Unemployment Insurance Agency Makes Jobless Benefit Statements Available Online

Agency: Unemployment Insurance Agency

The statements, called 1099-G or "Certain Government Payments," are prepared by UIA and report how much individuals received in unemployment benefits last year. They also detail how much in state and federal income taxes were deducted from a person's unemployment benefits, if the individual chose to have the taxes withheld. The 1099-G statements will be available online beginning February 1.

"Those who have established free online web accounts with the agency will be able to view and print their 1099-G statement from our website at www.michigan.gov/uia," said Steve Arwood, director of the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) and acting director of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). Click on "UIA Online Services for Unemployed Workers."

Those who wish to establish a free claim web account should visit the agency's website and select "UIA Online Services for Unemployed Workers." The online portal is available 24 hours a day from Monday through Saturday. Online users can view their benefits history, certify through MARVIN online, and communicate directly with the agency's Virtual Problem Resolution team with questions and concerns. For a quick tutorial on establishing a free claim web account, individuals should select the "Claim Portal-Online Services for Unemployed Workers" in the webcast section of the UIA website.

"Unemployment benefits are taxable, and those who received benefits will need these statements to prepare their 2012 state and federal tax returns," Arwood explained.

In addition to being able to access the 1099-G statements online, those who collected unemployment benefits during 2012 will receive a hard copy of the statements via U.S. mail at the end of January. 1099-G statements will be mailed beginning January 18 through January 28. Copies of the 1099-G forms are also sent to the IRS and the Michigan Department of Treasury.

Though the 1099-G statement reflects the total amount of benefits being paid, monies deducted from claims to repay a benefit overpayment or to fulfill a court order, such as Friend of the Court payments, are not included on the form. As a result, jobless workers may have received less than what is reported on the 1099-G. The agency encourages individuals with these types of deductions to consult with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to learn how these deductions affect their taxes and how to report them. 

For additional information, contact the Unemployment Insurance Agency by calling the UIA Customer Service Line at 1-866-500-0017.

For more information about LARA, please visit www.michigan.gov/lara

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