Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Well I am officially on unemployment now and it was too easy to apply and submit my first claim for benefits. It took me about 10 minutes to apply and two minutes to do my first on line claim. Here is my question:
Now that I am on jobless benefits I need additional income to survive. I went on Craigslist and applied to participate in a couple of market research studies where I will be part of a focus group discussing consumer products. In the first study this week, I will be paid $150 in CASH to talk about health insurance, and the second study next week I will be paid $125 to talk about financial planning. In both cases I will be paid a CASH gratuity. I will be have taxes taken out or be given a 1099. They know who I am but are not reporting anything to the government.
How should this CASH gratuity payments impact my VA unemployment claim?
I believe research studies fall under paid wages (working)
and if they do your unemployment benefits maybe reduced. Working anything at all while on unemployment does not necessarily turn out well. Many have seen their benefits reduced and even delayed by declaring this income to unemployment. The service you are using has to provide you with a 1099 if they pay you more than $600/yr and they don't always. I made much more than $600/yr from one freelance job and the person never sent a 1099 to me but I still claimed the income on my taxes. Be careful!
Those are focus groups, and I also do them on occasion. You won't be getting a 1099, so don't worry about it. Depending on the company, you get either cash/check in an envelope, or a pre-paid Visa/Mastercard.
I've gotten several pre-paid cards, and one check. I'm also on unemployment, and I don't list it as income.
Of course, report the income. It may or may not affect future benefits. 1099 income is not used to establish claim eligibility unless your employer has a history of abusing 1099 to circumvent taxes.
This might interest others posting on this thread - note the author:
Well I am officially on unemployment now and it was too easy to apply and submit my first claim for benefits. It took me about 10 minutes to apply and two minutes to do my first on line claim. Here is my question:
Now that I am on jobless benefits I need additional income to survive. I went on Craigslist and applied to participate in a couple of market research studies where I will be part of a focus group discussing consumer products. In the first study this week, I will be paid $150 in CASH to talk about health insurance, and the second study next week I will be paid $125 to talk about financial planning. In both cases I will be paid a CASH gratuity. I will be have taxes taken out or be given a 1099. They know who I am but are not reporting anything to the government.
How should this CASH gratuity payments impact my VA unemployment claim?
It is CRIMINAL to not report every dollar you earn while on unemployment.
Don't you have 7 threads you started about the unemployed and how they milk the system?
The only thing you don't need to report is gambling winnings. I called when I won and they said it was my money and I was free to do what I wanted to do with it.
Well I am officially on unemployment now and it was too easy to apply and submit my first claim for benefits. It took me about 10 minutes to apply and two minutes to do my first on line claim. Here is my question:
Now that I am on jobless benefits I need additional income to survive. I went on Craigslist and applied to participate in a couple of market research studies where I will be part of a focus group discussing consumer products. In the first study this week, I will be paid $150 in CASH to talk about health insurance, and the second study next week I will be paid $125 to talk about financial planning. In both cases I will be paid a CASH gratuity. I will be have taxes taken out or be given a 1099. They know who I am but are not reporting anything to the government.
How should this CASH gratuity payments impact my VA unemployment claim?
Applying and being accepted are two different things. If you've actually been accepted and have directions to where the studies will be held, you'll be paid. If you apply and never hear back from them, you haven't been accepted. Lots of people are doing these studies these days.
The only thing you don't need to report is gambling winnings. I called when I won and they said it was my money and I was free to do what I wanted to do with it.
Since the post I have done lots of research into the whole topic of unemployment benefits and income. Some States on their home page for the unemployment office actually say that gambling winnings are to be deducted from unemployment compensation. And even if you get $25 from your mother to clean your room you have to report it!
It is CRIMINAL to not report every dollar you earn while on unemployment.
Don't you have 7 threads you started about the unemployed and how they milk the system?
Exactly. Workaholic has been bashing the unemployed on this forum. Yet workaholic is posting about his wife committing fraud by not reporting earnings while still connecting unemployment benefits.
Yet workaholic is quick to bash someone that is spending 8 hrs a day looking for work while struggling to pay all their bills while legitimately collecting unemployment. Workaholic has many posts that purposely make unemployed folks feel like complete losers. He is quick to comment that the government needs to cut unemployment benefits. Yet he says his wife is committing fraud on the same benefits.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
