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don't overthink it just file the claim and see what happens. worst case you get denied and then you know where you stand. best case you get approved and have some income while you look for a new job
One more thing - when you file, make sure to include specific dates and details about your personal circumstances. Vague explanations don't help your case. Washington ESD wants to see that there were legitimate reasons for the attendance issues beyond your control.
I've been putting 25% of each unemployment payment into a separate savings account for taxes. Probably overkill but I'd rather have too much set aside than not enough.
Bottom line: treat unemployment like any other income for tax purposes. It gets added to your other income and taxed at your regular rates. Plan accordingly and don't let it surprise you at filing time.
One more thing about Claimyr since it came up - I was skeptical at first but it really did help me get through to Washington ESD when I had questions about my remaining benefit weeks. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person to understand your situation.
Bottom line: you get 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits in Washington. Use them wisely, file your weekly claims on time, document your job search, and don't procrastinate. The time goes faster than you think!
Chloe Robinson
The good news is that if this is your first time owing taxes, you probably won't get hit with underpayment penalties as long as you file and pay by the deadline or set up a payment plan.
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Dmitry Volkov
•That's reassuring. I was worried about getting penalized on top of everything else.
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Diego Flores
One thing to remember is that you can make estimated tax payments for next year if you expect to be in a similar situation. Might help avoid this stress again.
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Dmitry Volkov
•Hopefully I won't be unemployed next year, but that's good advice just in case.
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Anastasia Kozlov
•Even if you get a job, if you think you might have taxes withheld incorrectly, quarterly payments can help balance things out.
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