What Kind Of Card Does Unemployment Send You

What To Watch Out For

• You may pay a fee to cash your check if you dont do so at your bank
• Once deposited, it might take a few days before all your money is available for use

Remember, checks can take a few days to arrive so this may not be the best option if you need funds quickly. If you have your own bank or credit union account or prepaid card, you may be able to use a mobile banking app to capture an image of the check and have it deposited into these personal accounts. Otherwise, you may need to make a trip to a financial institution to cash or deposit it, but be aware that it may take a few days until all the money appears in your account and is available for you to use.

Understanding Unemployment: Your Guide To Getting Benefits

If filing for unemployment has you feeling confused, youre not alone. Weve put together a guide to help you learn how to file for unemployment, as well as understand changes you might see in the wake of COVID-19 . Things are changing fast, and were doing our best to stay up to date.

This guide is for informational purposes only. Chime does not provide financial, legal, or tax advice. You should check with your legal, financial, or tax advisor for advice specific to your situation. Your state or local unemployment agency is responsible for making all determinations on your eligibility for unemployment benefits. Please contact your state or local unemployment agency if you have questions.

Can I Use My Debit Card At Gas Stations

You may be required to have your debit card balance verified before making purchases at certain retail establishments such as gas stations. This is the policy of these establishments to ensure purchasers have adequate funds on their debit cards to cover desired purchases. This might prevent you from using the pay-at-the-pump feature at gas stations, but you will still be able to use your card to purchase gasoline at these establishments by simply taking your card to the cashier for verification.

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How Will I Know When Money Has Been Deposited Into By Account

You may choose to receive electronic notification that funds have been deposited into your account. You can request the notification to come via telephone or email. You may request telephone notification using the IVR at the time you activate your card or at any time after card activation. Follow the prompts to set up your phone notification preference. For email notification of deposits to your account, go to Set up your web ID and password and enter your email address. Each time a deposit is made on your account you will receive an email notification. Funds are available for withdrawal at 5:00PM the day they are deposited into your account.

How Money Gets Loaded Onto Your Debit Card

Q: How will I know when funds are loaded to my card?You may self-enroll in optional text or email alerts to inform you when funds are added to your account and when you have a low or negative balance. To enroll in the alerts, login to your account on the Key2Benefits.com website.

Q: Can I load money onto my card?No. Only the Employment Security Department can add funds to your debit card.

Q: Who should I contact if I have questions about the amount loaded on my card?If you question the amount loaded on to your card, you should call the ESD claims center at 800-318-6022 . KeyBank cant answer questions about how much you should have received in benefits.

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Sign Up For Direct Deposit Or Receive A Reliacard

Due to potential fraud, U.S. Bank has started freezing Reliacards believed to have been involved in identity theft.

If yours has been incorrectly frozen, please contact U.S. bank. If you believe you are a victim of UI fraud please report it here.

First Payment

For all new claims, the first payment is usually sent by paper check.

Payment options

The Employment Department pays benefits electronically either by a U.S. Bank ReliaCard® Visa debit card or direct deposit. If you dont apply for direct deposit, you will be sent a ReliaCard®.

Direct deposit

With direct deposit, we electronically transfer your weekly benefit payment into your checking or savings account at your bank, credit union, or savings and loan. To apply for direct deposit you will need your routing and account numbers.

To apply:

• Use the Online Claim System and select electronic deposit,” or
• Print the Authorization for Electronic Deposit Form and send it to us. Note: Due to our current workload, mailing or faxing these forms to us will delay your direct deposit. Using the Online Claim System is the quickest way to receive direct deposit.

What Is The Different Between Transfer By Phone And Direct Deposit

You must call to initiate the transfer each time you would like to transfer funds by phone. With each transfer you must specify the amount you would like transferred. Direct deposit programs generally only allow you to set up the deposit for certain amount, which will repeat on its own. Indiana does not offer direct deposit for unemployment insurance claimants. Indiana does offer the option of funds transfer by phone.

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Will Use Of The Visa Debit Card Hurt My Credit Rating

No. Your card will be a prepaid Visa Debit Card, not a credit card. You will only be able to spend the amount that is stored on the card. You will not be able to purchase anything with your card that you do not currently have the funds in your account to cover. Use of the Visa Debit Card will have no effect on your credit rating.

Ways To Receive Unemployment Benefits

Here are the most common ways to receive your unemployment insurance benefits:

Check the website of your states unemployment office because the options and processes for signing up can vary, and due to the coronavirus, it may be difficult to reach a customer service representative for additional support.

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Other Debit Card Considerations

Checking purchases: The back of your debit card should include a customer service number as well as a website address. These services can provide you with statements that show you your recent purchases.

Minimizing fees: Some debit card companies, including those contracted by state unemployment departments, charge fees for certain activities, such as using an ATM or taking advantage of bill pay services. Make sure you understand these fees before you use your card, as well as ways that you can minimize or avoid fees entirely:

Tip

An alternative to an unemployment debit card is to request your benefits via direct deposit into a checking or savings account. There are usually no fees associated with the direct deposit, and you won’t have to worry about ATM limits, or finding a no-fee ATM when accessing your funds.

References

Transferring Balances To Your Bank Account

You can electronically transfer funds directly from your ReliaCard to your personal bank account by using the ReliaCard web site at www.usbankreliacard.com. See the U.S. Bank fee schedule for all applicable fees and transaction limitations.

If you want TWC to deposit your benefits directly into your personal checking or savings account at no charge, log on to Unemployment Benefits Services and select Payment Option. For information about direct deposit, go to Receiving benefit payments by direct deposit.

Although U.S. Bank does not charge for this service, standard messaging charges apply through your mobile carrier, and message frequency depends on your account settings.

You can manage your account using your smart phone with the ReliaCard Mobile Banking app to check your account balance, enroll in and manage text alerts, view your most recent transactions, or search for the nearest in-network ATM location. Search for U.S. Bank ReliaCard in the App Store or Google Play. The U.S. Bank ReliaCard Mobile App is free to download. Your mobile carrier may charge access fees depending on your individual plan. Check with your carrier for specific fees and charges.

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Ive Applied When Will I Receive My Unemployment Benefit

It typically takes 2-3 weeks for the government to process your application. Given the large amount of unemployment claims filed, many states are experiencing delays. If you have the option, we recommend direct depositing your unemployment benefits, so you wont be stuck otherwise waiting for the unemployment prepaid card to arrive in the mail.

Options For Receiving Unemployment Compensation

When you file for unemployment, you will be advised of the different options available for receiving benefits. Most states no longer issue paper checks because it is far less expensive to process benefits electronically.

In the states that have gone electronic, options for receiving unemployment benefits include having a direct deposit transferred straight to your bank account or having your benefits added to a bank debit card. For example, in Connecticut, claimants have two options for payment: direct deposit or a debit card.

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I Tried To Withdraw My Full Account Balance From An Atm Or Teller And Was Denied Because Of Insufficient Funds Why

After you have used your one free ATM or Visa bank teller withdrawal per deposit you will be charged $2.10 for additional teller transactions or $1.05 for additional ATM transactions. When you make these transactions after your one free transaction, the card processing system will add that fee to the amount you want to withdraw. So if you try to withdraw $100 at a teller and your balance is $100, the system will try to withdraw $102.10, which will result in an insufficient funds situation. To avoid this, try to withdraw $2.10 less than your total balance or $1.05less . This will prevent your transaction from being denied due to insufficient funds.

How Do I Get A Chip Debit Card

Bank of America is sending chip cards to new claimants starting July 25, 2021. If you already have a debit card, it will be replaced with a chip card when it expires.

If your card has been lost or stolen, you must contact Bank of America at 1-866-692-9374 .

If your card is damaged, you can order a replacement card online by visiting the Bank of America debit card website.

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Are My Unemployment Benefits Taxable

Yes, unemployment benefits may be taxable. You may have to pay federal income taxes and state income taxes, depending on your state.

States that currently waive income taxes on unemployment include California, Montana, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Additionally, seven states Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wyoming do not levy any state income taxes. Check with your state to find out more details.

How Can I Track My Unemployment Debit Card In The Mail

Your state’s unemployment website will inform you of when you can expect to receive your debit card. This can take a few weeks after you file your claim, so it’s a good idea to be careful with your budget until your card arrives. States typically use standard mail to send your card, so no tracking is available.

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Two Options For Receiving Benefits

• The Unemployment Insurance Agency offers two options for receiving unemployment benefit payments. Claimants may choose to receive their benefits through a prepaid debit card, once they have read the pre-acquisition disclosures, or by direct deposit into their savings or checking account. Claimants must provide the necessary information to set up one of these two payment options in order to receive their benefit payments.

  To use the direct deposit option, claimants must have an existing account with a U.S. financial institution. Benefits may be deposited into either a checking or savings account. Claimants will need their account number and the nine-digit routing number for their financial institution. Once the Direct Deposit option is set up, unemployment benefits will be electronically deposited into the claimant’s checking or savings account.

Debit Card Tracking Link

Waiting on your new ReliaCard®? You can track the status of your ReliaCard® using U.S. Banks Check My Card Status. Use Card Tracker to:

• Find out if your card is in production
• Find out if it has been mailed
• View the date your card was mailed
• Find out if U.S. Bank has received the enrollment request from TWC.

To use Card Tracker, select the Card Tracker icon on U.S. Banks ReliaCard website: www.usbankreliacard.com. On the Check My Card Status page, select Texas Workforce Commission from the Select your Program drop-down menu, enter your date of birth and Social Security number in the marked fields, then select submit. Card Tracker is available on U.S. Banks website and on the mobile app.

U.S. Bank will also email you when they create your account to let you know they will be mailing your card soon IF your email address is on file with TWC. Make sure to update your contact information with TWC to include your email address if you want U.S. Bank to notify you about your new card.

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Getting Cash From Unemployment Cards

You have three options for getting cash from your debit card. The first is to visit an ATM and withdraw your money using your PIN. The second is to bring your card to a bank and ask the teller to either transfer cash from your card to your bank account or give you the cash directly. The third option is to make a purchase at a store that offers cash-back at checkout.

Check Your Transaction Disputes Status

Track the status of your transaction disputes on the ReliaCard Cardholder Services Line at 800-657-6343. If you have filed a transaction dispute within the past 120 days, the phone services line will offer you the option of receiving an update on your dispute. Depending on the status, you will hear one of the following messages:

• Open We received your claim and are starting our investigation. Please submit your dispute form back to us if you have not already provided.
• Pending We are in the process of investigating your dispute pending more information or documentation.
• Closed We have completed our investigation and your case is resolved.

Note: If you have submitted multiple transactions disputes within the past 120 days, you will be transferred to an agent when you select the update option.

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Why Can I Perform A Free Transaction At Certain Banks But Not At Those Banks Atms

You get 1 free bank transaction each time a deposit is made on your card. This free transaction can be EITHER an ATM transaction or a bank teller transaction, but these transactions are only free if they are made at certain banks. The same bank that offers a free teller transaction may not offer a free ATM withdrawal. Free transactions can be made at the following locations:Free ATM withdrawal only at the following locations:

Free bank teller transaction only at the following locations: ANY Visa Member bank IMPORTANT: You can only get a free ATM withdrawal at the above listed ATMs. If you are using a Visa Member bank that is not one of the banks listed above , only bank teller transactions will be free, not ATM transactions.

How Unemployment Debit Cards Work

After you sign up for benefits, your card will be mailed to you. Once it’s received, you will need to activate it and set up a PIN in order for it to receive funds from the government. You’ll receive your funds according to a schedule determined by your local unemployment office.

If your state unemployment office provides a debit card, it will work just like any other bank debit card. You will be able to withdraw cash at an ATM machine of your choice and use your card for purchases at stores.

You can also pay bills with your debit card. For example, you may be provided with a Chase Visa card, a KeyBank debit card, a Bank of America Mastercard, or another bank-issued card. When you use your card, it wont be apparent to the department store or your dry cleaner that its an unemployment payment card. Your card will be similar to a personal debit card.

In addition, you may be able to transfer funds from your unemployment debit card directly to your bank account via a direct deposit transfer if you want to pay your monthly bills that way. Check with your local bank to see if they provide this service.

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If I Want To Utilize The State Issued Debit Card What Must I Do

A state issued unemployment debit card is automatically mailed to you after filing your first initial unemployment compensation claim, along with information telling you how to activate the card and select a four digit PIN number. Once you activate the card, you can access available funds.

If you enrolled for direct deposit and want to change back to the unemployment debit card, contact your local office to tell them you want to use the debit card as your method of payment.