. Ask the agent for a "Notice of Pending Unemployment Benefits" when you speak with them. You can present this to your landlord to potentially get more time.

UPDATE: I finally got through this morning! Called right at 8:00am like suggested and asked for a Tier 2 payment specialist. Had to wait about 25 minutes, but finally spoke to someone helpful. Turns out my account was flagged for "quarterly review" which they're doing to random accounts. The agent cleared the hold while I was on the phone and said I should see all three payments in my account within 2-3 business days. She also sent me the benefits notice documentation to show my landlord. Thanks everyone for your help!

When I was waiting for my waiver decision, I finally called and learned there was a problem they never notified me about. After struggling to get through on the phones, I used Claimyr to get connected to an agent in about 20 minutes. The agent discovered my application was missing a signature on page 3 (which I had no idea about). I resubmitted that day and had my approval within a week. Sometimes calling is the only way to find out what's really happening with your case. Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE to see how it works.

One final tip: if you do call, make sure to request that the agent documents the call in your case notes. This creates a paper trail showing you're actively following up. If you reach the 12-week mark with no resolution, you can escalate to a supervisor and reference your previous inquiries, which strengthens your case for expedited review.

One more important note: if you're using tax software to file your return, make sure you enter your 1099-G information correctly. The software should guide you through this, but many people make errors when entering unemployment compensation. The full amount from Box 1 of your 1099-G needs to be reported on Schedule 1 of your federal tax return, which then transfers to your Form 1040.

Thank you everyone for the help! Sounds like I definitely need to report the full amount from my 1099-G. I'm going to check if I can still set up withholding for my remaining benefits to avoid a bigger surprise next year. Not the news I was hoping for, but at least now I know what to expect.