Michigan Unemployment Calculator
As of October 19, 2026, regular Michigan unemployment pays $218 to $530 a week for 14 to 26 weeks. These figures apply to claims filed in 2026; the statute raises the maximum to $614 for claims filed from January 1, 2027. Enter your wages for the four quarters of your base period to estimate your weekly benefit, your maximum total benefit and which rule capped it.
Maintained by Archie Chang · Formulas and sources checked October 19, 2026 · Methodology & sources
Weekly benefit range (October 19, 2026)
$218 to $530
Effective January 1, 2026
Maximum weeks
14 to 26
Regular state benefits only
State income tax on benefits
Taxable
Federal income tax applies in every state
Michigan unemployment benefit calculator
Which months are my four quarters?
The standard base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. The quarter you file in, and the one just before it, are left out. Enter the quarters in order, oldest first. Each quarter is three calendar months: January to March, April to June, July to September, October to December.
| If you file in | Your base period is |
|---|---|
| January to March 2026 | October 2024 to September 2025 |
| April to June 2026 | January to December 2025 |
| July to September 2026 | April 2025 to March 2026 |
| October to December 2026 | July 2025 to June 2026 |
Use gross wages (before taxes) from every covered job, in the quarter they were earned. If your wages are too low under this period, many states test an alternate base period made of the last four completed quarters.
Enter your wages above to see your Michigan estimate.
How much does unemployment pay in Michigan?
Michigan pays 4.1 percent of the wages from your highest base period quarter, plus $19.33 for each dependent (up to five) for claims filed in 2026. The total is rounded down to the next whole dollar.
The whole weekly rate, dependents included, cannot be more than $530 for 2026 claims. The statute raises the cap to $614 and the dependent amount to $26.00 for claims filed from January 1, 2027.
Michigan uses the first four of the last five completed quarters. If that period does not give you a benefit year, the UIA can use the last four completed quarters instead.
Michigan unemployment eligibility: the wage tests
These are the monetary tests only. Michigan also decides whether you lost your job through no fault of your own and whether you are able and available to work.
- Wages of at least $5,328 in one quarter (the state minimum wage times 388.06, rounded down), and
- total base period wages of at least 1.5 times your highest quarter, or wages in two or more quarters that total at least 20 times the state average weekly wage (this calculator flags the second test but does not estimate it).
Maximum weeks and maximum benefit amount
Michigan takes 43 percent of your base period wages and divides by your weekly rate, rounds down to a half week, and keeps the result between 14 and 26 weeks. Your maximum benefit is that number of weeks times the weekly rate.
Working part time while collecting
Michigan cuts your weekly rate by 50 cents for every whole dollar you earn in the week, and your benefits plus earnings cannot add up to more than 1.5 times your weekly rate. A week with a payment above zero still uses up one week of your balance.
Are Michigan unemployment benefits taxable?
Unemployment benefits are taxable income on your federal return in every state. Michigan taxes unemployment benefits as income. The UIA lets you choose withholding for federal and Michigan income tax, and sends a Form 1099-G each January.
How to apply in Michigan
File online in your MiWAM account, then certify for benefits every two weeks. Claimants list dependents when they file a new claim.
Michigan UIA: Unemployment Insurance Agency
When this changes: Michigan raises the cap to $614 and the dependent amount to $26.00 for claims filed on or after January 1, 2027. Statute steps the cap to $614 and the dependent amount to $26.00 for claims filed on or after January 1, 2027; from 2028 the state treasurer adjusts both with the Consumer Price Index. The $5,328 high-quarter test follows the state minimum wage each January.
Frequently asked questions
How much does unemployment pay in Michigan?
Regular Michigan unemployment pays between $218 and $530 a week as of October 19, 2026. These figures apply to claims filed in 2026; the statute raises the maximum to $614 for claims filed from January 1, 2027. Your amount depends on the wages you were paid in your base period. Michigan pays 4.1 percent of the wages from your highest base period quarter, plus $19.33 for each dependent (up to five) for claims filed in 2026. The total is rounded down to the next whole dollar.
How is the Michigan weekly benefit amount calculated?
Michigan pays 4.1 percent of the wages from your highest base period quarter, plus $19.33 for each dependent (up to five) for claims filed in 2026. The total is rounded down to the next whole dollar. The whole weekly rate, dependents included, cannot be more than $530 for 2026 claims. The statute raises the cap to $614 and the dependent amount to $26.00 for claims filed from January 1, 2027.
How long can I collect unemployment in Michigan?
Michigan takes 43 percent of your base period wages and divides by your weekly rate, rounds down to a half week, and keeps the result between 14 and 26 weeks. Your maximum benefit is that number of weeks times the weekly rate.
Are unemployment benefits taxable in Michigan?
Michigan taxes unemployment benefits as income. The UIA lets you choose withholding for federal and Michigan income tax, and sends a Form 1099-G each January.
Can I work part time and still get Michigan unemployment?
Michigan cuts your weekly rate by 50 cents for every whole dollar you earn in the week, and your benefits plus earnings cannot add up to more than 1.5 times your weekly rate. A week with a payment above zero still uses up one week of your balance.
Do dependents raise my Michigan unemployment benefit?
Yes, for claims filed in 2026 Michigan adds $19.33 for each dependent, up to five, and rounds the total down to the dollar. The $530 maximum covers the total, so claimants near the cap gain little. A dependent is someone who got more than half of their support from you for at least 90 days before the benefit year began, and the number is fixed for the whole benefit year.
Sources for Michigan
- MCL 421.27, Payment of benefits4.1 percent, dependents, 2026 and 2027 caps, 43 percent and 14 to 26 weeks, partial benefits
- MCL 421.46, Benefit year1.5 times and 20 times state average weekly wage tests, minimum quarter wages, alternate base period
- Michigan UIA: income tax withholding form (archived copy)Federal and Michigan withholding option
- U.S. DOL, Significant Provisions of State UI Laws (July 2026)$218 and $315 minimum, $5,328 wage test, 14 to 26 weeks
Sources checked October 19, 2026.
Verification note: The statute pages were read through Internet Archive copies because legislature.mi.gov blocks direct access; the copy is dated "complete through PA 74 of 2025". The $5,328 high-quarter test is the DOL figure; it matches the statute formula at the $13.73 Michigan minimum wage for 2026 ($13.73 x 388.06, rounded down). The UIA pages could not be opened, so the withholding form was read from an archived copy.