Kokua Line: Will I get a tax form for my unemployment benefits?

Question: Will the state notify me of the total amount of my unemployment benefits for tax purposes? Does it depend on what type of program I was? I was only unemployed for about two months last year and I don’t understand the procedures well.

Responnse: The state will mail a Form 1099-G by January 31 to each person who received UI and / or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance in Hawaii in the 2021 calendar year , according to the unemployment division of the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

In addition to people who received regular unemployment insurance or PUA, this group also includes those who received extended benefits, emergency unemployment benefit in the event of a pandemic, federal unemployment benefit in the event of a pandemic, and a assistance for loss of wages. Form 1099-G will include the amount of benefits paid, income taxes withheld (if applicable), and other information needed to file your federal and state income tax returns. Unemployment benefits are subject to federal and state income tax.

If you want to get the information out of your 1099-G sooner than that, you should be able to view it in your UI account online around Jan. 18, the UI division said in a notice posted on its website. “Log into your online account (at uiclaims.hawaii.gov) and select ‘Claim Request’ from the main menu. Then select “Show 1099 Info,” he says.

On a related note, the state’s online unemployment filing system is expected to be shut down from 4 p.m. today through Monday, for scheduled maintenance, according to an alert from DLIR. It was not clear what time he is expected to be back on Monday.

Q: Lately I’ve seen people wear two of these blue surgical masks at the same time. Does it help?

A: No, the disposable masks you’re referring to aren’t designed to fit properly, and wearing more than one at a time won’t improve the fit, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People shouldn’t combine two of these types of masks to deter COVID-19, he says. They could wear a surgical-type disposable mask under a multi-layered fabric mask, he says, which would push the edges of the inner mask against the face.

To answer another reader’s question, the CDC says not to combine a more fitted KN95 mask with another mask. “Only use one KN95 mask at a time,” he says.

Q: Is it too late to go homeschooling for the rest of the school year?

A: No, not according to the information published on the website of the State Department of Education. “Home schooling can begin as soon as the 4140 form or the signed letter of intent is sent to the neighborhood school,” he says. Form 4140 (Exceptions to Compulsory Education) allows the parent or guardian to specify when home education would begin. Learn more at 808ne.ws/does.

Auwe

The water crisis in Red Hill is forcing thousands of affected households to drink bottled water. Single-use plastics degrade Hawaii’s fragile environment. Marine debris is a plague, and single-use plastic water bottles are a major source. Some might view this as a minor concern given the gravity of the overall situation at Red Hill, but this issue deserves attention as well. – A reader

Mahalo

Mahalo to Mr. Lee, who so graciously helped me find my way to the Queen’s POB2 building after missing my usual cut on the freeway and had to stop to ask for directions to get back on track. Not only did he give me clear instructions, he also insisted that I drive there and follow him! Thanks to his kindness and generosity, I was able to get my husband to his doctor’s appointment safely and on time. We are both so grateful. – The crazy Kupuna of the country

Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or send an email to kokualine@staradvertiser.com.