Lost Your Job? A Checklist for the First 30 Days

1The first week

Do these first, because each one affects what you can claim later.

1. File for unemployment. Claim benefits with the unemployment program in the state where you worked, by phone, online or in person depending on the state. Do it the first week, because benefits are not paid for weeks before you file, and eligibility depends on losing your job through no fault of your own. Our guide to unemployment benefits walks through the claim.
2. Get your paperwork. Ask for a separation letter, your final pay stub, the dates you worked and the reason for the layoff. Ask for the summary plan description and your latest statement for your retirement and health plans.
3. Ask about the final paycheck. Federal law does not set a deadline for the last paycheck, but some states require immediate payment and others the next regular payday. If it does not arrive, contact your state labor department or the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. Our guide to wage claims covers unpaid wages and final pay.
4. Check for a layoff notice. Employers of a certain size must give 60 days' notice of a plant closing or mass layoff. Our guide to the WARN Act explains who is covered and what pay you may be owed if the notice was missing.
5. Write down the dates. Note your last day of work and the last day of your health coverage, since several deadlines run from them.

Expect a wait. It generally takes two to three weeks from filing to the first unemployment payment, so plan for that gap and not for a check this week.

2If you were fired or you quit

You can file in either case, and the agency decides. Being fired for poor performance does not by itself disqualify you in most states, though serious misconduct can. Quitting is harder, but many states allow benefits when you leave for a good reason, such as unsafe conditions, a large cut in pay or hours or unpaid wages. Describe what happened plainly on the claim, keep any messages that support your account, and appeal a denial by the deadline on the notice. Do not decide for yourself that you are ineligible.

3Health coverage: the 60-day window

Losing a job usually ends job-based health insurance, and you have more than one way to replace it. You have 60 days from the day your coverage ends, or the day you get the COBRA notice if later, to elect COBRA, and 45 more days to make the first payment. A Marketplace plan opens through a special enrollment period of 60 days after you lose coverage. If you or your family have a spouse's plan, ask about it right away, since many plans give only 30 days to join.

Compare the cost, the doctors in each network and any treatment in progress before you decide. Our guide to COBRA, Marketplace and spouse's plans compares them, and our guide to special enrollment periods lists what the Marketplace asks for. If your income has dropped a lot, check Medicaid, which has no enrollment deadline.

4Severance and what you sign

Read any severance agreement as a contract, because it usually asks you to give up the right to sue. If you are 40 or older, federal law requires that an agreement waiving age discrimination claims give you at least 21 days to consider it, or 45 days if you are part of a group layoff, and seven days after signing to revoke. The seven-day period cannot be shortened. The agreement must also be in writing, refer to age claims, give you something beyond what you are already owed and advise you in writing to consult an attorney.

Do not sign on the day you receive it unless you have read every page. An employment lawyer or a legal aid office can review the terms, and many offer a short first consultation at no cost. Ask whether the agreement affects your unemployment claim, your COBRA payments or your right to references.

5Money in the first month

Swipe sideways to see the whole table.

Call your creditors before a payment is missed, not after. Landlords, mortgage servicers and utilities often have hardship programs, and they are easier to use before an account is delinquent. Apply for help that fits a lower income, including SNAP, energy assistance and free school meals if you have children. If you have a family, check Medicaid or CHIP for the children, since eligibility depends on current income and not last year's. Call 211 for local help, and ask a legal aid office about any legal problem that comes with the layoff.

6A 30-day budget

Add up what must be paid in the next 30 days: rent or mortgage, utilities, insurance, food, transportation and the minimum payment on each debt. Subtract the money you have and the benefits you expect, and you know the gap. Pause what can wait, such as subscriptions, and call the largest creditors the same week, since most have hardship programs. Federal student loans can often be put on hold or moved to a payment based on income, and credit card companies sometimes lower a payment for a few months. Avoid payday loans and car-title loans, which cost far more than the problems they solve.

7Job search, and keeping your benefits

Unemployment benefits depend on looking for work. Your state may require you to register with its job service and keep a log of the employers you contact each week, and it can ask for the log if it reviews your claim. American Job Centers, found through the Department of Labor, offer free help with resumes, interviews and training, and the call center at 1-877-US-2JOBS can direct you to the nearest one. Keep your search records even if you expect to be hired soon.

8Your 401(k) and other accounts

You do not have to decide about a retirement account right away. Typical choices are to leave the money in the former employer's plan if it allows that, to roll it over into an IRA or a new employer's plan, or to take it as cash. Cashing out can trigger income tax and, if you are under 59 and a half, a penalty, and it cannot be undone. If you must withdraw something to get by, a tax professional can say which source costs the least. Ask the plan administrator for the rollover forms and the deadline for any outstanding loan.

9Taxes and records

Unemployment benefits are taxable income. You will receive a Form 1099-G, and you can ask to have federal tax withheld from each payment through your state's claim system or on IRS Form W-4V, so a bill does not arrive in April. Our guide to which government benefits are taxable lists what counts.

Keep one folder, paper or digital, with your separation letter, your claim confirmation, every notice from the unemployment office and your notes on each call. Appeals are decided on documents, and a dated record often settles a dispute.

11What varies by state

Unemployment rules, final pay deadlines and benefit amounts vary by state, and each agency decides each claim. This is general information and not legal advice. For a severance agreement or a dispute with an employer, talk to an employment attorney or legal aid office.