Alaska Unemployment Calculator

Alaskan workers seeking unemployment compensation can use the Alaska unemployment benefits calculator to estimate their weekly benefit amount.

Calculate your estimated Alaska unemployment benefit by entering your gross wages below. Please note that this tool does not guarantee eligibility or compensation.

Alaska Unemployment Benefits Calculator

To estimate your weekly unemployment benefit amount, input the number of your dependents. Then input your gross income (before taxes and withholdings are taken out) for each calendar quarter.

Here are some examples of what you can expect:

• If you make $300 per week in Alaska, your estimated weekly benefit is $158 for up to 26 weeks.
• If you make $600 per week in Alaska, your estimated weekly benefit is $284 for up to 26 weeks.
• If you make $800 per week in Alaska, your estimated weekly benefit is $366 for up to 26 weeks.
• If you make $1000 per week in Alaska, your estimated weekly benefit is $370 for up to 26 weeks.
• If you make $1200 per week in Alaska, your estimated weekly benefit is $370 for up to 26 weeks.

Benefit amount and duration

Alaska unemployment benefits help workers who have become jobless through no fault of their own. The maximum weekly benefit amount in Alaska is $370, and the minimum is $56. Your claim is determined based on your gross wages (not net income) earned in the first four out of the last five completed calendar quarters from the date you file your claim. Be sure to count earnings before any deductions like the FICA tax.

If you don’t meet the eligibility criteria, your claim will be calculated using your wages from the last four completed calendar quarters from your filing date. The duration of benefits ranges from 16 to 26 weeks, depending on the amount and distribution of your base period wages.

How are Alaska UI benefits calculated?

The state of Alaska uses a formula to determine the Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA), which is the amount of money a person can receive each week in unemployment benefits.

The formula takes into account the person’s highest quarter earnings during the base period, which is usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters prior to the start of a claim.

The WBA is a percentage of the person’s average weekly wage during the base period, up to a maximum amount of $370.

Here are some examples of Alaska UI Weekly Benefit Amounts:

If your base period wages are $12,500, your benefit payment will be $136. If you have two dependent children, your payment increases to $184.

$136 + ($24 x 2) = $184

If your base period wages are $40,000, your benefit payment will be $356. If you have three dependent children, your payment increases to $428.

$356 + ($24 x 3) = $428

Keep in mind that you are calculating gross income, not net income. You don’t need to include income from Social Security or government assistance like SNAP benefits.

Dependent allowance

You may be eligible for an extra $24 per week per dependent child, up to a maximum of three children. A dependent is defined as your unmarried child, stepchild, legally adopted child, or court-appointed ward. The dependent must be under 18 years of age unless they have a long-term disability.

To receive the dependent allowance, your dependent must live with you, or you must provide over 50% of their support in the past 12 months. Be prepared to provide documentation to prove your eligibility for the dependent allowance.

What does WBA mean?

WBA stands for weekly benefit amount, which is the amount of money a person can receive in unemployment benefits each week. The WBA is determined by a person’s prior earnings during the base period.

What is a base period?

In Alaska, the last 18 months are used to determine your monetary eligibility for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. It’s determined by the wages you earned during that time in covered employment. There are two base periods that can be used to determine monetary eligibility: regular and alternate.

The regular base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters preceding the start of your new UI claim. If you don’t qualify for benefits under the regular base period, the alternate base period may be used.

The alternate base period is the last four completed calendar quarters before the start of your new claim. It allows for recently earned wages to be considered for monetary eligibility.

How long will I receive benefits?

You can receive up to 26 weeks of Alaska unemployment insurance benefits. The number of weeks is based on your earnings ratio.

Alaska Duration Table

To determine your earnings ratio, take your total base period wages and divide that number by the quarter in your base period that has the highest wages.

For example, if your total base period income was $20,000, and your highest quarter earnings was $6,000, then divide $20,000 by $6,000:

$20,000 / $6,000 = 3.33 earnings ratio

Based on the Alaska Duration Table, you would receive 24 weeks of unemployment compensation.

Here’s another example. Suppose you earned $29,000 in your base period, and your highest quarter was $7,500.

$29,000 / $7,500 = 3.87

With an income ratio of 3.87, you would qualify for the maximum 26 weeks of Alaska unemployment benefits.

Don’t forget to pay taxes

Alaska does not have state income tax, but you are required to pay federal income taxes. Unemployment payments are considered income and must be included on your federal tax return.

When it comes to your federal income tax return, it’s important to remember to report the full amount of benefits you received. The unemployment office will send you a 1099-G form which you can access online through your myAlaska account.

You can choose to have up to 10% of your benefits withheld for taxes. These settings can be changed by logging in to myAlaska. While it might be nice to have the Alaska UI office automatically deduct taxes for you, it can be risky. Any money withheld for taxes cannot be refunded, so use this option carefully.

Using the Alaska Unemployment Calculator

The Alaska unemployment calculator is a useful tool for estimating your weekly benefit amount. Sometimes mistakes happen and the Alaska unemployment office may send you the wrong payment. If it’s an overpayment, be sure to pay it back to avoid accusations of unemployment fraud. If you feel your payment is too low and a mistake has been made, you have the right to file an appeal and have your claim reviewed.

As you continue to file your biweekly claim to receive payments, keep in mind that any weekly income you earn can affect that week’s benefit amount. If you earn $50 or less, there will be no reduction in your benefits. However, there will be a 75-cent deduction for each dollar that you earn over $50. You must report your earnings in the week that you actually earn the wages, even if you have not yet been paid.