Have questions about 2020 taxes on your unemployment? Kansas sets up new phone line
Kansans who have questions about their 2020 taxes because they received unemployment benefits last year will be able to ask them through a new state call center beginning Monday.
The Kansas Department of Labor will open a specialized phone line for tax-related questions as the agency prepares and mails IRS Form 1099-Gs, which are sent annually to people who received unemployment benefits in that calendar year.
The form shows the total amount of unemployment benefits someone collected in a year. It will also show any state or federal income taxes withheld, if elected.
The new call center number is 785-575-1461. The phone line will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
In addition to the phone line, the Amelia chatbot on the labor department’s website will also be updated to take questions related to 2020 taxes.
People expecting a Form 1099-G should receive it in the mail by Sunday. The state will mail the form to the address it has on file. If someone has not received the form and believes they should have, they can request a copy online after Monday.
The state labor department says it is unable to withhold taxes from unemployment benefits without the person’s permission.
“We recognize that this could be problematic to claimants who have not withheld taxes from their 2020 benefits,” the agency said in a news release. “If claimants did not withhold taxes, they may receive a higher than expected tax notice in 2020.”
If you believe your tax form has incorrect information on it, you can also call the new phone line at 785-575-1461. If the amount shown on the form is wrong, then you must send a written dispute to the state labor department at: 1099 Inquiry, Kansas Department of Labor, 401 SW Topeka Blvd., Topeka, KS 66603.
The state labor department expects to send out a record number of tax forms this year after the avalanche of unemployed Kansans filing claims in 2020.
The agency said it has made “every effort” to avoid sending a tax form notice to identity theft victims who were targeted in unemployment fraud.
“However, due to the record high volume of unemployment claims, it is possible that some identity theft victims may receive a notice,” the labor department said.
Anyone who proves they were a victim of fraud does not have to pay taxes on unemployment income they did not collect.
If you receive a Form 1099-G in the mail for unemployment benefits, but did not file for unemployment in 2020, you can call the Kansas Department of Labor at a separate number: 785-291-6059.
The Kansas Department of Labor has blocked more than 250,000 bogus claims for unemployment benefits since it began tracking fraud in October. The identity theft delays benefits to people legitimately unemployed and instead pays out claims to those seeking to profit off a system with dated technology.
In effort to eliminate the high amount of fraudulent claims, the state will shut down unemployment servers this weekend, from Saturday to Tuesday morning, to install a new security system. The new software will require applicants to answer questions about their credit history to verify their identity.
While the servers are offline, anyone receiving regular unemployment benefits will not receive payment. Claimants will collect any back payment the state owes them because of the hold on benefits, the agency says.
More information about the 1099-G can be found on the KDOL website at www.getkansasbenefits.gov/FAQs/Form1099G.aspx.
To apply for unemployment benefits, visit www.GetKansasBenefits.gov.
This story was originally published January 29, 2021 at 11:33 AM.
