If you are drawing Social Security can you draw unemployment in Colorado at the same time?

Answer 1

Yes you can. Until recently, Colorado was one of four states that counted SS against a UI claim. That has changed and SS payments DO NOT count. Additionally, SS DOES NOT count UI payments as income.

Answer 2

You can collect both unemployment insurance benefits and social security benefits at the same time in Colorado. In Colorado unemployment insurance does not count social security benefits as part of your income.

Answer 3

Yes.The two programs are different. Social Security is a Federal program that you pay into from your paycheck, as does the employer, and you are eligible to receive after you turn 62 (unless earlier due to being disabled, which is covered under a different part of the program). The longer you delay receiving Social Security the larger the monthly benefit you would get. The amount you receive depends on your age, how many 'quarters' you worked, and the amount of your earnings.

On the other hand, unemployment security, a federal/state program, administered by the state, comes from contributions paid into the program by the employer and the amount he pays in is a percentage of his payroll based on the employer's turn-over rate of employees (the lower the turn-over, the lower the percentage). This way the employer is encouraged to retain employees in order to reduce his costs. The employee, generally, receives unemployment benefits from the state's collected 'employer's unemployment contribution pool', IF he was laid off, i.e. reduction in staff, etc., or was fired without cause (not caught stealing, harassment, drugs, etc.), or other reasons not due to his own actions. Thus you can both draw Social Security while still working (as I had done) or if drawing unemployment because the reason for drawing both are different, from different government agencies, and for different causes.

Answer 4

Yes, as long as you qualify for both of them individually.