Texas Unemployment Benefits Calculator
Calculate your 2026 Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Weekly Benefit Amount (Highest Base-Period Quarter ÷ 25, capped at the new $619/week maximum and $76/week minimum), your total Maximum Benefit Amount (27% of base-period wages up to $16,094), and your 25% partial-earnings disregard.
2026 Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) benefit calculator
Unemployment Benefits Texas: 2026 TWC WBA Formula ($76–$619)
| Texas UI parameter | 2026 TWC statutory rule |
|---|---|
| Base period | First 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before filing |
| Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA) formula | Highest Base-Period Quarter Wages ÷ 25 (rounded to nearest dollar) |
| 2026 Minimum / Maximum WBA (eff. Oct 2025–2026) | $76 / week minimum — $619 / week maximum |
| Monetary eligibility requirement | Wages in at least 2 quarters, and Total Base Period Wages ≥ 37 × WBA |
| Maximum Benefit Amount (MBA, total claim cap) | Lesser of 26 × WBA ($16,094 max) or 27% of total base-period wages |
| Part-time work earnings allowance | Earn up to 25% of WBA with $0 reduction; dollar-for-dollar above 25% |
Unemployment Benefits Texas Eligibility, Base Period & 25% Earnings Rule
To qualify monetarily in Texas, you must have earned wages in at least two of the four quarters in your base period, and your total four-quarter base-period wages must equal at least 37 times your Weekly Benefit Amount. Your WBA equals your single highest-earning quarter divided by 25, capped at $619/week (which is reached once your highest quarter hits $15,475, or about $61,900/year). If you work part-time while receiving Texas unemployment, TWC lets you earn up to 125% of your WBA before cutting off your benefit: the first 25% of your WBA is disregarded, and earnings above 25% reduce your check dollar-for-dollar.
Texas Unemployment Calculator Worked Example ($619 Max WBA)
A Texas worker earned $14,500, $15,500, $15,000, and $15,000 across the four base-period quarters ($60,000 total). Their highest quarter is $15,500. Dividing $15,500 by 25 equals $620, which caps at the $619/week Texas maximum WBA. Because 27% of $60,000 ($16,200) exceeds 26 × $619 ($16,094), their Maximum Benefit Amount is the full $16,094 (26 full weeks), and their $60,000 base wages easily clear the 37 × $619 ($22,903) eligibility floor.
Common questions
What is the maximum unemployment benefit in Texas for 2026?
The maximum Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA) in Texas is $619 per week, and the maximum total payout over a 26-week benefit year is $16,094 (26 × $619).
How much do I have to make in Texas to get the $619 maximum weekly benefit?
Because TWC divides your highest base-period quarter by 25, you need at least $15,475 of W-2 wages in your highest quarter ($619 × 25) and at least $22,903 in total base-period wages (37 × $619) across at least two quarters.
Are Texas unemployment benefits taxed in 2026?
Texas has no state income tax, but unemployment compensation is 100% taxable at the federal level on Form 1099-G. You can ask TWC to withhold 10% for federal income taxes so you don't owe a surprise bill at tax time.
Sources
- Texas Workforce Commission (TWC): Eligibility & Benefit Amounts Formula
- Texas Workforce Commission: Unemployment Benefits Estimator & Rules
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General information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Check important numbers with the official source before acting on them.