Delaware Unemployment Calculator
The Delaware unemployment calculator helps you estimate how much you might receive in unemployment benefits. By entering details such as past wages and work history, you can get a better idea of your potential weekly benefit amount.
Delaware Unemployment Benefits Calculator
How are Delaware unemployment benefits calculated?
Your weekly benefit amount (WBA) depends on what you earned during a specific time called the base period.
Your WBA will be 1/46th of the earnings from your two best quarters during your base period.
If you were employed full time during those four quarters, your WBA will be slightly over half of your average weekly earnings, but not more than the set maximum amount.
In Delaware, the most you can receive is $400 per week, and the least you can receive is $20 per week.
Here a few examples of what you can expect:
- If you make $200 per week in Delaware, your estimated weekly benefit is $113 for up to 26 weeks.
- If you make $300 per week in Delaware, your estimated weekly benefit is $169 for up to 26 weeks.
- If you make $800 per week in Delaware, your estimated weekly benefit is $400 for up to 26 weeks.
- If you make $1000 per week in Delaware, your estimated weekly benefit is $400 for up to 26 weeks.
- If you make $1500 per week in Delaware, your estimated weekly benefit is $400 for up to 26 weeks.
What is a base period?
Your Base Period is the 1st four of the last five completed calendar quarters. Earnings during your base period are used in two ways: to determine eligibility for UI benefits, and to calculate your weekly benefit amount if you qualify.
You must have been paid at least 36 times your weekly benefit amount by a covered employer during your base period to qualify for benefits. If you are deemed ineligible, you have the right to file an appeal.
Alternate base period
If you don’t have sufficient wages during your base period, an alternative base period may be used. The alternate base period is the four most recent calendar quarters before you applied for Delaware unemployment benefits.
How long can I collect Delaware unemployment insurance benefits?
The number of weeks you can collect Delaware UI compensation is based on your total earnings in your entire base period. You’ll receive a total amount equal to half of your base period earnings or 26 times your weekly benefit amount, whichever is less.
Issues that can affect your payment
There are a few issues that can affect your payment.
Earning income
You are allowed to work and still collect unemployment compensation, up to a point. You can earn half of your weekly benefit amount without any decrease in your payment.
If you earn more than that, the extra is taken from your benefit dollar for dollar. For instance, if your weekly benefit is $100, you can earn $50 that week without losing any of your unemployment benefit. However, any amount over $50 is deducted from your benefit.
Child Support
If you owe child support, some money might be deducted from your unemployment insurance benefits to cover it. If you have any questions about this deduction, call the Division of Child Support Enforcement at (302) 577-7171.
Pensions and other benefits
Certain types of payments you receive can affect your weekly benefit amount. When filing your weekly claim, you must report all payments to avoid issues with Delaware unemployment fraud. This includes pensions, disability payments, Workers’ Compensation, and more.
Payments to report include, but are not limited to:
- Military retirement pensions
- Railroad retirement annuities
- Benefits derived from IRAs and Keogh plans
- Union pensions
- Private employer pensions
- Short term or long term disability payments
- Workers’ Compensation
- Federal civil service pensions, including disability retirement pensions
- State and local government pensions
- Military disability retirement pensions
Receiving your payment
You can choose to receive your UI benefits through direct deposit or debit card. When you first apply for UI benefits, you will be asked to choose a payment option. If you don’t pick one, you’ll automatically get the Debit Card. If Direct Deposit is stopped, the Debit Card option will be used.
Do I need to pay taxes on my Delaware unemployment benefits?
Yes, the unemployment insurance benefits you get are subject to state and federal taxes.
You can choose to have 10% of your benefits withheld for federal taxes. At the end of the year, you’ll get a Form 1099-G that tells you how much you were paid in benefits and what was taken out for taxes. The IRS gets this information too. At this time, you are unable to have any state taxes deducted from your weekly compensation.
You are responsible for paying taxes on your benefits when you file your federal and state income tax returns. You will receive Form 1099-G at the end of January which summarizes your UI benefit earnings, and the IRS also gets a copy.