Most states offer Unemployment Insurance for 26 weeks.

Here are two important things you should probably know: One, unemployment extensions are available.

But, two, theyre not automatic.

People wear face masks and social distancing while waiting to speak to an official about unemployment in Oklahoma.

The second stimulus package passed in December revived PEUC, extending UI benefits for 11 more weeks.

Data from the Department of Labor proves that.

More than 4 million Americans have exhausted their state UI benefits and are relying on the federal extension.

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No Interest Til Almost 2027?

By design, this may cause an interruption in weekly payments.

Another source of uncertainty is the number of weeks PEUC will extend your unemployment benefits in total.

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The first stimulus package authorized 13 additional weeks of benefits.

The second package authorized 11 more.

But its more complicated than adding those two figures together and getting 24 extra weeks.

So the 13 extra weeks provided by the CARES Act are no longer available to new applicants.

But Wait.

Provided that local unemployment rates are still high when you exhaust PEUC, you may qualify for more benefits.

Theres an order of operations here, Evermore said.

For example, Florida has the shortest duration of unemployment benefits, at 12 weeks.

The states Extended Benefits program is also one of the shortest, at six weeks.

By quite a bit, too.

Including all sources of assistance, New Yorkers are eligible for up to 70 weeks of unemployment benefits.

Taken together, the expanded benefits have had a massive effect on the economy, Evermore said.

For jobless applicants, though, taking all this in can be overwhelming.

But benefits are there if you’re able to trudge through the paperwork and arcane websites.

Understanding the difference with all these programs and acronyms is going to be confusing, Evermore said.

Just follow the instructions from your state agency.

The agency is required to give you information on how to apply [for extensions].

Whatever you do, dont lose your password to your online unemployment profile.

The password reset process, in many states, isreallydifficult, Evermore said.

Adam Hardy is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.

He covers the gig economy, entrepreneurship and unique ways to make money.

Read his latest articles here, or say hi on Twitter@hardyjournalism.

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