Despite the US being one of the most developed countries, thousands of people are still not employed. Lack of a sustainable source of money is challenging, esphecially this time when living standards have risen. With this in mind, the government saw it as very important to introduce unemployment benefits to those without jobs. It introduced unemployment benefits whereby beneficiaries receive them in their accounts. But what time does unemployment direct deposit hit your account?
If you are new to unemployment benefits, you must be very concerned about when you will be receiving your funds. In this article, you will know when you will be getting your money to sort your financial issues. You will be surprised to know that you do not need to have a bank or credit union account to receive such payments from the government as we have other financial institutions that accept direct deposits.
Having employment means self-employment or being employed by the government or private company to receive a periodical payment. That means you can pay various bills and have money for other financial needs. If you are a parent, you need money to pay school fees, purchase food, buy clothes for your children, pay for transport to work, fuel your vehicle, pay loans, and so on. You also need some amount of money to save for the future.
What is the unemployment benefit?
Unemployment benefits refer to a particular amount of money that the Unemployment Insurance (UI) pays to the unemployed. Usually, the beneficiaries receive weekly payments and are usually the eligible workers who become unemployed, not because of their fault. They also must meet other eligibility requirements to enter the beneficiaries’ list.
The Unemployment Insurance is jointly administered by the US Department of Labor and individual states. Each state comes up with its method for delivering the benefits, and you can learn more about the benefits at your State’s Unemployment Insurance website.
In most cases, beneficiaries get unemployment cards to receive their payments. The cards are debit cards that operate like other debit cards but can only be topped up by the concerned agency. Interestingly, it is possible to transfer money from an unemployment card to a bank account.
How to qualify for unemployment benefits?
You need to understand that not everyone unemployed qualifies for unemployment benefits. Most people laid off during the Covid’19 pandemic qualify for the program. You must meet some criteria, which include the following.
- Have earned sufficient wages during the base period.
- Should be totally or partially unemployed.
- Lack unemployment through no fault of your own.
- Have the ability to work.
- Should be available for work.
- Be ready to accept work immediately.
There are also weekly payments benefits whereby you should meet some requirements, including the following.
- Physically have the ability to work.
- Be available for work.
- Ready to accept work immediately.
When requesting the benefits, you only need to certify for the benefits by submitting your certification online, by phone, or by mail. You only need to log in to Benefit Programs Online and follow the guidelines in UI Online to finish the steps provided.
How to sign up for unemployment benefits?
Once you have met the qualifications, you can now sign up for the benefits. The first step is to create an account online at Unemployment Insurance. You can check their guidelines on how to set up your account. When opening your account, you require an identity document which you can verify online at ID.me by uploading a selfie and a photo of your ID to verify your identity.
The agency may require additional information. You will need to join a video call through ID.me and provide additional documents, including two primary documents or one primary and two secondary documents.
Primary documents include;
- Driver license (US or foreign)
- Passport or passport card (US or foreign)
- Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550 or N-570)
- Federal or State ID
- Veteran health ID card
- US Permanent Resident Card (I-551)
- Employment Authorization Card (I-766) issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
Secondary documents include;
- US health insurance card
- Social security card
- US birth certificate
- School documents (ID with a photograph, school record, report card)
- US voter registration card
- US citizen ID card (Form I-197)
- Border crossing card
- Native American tribal document
- Tribal-issued photo ID card
- Canadian Indian and Northern Affairs card
- US Coast Guard merchant mariner card
How to sign up for unemployment benefit direct deposit?
Once you have created your account successfully, you need to set up a direct deposit to receive your payments. You need to log in to your account online and;
- Tap on Unemployment Services.
- Hit on Update Your Personal Information.
- Select Update/Register for Direct Deposit
When registering for the service, you require your account and routing numbers of your bank or credit union. Additionally, you need to provide the financial company’s phone number and address. You can get these details from your online banking app or your checks.
If you do not have an account with any bank, you have to open one. You can even get an online bank account with an instant debit card with no deposit within seconds and use it for your application.
Apart from using your bank or credit union, you can also enroll for direct deposit using a mobile money wallet such as PayPal, Cash App, and Venmo, among others. The apps also have routing and account numbers. You can also set a direct deposit using your prepaid card.
How to receive unemployment benefits?
Once you create an account and set up how you want to receive your benefits, you only need to wait for your payments. You can get a notification when your funds are in your account if you set up alerts.
One can receive payments via direct deposit into a bank or credit union account. As I have just mentioned, mobile wallets such as Venmo, Cash App, and PayPal accept direct deposits. Another way you can receive your payments is by using a debit card.
Numerous advantages accompany debit cards. The cards are safe to use, help you to save check cashing fees since you only need to withdraw at an ATM, online account management, and alerts plus notifications about activities in your account.
What time does unemployment direct deposit hit your account?
After submitting your account and routing numbers, it can take about five business days for the agency to set up your direct deposit and send the payments electronically to your checking account. You can get your benefits three business days after claiming your weekly benefits if you have a debit card.
If you set up direct deposits with mobile money wallets, the funds reflect faster than banks. You can get your payments two days earlier and use them for your financial transactions.
How to get money out of my unemployment card
I mentioned that you could opt for an employment card instead of receiving your payments in your bank account if you can remember well. There is a need to understand how to get money off an unemployment card since not all the time will you need to buy goods and services using the card. Some of the ways you can obtain cash out of your card include the following.
1) Withdraw at an ATM
Since the cards allow you to use them at an ATM, you can withdraw money at various ATMs throughout the country. You need your PIN to authorize the transaction.
2) Transfer to a bank account
The cards allow you to transfer money to a bank account online. They usually have online banking options whereby you can download a suitable app, then manage your money online.
3) Withdraw over the counter
Most banks and credit unions allow one to withdraw money from their account over the counter. You need to visit your bank, then present your card together with your identity document, and the cashier will assist you in withdrawing money.
Can I receive unemployment benefits on my Netspend card?
Netspend card refers to a prepaid debit card that allows you to deposit and spend money online and in-store. You can use your card to apply for your unemployment benefit direct deposit. You can refer to the process of applying for direct deposit there.
Netspend is not a bank but allows you to do numerous financial transactions. For instance, you can deposit a check online using the platform’s application. But can I deposit a check on my Netspend card at the ATM? The simple answer to this query is that you cannot deposit a Netspend check at an ATM.
However, ATMs accept check deposits whereby after depositing it through the slot, the bank officials take and process it for money to enter your bank account.
Bottom line
Unemployment is a situation whereby someone lacks a source of money. Employment can mean self-employment or employment by the government or private firms. There are two main ways you can receive your unemployment benefits.
They include unemployment cards, direct deposit via bank or credit union, or mobile money wallet. You must create an account with the relevant office online in your state to get the benefits, then fill in your payment method.
