Weekly certification is standard. How much to put is difficult because as a self employed person profit is earnings, so you have to take costs out of the fees you earn. It is my understanding that to get the $600 benefit you have to get paid some amount of unemployment. So you can't earn enough to completely wipe out the basic unemployment. Again I could be wrong.

The Nebraska website, at least, was quite clear -- report your GROSS earnings.

Like you said, rules (and, may I add, clarity!) vary from state to state.

I got an email from Texas unemployment today stating my claim for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance has been processed and apparently approved. I filed several weeks ago using the regular unemployment form, for which I was denied. I looked at my online account and found I am approved for $207 a week in state disaster unemployment assisstance, the minimum amount, based on $0 wages for 2019. I filed a payment claim three days ago. I have not yet received any money, but that doesn't surprise me since I just got the email today. I am feeling a little more confident about getting the money soon.

This is an absolutely crazy situation. I applied for PUA on March 22nd right after the CARES act was signed. I just got my link here in Georgia to complete the PUA application last night. Georgia is partially reopening. But do they expect you to look for a different line of employment in order to continue receiving benefits? Now with oil prices dropping do they expect you to go get a job at a warehouse or something around others and risk exposing yourself to the virus in order to continue receiving benefits? How is this going to work?

I put on my application that I expected to be "called back to work" within 112 days.

Nebraska (and many other states) have waived the "looking for work" section during COVID19. Even so, they e-mailed me a list of 10 jobs available locally (9 were at the hospital), with a "suggestion" that I apply to five jobs a week.

Texas, of course, has its own rules.

Just do the best you can on the application, and be honest.

@ceasesmith wrote:

W-2 in Nebraska.

They deduct federal and state income taxes.

@bgriffin wrote:

PUA is only retroactive to when the CARES Act was signed I believe. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, I absolutely could be

Unemployment is 1099, not W-2.

W2 work relates to normal unemployment, not PUA. Some states may require you to apply and be denied for normal unemployment before they will consider you for PUA. But PUA is based on NON W2 work - 1099 / sched. C etc.only,

In normal times the only work considered by unemployment departments is W2 work so many forms are traditionally designed to quickly and efficiently weed out those who do not have W2 income. Typical first question (after name and address): What are your W2 wages and where did it come from? If you have nothing to enter, then it tells you to go away. PUA reverses this which means their typical easy screening question that has neem front an dcenter for decades no longer works. It will take some time for all the states to reflect this new logic in their processes. Allowing unemployment for self employed people is a 180 degree turn for unemployment.

It's federal law but the states administer the programs. The benefit amounts and minor details will vary state by state but major criteria like whether PUA considers W2 or 1099 / sched C will not because that's standardized in the federal law that creates PUA. More likely you're still looking at some form that doesn't yet reflect the new fundamental changes. They've had to make a lot of change really fast. They are bound to miss some hiding in corners.

@ceasesmith wrote:

I just checked the status of my claim. It says my "earnings" did not qualify me for unemployment. There wasn't any way at all to put in my application my self-employment income. There just wasn't any way at all to tell them, yes, I did make enough money to qualify. Nebraska wants you to earn at least $3,000 a quarter for at least 3 of the prior 4 quarters.

I clicked on "live chat", and it tells me there are 178 in line ahead of me, wait time is estimated to be 4,070 minutes, stay on the line, please.

How many days is that? ROTFLMFAO.

It really sounds like you're in the processing for standard unemployment, not PUA. Maybe they just don't have their process fixed up yet to show that alternate track for PUA.

An IC applying through the normal, standard unemployment system would be denied because there's no W2 income. And more importantly, there's no W2 employer's account to ding for the benefits you would receive. Standard unemployment is paid by employers you've worked for, not the government. Mostly...sort of...under ideal / normal conditions. PUA in contrast is flat out paid by the feds.

We may be discussing two different issues. Unemployment income is reported to you at the end of the year for tax purposes on a form 1099-G. Prior to the newest laws a few months ago, the benefit was based on W2 work only and if you were IC only, you got none. Now with the new laws to mitigate COVID-19 there are two flavors of unemployment. The traditional unemployment programs that consider W2 wages only remains, but the new category (PUA) pays out on IC income too.

At the end of the year, a 1099-G will be issued to show what a person was paid from either program, and will show any withholding that took place too.

@ceasesmith wrote:

W-2 in Nebraska.

They deduct federal and state income taxes.

@bgriffin wrote:

PUA is only retroactive to when the CARES Act was signed I believe. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, I absolutely could be

Unemployment is 1099, not W-2.

Quite right; I stand corrected. Well, I guess that means I won't get a W-2, so once again, won't qualify for the income tax shops next spring.

OTOH, there will be a lot of people with 1099-G ("other government benefits" ) income, and maybe I will be able to snag one of those high paying shops!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/2020 09:01AM by ceasesmith.

@F and L TeleComm wrote:

This is an absolutely crazy situation. I applied for PUA on March 22nd right after the CARES act was signed. I just got my link here in Georgia to complete the PUA application last night. Georgia is partially reopening. But do they expect you to look for a different line of employment in order to continue receiving benefits? Now with oil prices dropping do they expect you to go get a job at a warehouse or something around others and risk exposing yourself to the virus in order to continue receiving benefits? How is this going to work?

I was wondering the same thing, I'm high risk, and I put that in my comments for the work search that was supposed to be waived for FL though the process still made you put something in. Who knows? I think I got lost in the shuffle. Still waiting.

@mystery2me wrote:

I got an email from Texas unemployment today stating my claim for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance has been processed and apparently approved. I filed several weeks ago using the regular unemployment form, for which I was denied. I looked at my online account and found I am approved for $207 a week in state disaster unemployment assistance, the minimum amount, based on $0 wages for 2019. I filed a payment claim three days ago. I have not yet received any money, but that doesn't surprise me since I just got the email today. I am feeling a little more confident about getting the money soon.

I'm confused. I thought PUA was a flat rate of 600 a week for everyone no matter what we made as ic's/se people. I have no W2 income what so ever for 2019. I made 15k as an IC and wrote off the majority of it AGI as less than 4k, (will only owe less than 300 in SE taxes. I hope I get the whole 600. I'm behind on a lot of bills because of this situation that I want to catch up.

The $600 is on top of whatever you are awarded for your PUA claim. That will not change, but you must be awarded at least $1 for unemployment each week to qualify for the additional $600...and your state determines you actual claim amount.

The new MD online, one-stop claim center, for use by both Ics and W-2 employees opened this morning. According to the on site notice, the outside vendor that developed the new system is "experiencing technical issues." The site is closed until further notice BUT if you have filed and been told about any deadlines to complete further steps, like submitting additional information, those deadlines are waived.

Like another poster said, I provided Nebraska with copies of my 1099s.

They wanted proof of income, and I didn't have to file Nebraska state tax returns, so I just provided proof of my GROSS income. My net (due to write offs) would not qualify me for unemployment.

In Massachusetts I filled on Monday 20th, PUA 1099, got excepted Wednesday the 22nd. I filed my 2019 taxes in March. I will be receiving $267 per week for 39 weeks. The $600 is in addition from end of April until July2020.
Again I will let you know when my deposit is in. I am on SS, have a CPA who does my taxes, my 1099 was
$5,600 for 2019, 1099, not sure what matters. Independent contractor.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/2020 05:39PM by shopper8.

I think proof on income is going to be either 1099 or tax forms for most IC's. If you didn't get a 1099 but meet the threshold by compiling all shops together on your taxes, I think it may be wise to file now and not take the option of writing off 100% of your income for milage, like many shoppers do.

@ceasesmith wrote:

Like another poster said, I provided Nebraska with copies of my 1099s.

They wanted proof of income, and I didn't have to file Nebraska state tax returns, so I just provided proof of my GROSS income. My net (due to write offs) would not qualify me for unemployment.

Unfortunate I did file taxes and they say I'm monetarily ineligible because of my write offs on my schedule C. I only received 3 1099s. What did you use as proof of GROSS income?

I print out and keep digital copies of everything: bank deposits, check stubs (sometimes, I have to write this on the envelop the check came in!), PayPal deposits, fees, reimbursements, receipts, and bonuses. I have several 1099's, and I utilize other information to identify taxed and non-taxed revenue.

Your gross income is fee + bonus + any amount to be reimbursed. Your net income excludes bonuses, reimbursements, mileage, and any other relevant or permitted deductions that you happen to incur.

You can use your sassie shop logs (click the arrow at right to show each payment category) and the payment history in the other platforms. You can use your bank deposit and/or PayPal statements. You can use the same information as categories in your spreadsheet or ledger, if you have one.

@Rtstshel wrote:

@ceasesmith wrote:

Like another poster said, I provided Nebraska with copies of my 1099s.

They wanted proof of income, and I didn't have to file Nebraska state tax returns, so I just provided proof of my GROSS income. My net (due to write offs) would not qualify me for unemployment.

Unfortunate I did file taxes and they say I'm monetarily ineligible because of my write offs on my schedule C. I only received 3 1099s. What did you use as proof of GROSS income?

@Shop-et-al wrote:

I print out and keep digital copies of everything: bank deposits, check stubs (sometimes, I have to write this on the envelop the check came in!), PayPal deposits, fees, reimbursements, receipts, and bonuses. I have several 1099's, and I utilize other information to identify taxed and non-taxed revenue.

Your gross income is fee + bonus + any amount to be reimbursed. Your net income excludes bonuses, reimbursements, mileage, and any other relevant or permitted deductions that you happen to incur.

You can use your sassie shop logs (click the arrow at right to show each payment category) and the payment history in the other platforms. You can use your bank deposit and/or PayPal statements. You can use the same information as categories in your spreadsheet or ledger, if you have one.


I used my 1099s for proof of gross income. There were 5 uploads allowed, so i uploaded my 5 highest grossing 1099s.

@Rtstshel wrote:

@ceasesmith wrote:

Like another poster said, I provided Nebraska with copies of my 1099s.

They wanted proof of income, and I didn't have to file Nebraska state tax returns, so I just provided proof of my GROSS income. My net (due to write offs) would not qualify me for unemployment.

Unfortunate I did file taxes and they say I'm monetarily ineligible because of my write offs on my schedule C. I only received 3 1099s. What did you use as proof of GROSS income?

I used my 1099s as proof of gross income.

My logic was thus: They required me to provide my GROSS income for the one day I worked in March ($84.75); they were specific that no deductions were allowed. So I reported my gross 1099 income. I sent them copies of the 1099s.

I do NOT know if it will work. My SIL applied March 20; he has full-time W-2 employment, and has been laid off. He still has not heard if he will qualify. So it might be weeks and weeks before I hear anything.

I am in Tennessee and was determined not monetarily eligible. Once they reviewed my self employment documentation I was approved for $120 of regular unemployment and $600 from the CARES act.

The federal $600 is income-taxable, right? As ICs we (should) know how to handle that but I foresee a lot of W2 workers who will be caught off guard at tax time next year.

Awesome! Good to know some states have their act together.

@sestrahelena wrote:

The federal $600 is income-taxable, right? As ICs we (should) know how to handle that but I foresee a lot of W2 workers who will be caught off guard at tax time next year.

The $600 payment is specifically NOT taxable.

Wait, what? Unemployment benefits are generally taxable. Is there something in the CARES Act that excepts these?

It's not unemployment @panama18...it's a stimulus payment being administered by the unemployment office. The amount over $600 you get IS unemployment and would be taxed as such.

Yup. The special federal contribution will not be taxable.

Yes. State unemployment benefits are taxed. The CARES federal unemployment benefits are tax exempt. This is helpful for the people who need to stretch this money as far as possible in case they are out of work for many months, years, or forever. Some others might invest it and get a little richer, but... they can...

@panama18 wrote:

Wait, what? Unemployment benefits are generally taxable. Is there something in the CARES Act that excepts these?

The $1,200 stimulus payments are also tax-exempt....

@SteveSoCal wrote:

@sestrahelena wrote:

The federal $600 is income-taxable, right? As ICs we (should) know how to handle that but I foresee a lot of W2 workers who will be caught off guard at tax time next year.

The $600 payment is specifically NOT taxable.

Thank you for the correction! I must have read some faulty internet info somewhere (if you could even believe there is such a thing!) Or misunderstood something.