Missouri unemployment benefits pay 4% of the average of your two highest quarters. — up to $320 per week for up to 8-20 weeks, for the period January 1, 2026 (DOL table); changes only by legislation.
This guide gives the exact Missouri unemployment benefits figures with the date we verified them, shows how your own weekly amount is calculated with a worked example, and explains when the first payment arrives and how it is taxed.
Figures are from the United States Department of Labor’s state-law tables effective January 1, 2026, read October 2026; confirm the current amount with Missouri Department of Labor, Division of Employment Security before you rely on it.
Missouri Unemployment Benefits at a Glance
| Maximum weekly benefit | $320 (January 1, 2026 (DOL table); changes only by legislation) |
| Minimum weekly benefit | $35 |
| How the amount is set | 4% of the average of your two highest quarters. |
| Duration | up to 8-20 weeks |
| Waiting week | Yes — first eligible week unpaid |
| Base period | The first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the week you file. |
| Statute | RSMo ch. 288 |
In This Missouri Unemployment Benefits Guide:
How Much Are Missouri Unemployment Benefits?
4% of the average of your two highest quarters. The minimum weekly payment is $35 and the maximum is $320. Those are the numbers that matter: most claimants land between them, and nobody is paid above the cap no matter how much they earned.
Want an estimate for your own wages in Missouri?
Missouri Unemployment Benefits at a Glance
Figures are from the United States Department of Labor’s state-law tables effective January 1, 2026, read October 2026; confirm the current amount with Missouri Department of Labor, Division of Employment Security before you rely on it. The statute column is where to check it yourself.
| Maximum weekly benefit | $320 |
| Effective period | January 1, 2026 (DOL table); changes only by legislation |
| Minimum weekly benefit | $35 |
| Formula | 4% of the average of your two highest quarters. |
| Duration (weeks) | 8-20 |
| Waiting week | Yes |
| Base period | The first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the week you file. |
| Alternate base period | No |
| To qualify | Base-period wages of 1.5 times the high quarter and $1,500 in one quarter (or the alternative two-quarter test). |
| Partial-week earnings | the greater of 20% of the weekly benefit amount or $20 |
| Agency | Missouri Department of Labor, Division of Employment Security |
| File online | https://labor.mo.gov/des/unemployed-workers |
| Statute | RSMo ch. 288 |
How Missouri Unemployment Benefits Are Calculated
Missouri adds up your wages in the two highest-paid quarters of your base period, averages them, and takes 4 percent of that average as your weekly benefit amount (RSMo 288.038). If the result is not a whole dollar, it is rounded down to the nearest lower full dollar. Missouri does not add an allowance for dependents.
Base-period wages of 1.5 times the high quarter and $1,500 in one quarter (or the alternative two-quarter test).
Missouri Unemployment Benefits: A Worked Example
Suppose a worker’s two highest base-period quarters paid 6000 and 5000. The average is 5500, and 4 percent of 5500 is 220 a week, before the state maximum is applied. This only shows how the formula works and is not anyone’s actual award. Confirm your amount on the monetary determination the state mails you.
The estimate is illustrative; Missouri Department of Labor, Division of Employment Security computes the official amount from your wage records.
How Long Missouri Unemployment Benefits Last
Regular Missouri unemployment benefits run up to 8-20 weeks in a benefit year. Missouri has paid regular state benefits only since its Extended Benefits program triggered off (the last payable week ended October 10, 2020). No current extended-benefits trigger for Missouri was found. Confirm on the latest U.S. Department of Labor trigger notice. The first eligible week is a waiting week: you file for it but it is not paid.
Working Part-Time While Claiming Missouri Unemployment Benefits
If you work part-time while claiming, report your gross earnings for each week you work.
Missouri ignores a small amount of earnings, the greater of a flat dollar disregard or a share of your weekly benefit amount, and subtracts the rest from that week’s payment, rounding the result down to a whole dollar (RSMo 288.060). the greater of 20% of the weekly benefit amount or $20 Report every dollar on the weekly claim — unreported earnings are the most common route to an overpayment.
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Missouri treats vacation, holiday and WARN pay like wages. Vacation pay paid at separation is spread over the weeks right after the job ends and is deducted (RSMo 288.036). The state’s FAQ says severance and termination pay do not reduce the weekly amount, but RSMo 288.036 says lump-sum severance is prorated weekly for eligibility purposes, so confirm how yours is treated with the state agency.
A pension, such as an employer, union, military or government pension, may reduce benefits. Report it to a claims representative.
When and How Missouri Unemployment Benefits Are Paid
The Missouri Division of Employment Security says most eligible claimants can expect their first payment within 22 days of filing the initial claim. Payments only start once you request each week. Your first weekly request covers the week you filed, and claim weeks run Sunday through Saturday. Any eligibility issue on the claim can hold up payment for several weeks while the state investigates.
Missouri pays benefits by direct deposit into your own bank or credit union account or on a Money Network Visa debit card. You pick one when you file in UInteract (uinteract.labor.mo.gov) and can change it in your account at any time. The state calls direct deposit the easiest option. If you choose the card, it is mailed to the address on your UInteract account.
After each claim week ends on Saturday, most claimants file a weekly request for payment online through UInteract, which is open 24/7. The state generally requires at least three work search activities each week unless told otherwise. A request must be filed within 14 days of the week-ending date. A late request is denied, and that week is not paid.
Taxes on Missouri Unemployment Benefits
Unemployment benefits are taxable for both federal and Missouri income tax. You can choose federal income tax withholding in UInteract under Update Payment Options. The state mails Form 1099-G by January 31 of the following year, or you can view and print it in UInteract under “View and Print 1099”. Claimants who chose paperless delivery do not get a mailed copy.
The 14-day deadline for weekly requests is strictly enforced. A week filed late is denied and not paid later. Payment details show in UInteract two business days after a weekly request, and the state asks claimants to allow 10 working days before calling about a payment. If you use the debit card, the first replacement each calendar year is free and later ones cost 2.
Next step: the amount only matters if you qualify. Our Missouri eligibility guide covers the fired-vs-quit rules and the work-search count, and the application guide walks through filing.
Missouri — the bottom line
- The Missouri unemployment benefits amount is a share of your base-period wages up to a dated cap — check the period on the figure before you trust it.
- Missouri unemployment benefits are paid weekly for a set number of weeks; a missed weekly claim is a lost week.
- Part-time earnings reduce Missouri unemployment benefits but rarely erase them — report everything and keep claiming.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is unemployment in Missouri?
The weekly amount is 4% of the average of your two highest quarters. The current maximum is $320 for the period January 1, 2026 (DOL table); changes only by legislation.
How long does unemployment last in Missouri?
Regular benefits run up to 8-20 weeks in a benefit year, depending on your base-period wages. Extended benefits only switch on when the state unemployment rate crosses a trigger.
Does Missouri have a waiting week?
Yes — the first eligible week is not paid, but you must still file for it.
Are Missouri unemployment benefits taxable?
Unemployment benefits are taxable for both federal and Missouri income tax. You can choose federal income tax withholding in UInteract under Update Payment Options. The state mails Form 1099-G by January 31 of the following year, or you can view and print it in UInteract under “View and Print 1099”. Claimants who chose paperless delivery do not get a mailed copy.
Official Missouri Sources & Resources
- Missouri Department of Labor, Division of Employment Security: https://labor.mo.gov/des/unemployed-workers
- Missouri unemployment statute: RSMo ch. 288
- U.S. Department of Labor — Unemployment Insurance: dol.gov
- DOL Significant Provisions of State UI Laws (Jan 2026): https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/content/sigpros/2020-2029/January2026.pdf
- DOL Comparison of State UI Laws — Appeals: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2023/appeals.pdf
- DOL Comparison of State UI Laws — Monetary Entitlement: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2021/monetary.pdf
- CareerOneStop (DOL) — state benefit finder: careeronestop.org
- IRS — Form 1099-G: irs.gov
This Missouri unemployment benefits guide was last verified against official Missouri sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.
More Missouri Unemployment Guides
- Missouri Unemployment Eligibility: Who Qualifies
- How to Apply for Unemployment in Missouri
- Missouri Unemployment Appeal: Deadline and Hearing
- Unemployment Guides for All 50 States
Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. My Unemployment Rights is an independent educational resource, not a government agency and not a law firm. Unemployment benefit amounts, deadlines and rules change — every figure here carries the date we verified it. Confirm the current figure and any deadline with your state unemployment agency before you act.