Texas unemployment insurance pays between $70 and $901 per week, depending on your recent earnings history

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) calculates your weekly benefit amount based on the wages you earned during a specific 12-month period called the base period. The state does not use a flat rate or a percentage of your former salary. Instead, TWC looks at your highest-earning quarter in that base period and divides it by 25 to arrive at your weekly amount.

The $70 minimum and $901 maximum are set by state law and change only when the legislature votes to adjust them. Your actual payment falls somewhere in that range unless you earned so little that you fall below the minimum or so much that you hit the maximum. Most people receive somewhere between $200 and $500 per week, but this varies widely based on what you were paid.

You receive this amount for up to 26 weeks in a standard benefit year, though the number of weeks available can extend during periods of high unemployment. The payment arrives by debit card (the default method) or by check if you request it.

Key Takeaways

  • Your weekly amount is calculated from your highest-earning quarter in the past 12 months, divided by 25, and capped at $901 per week.
  • The minimum payment is $70 per week; if your calculation falls below that, you receive $70 instead.
  • You can receive benefits for up to 26 weeks in a standard benefit year, though extensions may be available during high unemployment.
  • TWC sends payment by debit card unless you request a check, and you must certify your continued joblessness every two weeks to keep receiving it.
  • Your base period is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file, but TWC can use an alternate base period if you earned little during the standard one.

How TWC Calculates Your Weekly Amount

The calculation starts with identifying your base period. For most people filing in 2024 or 2025, this is the first four completed calendar quarters of the previous year. If you file in March 2024, your base period is January through December 2023. If you file in September 2024, your base period is January through December 2023. The base period does not change based on when you file within a calendar year—it is always the same four quarters for everyone filing in that year.

Once TWC identifies your base period, they look at which quarter you earned the most money. They take that highest quarter's total wages and divide by 25. That number is your weekly benefit amount, before the minimum and maximum are applied. If the result is less than $70, you receive $70. If it is more than $901, you receive $901.

Example: If your highest quarter was Q2 2023 and you earned $15,000 that quarter, TWC divides $15,000 by 25, which equals $600 per week. You would receive $600 per week (assuming you meet all other requirements). If your highest quarter was $1,800, the calculation gives $72, which rounds up to the $70 minimum. If your highest quarter was $23,000, the calculation gives $920, which is capped at the $901 maximum.

The Alternate Base Period and When It Applies

If you earned very little during the standard base period—or if you were not working at all during that time—you may have the option to use an alternate base period. This is the most recent four completed calendar quarters, which shifts back one quarter from the standard base period.

You do not request the alternate base period yourself. TWC reviews your earnings automatically when you file. If your standard base period earnings are too low to support a claim, TWC will check whether the alternate base period would give you a higher amount. If it does, they use the alternate base period instead. This matters most if you changed jobs recently, returned to work after a long absence, or had a major pay increase late in the year.

The alternate base period is not always better. If you were unemployed for part of the standard base period but working steadily in the alternate base period, the alternate might actually lower your amount. TWC uses whichever gives you the higher weekly benefit.

How Many Weeks of Benefits You Receive

Texas law sets the maximum duration at 26 weeks per benefit year. A benefit year runs for 52 weeks starting from the week you file your claim. You do not automatically receive all 26 weeks—you receive them only if you remain jobless and continue to certify every two weeks that you are still looking for work and have not earned more than the allowed amount.

During periods when the state unemployment rate is very high, the federal government may fund extended benefits that add additional weeks beyond the 26-week state maximum. These extensions are not automatic and depend on economic conditions. When they are available, TWC notifies claimants and explains how to access them. Extended benefits have been rare in recent years but were common during the 2020 pandemic recession.

If you return to work and then lose your job again within the same benefit year, you do not get a fresh 26 weeks. Your remaining weeks from the original claim continue to count down. You would need to file a new claim after your benefit year ends (52 weeks from your original filing date) to start a new 26-week period.

Earnings Limits and How Work Affects Your Payment

You can work part-time and still receive unemployment benefits, but your earnings reduce your weekly payment. TWC allows you to earn up to one-third of your weekly benefit amount without any reduction. Anything you earn above that one-third is subtracted dollar-for-dollar from your benefit.

Example: If your weekly benefit is $600, you can earn up to $200 per week without any reduction. If you earn $300 that week, the extra $100 ($300 minus the $200 allowed) is subtracted from your $600 benefit, leaving you with $500 for that week. If you earn $700 in a week, you lose the entire $600 benefit for that week because your earnings exceed your benefit amount.

You report your earnings when you certify every two weeks. If you do not report them, TWC will discover the discrepancy through employer wage records and may require you to repay benefits you were not may have access to to. Reporting honestly is faster and simpler than dealing with an overpayment later.

When Your Payment Starts and How You Receive It

There is a one-week waiting period before you receive your first payment. This means if you file on a Monday, your first week of joblessness does not generate a payment. Your first payment covers the second week of your claim and arrives by the following Friday (or the following week, depending on processing time). After that, you certify every two weeks, and payments arrive within three to five business days of certification.

TWC deposits payments onto a debit card issued by the state's payment processor. You can use this card like any other debit card to withdraw cash or make purchases. If you prefer a paper check instead, you can request this when you file or by contacting TWC, but checks take longer to arrive and are less common now.

If you have questions about a specific payment or need to update your banking information, you can log into your TWC account online or call the TWC customer service line. Wait times are often long, especially early in the week or during high-volume periods.

Taxes and What You Take Home

Unemployment benefits are taxable income at the federal level. Texas does not have a state income tax, so you owe federal tax only. TWC does not automatically withhold federal tax from your benefits—you receive the full amount and are responsible for paying tax when you file your annual return.

Many people are surprised by this when they file taxes the following year. If you received $15,000 in unemployment benefits over 26 weeks, you will owe federal income tax on that $15,000. The amount depends on your total income for the year and your filing status. You can request that TWC withhold 10 percent of your benefits for federal tax, which reduces your weekly payment but also reduces what you owe at tax time.

If you expect to owe a large amount, consider setting aside a portion of each payment or requesting withholding. The IRS can impose penalties and interest if you owe tax and do not pay it by the important date.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get more than $901 per week if I earned a lot before I lost my job?

No. Texas law sets $901 as the absolute maximum weekly benefit, regardless of how much you earned. This limit applies to everyone. If your calculation based on your highest quarter exceeds $901, you receive $901 and nothing more.

What if I was laid off partway through a quarter—does that quarter still count?

Yes. TWC uses the full quarter's earnings, even if you were only employed for part of it. If you earned $8,000 in January and February before being laid off in March, that quarter counts as $8,000 toward your base period. The calculation does not adjust for partial quarters.

Do I get paid for the week I file my claim?

No. There is a one-week waiting period, so your first payment covers the second week of your claim. This is standard in Texas and most states. You do not receive payment for the first week you are jobless.

If I get a job but lose it again within a few months, do I start over with 26 weeks?

Not automatically. If you are still within your original 52-week benefit year, your remaining weeks continue from where you left off. You would need to file a new claim after your benefit year ends to receive a fresh 26 weeks. However, if you worked long enough to earn new wages, you may be may have access to to a new claim with a higher benefit amount based on your new earnings.

What happens if TWC overpays me by mistake?

You are responsible for repaying any benefits you were not may have access to to, even if the overpayment was TWC's error. TWC will notify you of the overpayment and offer a repayment plan. If you disagree with the overpayment information, you can request a hearing before an administrative law judge. It is important to respond to any notice from TWC rather than ignoring it.