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How will the $600 increase in unemployment effect my taxes? Is it taxable income?

 
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How will the $600 increase in unemployment effect my taxes? Is it taxable income?

Yes all unemployment compensation including the $600 increase is taxable income. You may want to increase your withholding or pay estimated taxes to cover the increase in taxes, if any, from the total unemployment compensation. 

How will the $600 increase in unemployment effect my taxes? Is it taxable income?

Check and see if the state gives you a way to have tax withheld from your unemployment compensation.  Some states give you a way to do this---get busy on the unemployment site to see.  If you are not able to have tax withheld through the unemployment system you should look at paying some estimated tax ahead of next year.  Unemployment compensation is taxable income and you do not want a nasty surprise when you prepare your 2020 tax return.

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**
rjs
Level 15
Level 15

How will the $600 increase in unemployment effect my taxes? Is it taxable income?

It's too late to have tax withheld from unemployment benefits that you have already received. You can look into having tax withheld from future unemployment benefits. Depending on your state, you might be able to have extra tax withheld to make up for not having had tax withheld on the extra $600.


In some states (California is one), if you ask to have tax withheld from your unemployment benefits, they will withhold tax only on the regular state unemployment amount, not on the additional amount, which comes from the federal government. In such cases, the withholding will probably not be enough to cover the tax on the extra federal payment. The additional $600 from the federal government ended the last week of July. There are attempts underway to extend it, but probably not at the same amount.


Your unemployment benefits might also be taxable on your state income tax return. Some states tax unemployment and some don't. Check the rules for your state. If it is taxable, the entire amount, including the extra $600, will be taxable, so you might need to adjust your state withholding for the rest of the year, or make state estimated tax payments. All unemployment benefits are always taxable on your federal tax return.

 

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