To get your 1099-G online, log into the government agency that issued the payment — usually your state’s unemployment office or tax department — and download the form from your account. If you cannot reach the agency’s portal, you can pull the same dollar amounts from a wage and income transcript in your IRS online account.
Most state agencies post electronic copies by late January or early February, in time for the April 15 federal filing deadline.1Internal Revenue Service. IRS Announces First Day of 2026 Filing Season Federal law requires them to furnish the form by January 31, with the deadline shifting to the next business day when that date falls on a weekend.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 U.S. Code 6050B – Returns Relating to Unemployment Compensation
Figure Out Which Agency Issued the Form
The 1099-G covers several kinds of government payments, and the agency that paid you is the one that holds the form. The IRS does not issue 1099-Gs, though it receives copies of every one that agencies file.3Internal Revenue Service. About Form 1099-G, Certain Government Payments
- Unemployment benefits: your state’s Department of Labor or workforce agency. Use the same login you used to file or manage your claim.
- State or local tax refunds: your state’s Department of Revenue or Taxation. The form sits inside your taxpayer account, usually under tax documents or correspondence.
- Agricultural payments: the USDA Farm Service Agency, either through your local FSA office or the USDA online portal.
- Taxable government grants: the federal, state, or local agency that administered the grant.4Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 1099-G (03/2024)
Confirm the site uses a .gov domain before you enter any personal information.
What You Need Before You Log In
Have this ready so the session does not time out on you:
- Your Social Security number.5Internal Revenue Service. Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TIN)
- Your full legal name, spelled exactly as the agency has it. A middle initial versus a full middle name can block access.
- The tax year you need.
- The mailing address the agency has on file. If you moved, some portals require you to update the address before releasing the document.
Many agencies, including the IRS and several state departments, use ID.me to verify your identity before releasing tax documents.6Internal Revenue Service. New Identity Verification Process to Access Certain IRS Online Tools and Services An ID.me account created for one agency generally works at any other agency that accepts it. The self-service path asks you to upload a photo of a government-issued ID and take a live selfie so the system can match your face to the document. If you cannot use a camera, ID.me offers a short video call with a live agent instead.
Downloading the Form From Your State Portal
After you sign in and clear identity verification, look for a section labeled “Tax Documents,” “Tax Center,” “Financial Statements,” or “1099-G.” The wording varies by state, but the link usually sits on the main dashboard or under a correspondence tab.
Select the tax year. The portal will display the form and offer a PDF download. Save it to a secure device and print a copy if you like. State portals generally keep several prior years available, so older forms come down the same way.
Check the amounts and your personal information against your own records before you leave the site. If the download link does nothing, disable pop-up blockers for the site or try another browser. Log out when you finish, especially on a shared computer.
Using an IRS Transcript When the State Portal Fails
If the state site is down, your account is locked, or you cannot get past verification, you can pull the same numbers from the IRS. A wage and income transcript shows data from information returns, including the 1099-G, that agencies reported to the IRS for a given tax year.7Internal Revenue Service. Topic No. 159, How to Get a Wage and Income Transcript
Sign into your IRS online account at irs.gov and choose the wage and income transcript option.8Internal Revenue Service. Online Account for Individuals You can also call 800-829-1040 or mail Form 4506-T. Online is fastest and usually returns results immediately, but the transcript may not be available until several weeks after January 31, since the IRS needs time to process what agencies submit.
The transcript is not a copy of the 1099-G. It shows the reported data in plain text — the unemployment compensation, refund amount, and any federal tax withheld — which is what you need to complete your return.
If the Form Is Missing or Late
If nothing has appeared online or in the mail by mid-February, call the issuing agency and request a copy.9Internal Revenue Service. What to Do When a W-2 or Form 1099 Is Missing or Incorrect Most agencies can resend an electronic copy or mail a duplicate for free, and some have automated phone systems that trigger a reissue.
If the agency has not resolved it by the end of February, call the IRS at 800-829-1040. The IRS can contact the agency on your behalf.9Internal Revenue Service. What to Do When a W-2 or Form 1099 Is Missing or Incorrect
Do not push past April 15 waiting for the form. File using your own payment records, bank statements, or the IRS transcript, and report only the income you actually received.
If the Amount on the Form Is Wrong
Ask the issuing agency for a corrected 1099-G, which replaces the original.9Internal Revenue Service. What to Do When a W-2 or Form 1099 Is Missing or Incorrect Common problems include overstated unemployment amounts when a repaid overpayment was not reflected, or a refund figure that does not match your state tax records.
If a corrected form will not arrive in time, file reporting only what you actually received. You are not required to report an amount you know is wrong just because a form shows it.9Internal Revenue Service. What to Do When a W-2 or Form 1099 Is Missing or Incorrect
If You Never Applied for the Benefits Listed
A 1099-G showing unemployment benefits you never claimed is a sign that someone filed a fraudulent claim in your name. Contact the state unemployment agency right away and report it. Once the agency confirms the fraud, it should issue a corrected 1099-G showing $0 in benefits.10Internal Revenue Service. Identity Theft Guidance Regarding Unemployment Compensation Reporting Do not report the fraudulent amount on your return. If you have to file before the correction arrives, report only what you actually received and keep a copy of your fraud report.
A State Refund on Your 1099-G May Not Be Taxable
If Box 2 shows a state or local tax refund, that amount is generally taxable only if you itemized deductions on your federal return for the year the tax was originally paid. If you took the standard deduction that year, the refund typically is not taxable.11Internal Revenue Service. IRS Issues Guidance on State Tax Payments
Federal law reflects this: agencies are not required to send a 1099-G for a state refund if the taxpayer did not itemize in the year that generated it.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 U.S. Code 6050E – State and Local Income Tax Refunds Some states send it anyway, so the form arriving does not by itself mean you owe federal tax on the refund. Check the prior year’s return before adding the amount to your income.