Montana unemployment benefits pay 1% of base-period wages or 1.9% of wages in the two highest quarters. — up to $767 per week for up to 8-24 weeks, for the period January 1, 2026 (DOL table); this state resets each July, so the July 2026 adjustment may not be in this figure.
This guide gives the exact Montana 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 Montana Department of Labor and Industry before you rely on it.
Montana Unemployment Benefits at a Glance
| Maximum weekly benefit | $767 (January 1, 2026 (DOL table); this state resets each July, so the July 2026 adjustment may not be in this figure) |
| Minimum weekly benefit | $227 |
| How the amount is set | 1% of base-period wages or 1.9% of wages in the two highest quarters. |
| Duration | up to 8-24 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 | MCA Title 39, ch. 51 |
In This Montana Unemployment Benefits Guide:
How Much Are Montana Unemployment Benefits?
1% of base-period wages or 1.9% of wages in the two highest quarters. The minimum weekly payment is $227 and the maximum is $767. 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 Montana?
Montana 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 Montana Department of Labor and Industry before you rely on it. The statute column is where to check it yourself.
| Maximum weekly benefit | $767 |
| Effective period | January 1, 2026 (DOL table); this state resets each July, so the July 2026 adjustment may not be in this figure |
| Minimum weekly benefit | $227 |
| Formula | 1% of base-period wages or 1.9% of wages in the two highest quarters. |
| Duration (weeks) | 8-24 |
| Waiting week | Yes |
| Base period | The first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the week you file. |
| Alternate base period | Yes |
| To qualify | Base-period wages over 1.5 times the high quarter and at least 7% of the state average annual wage, or over 50% of that wage. |
| Partial-week earnings | 1/4 of the weekly benefit amount |
| Agency | Montana Department of Labor and Industry |
| File online | https://uid.dli.mt.gov/ |
| Statute | MCA Title 39, ch. 51 |
How Montana Unemployment Benefits Are Calculated
Under MCA 39-51-2201, Montana sets the weekly amount at 1% of your total base-period wages, or at 1.9% of the wages from the 2 base-period quarters when you earned the most. Any amount that isn’t a whole dollar is rounded down. The result can’t go below the state minimum or above the state maximum. Montana adds nothing for dependents.
The statute names both methods but doesn’t say which one wins, so check with the Unemployment Insurance Division (UID).
Base-period wages over 1.5 times the high quarter and at least 7% of the state average annual wage, or over 50% of that wage.
Montana Unemployment Benefits: A Worked Example
Say a worker earned 40000 in the base period, and 24000 of that came in the 2 highest quarters. The 1% method gives 400 a week, and the 1.9% method gives 456 (24000 × 0.019), rounded down to a whole dollar and kept within the current min/max. This only shows how the formula works and isn’t anyone’s actual award.
The estimate is illustrative; Montana Department of Labor and Industry computes the official amount from your wage records.
How Long Montana Unemployment Benefits Last
Regular Montana unemployment benefits run up to 8-24 weeks in a benefit year. As of the most recent DOL/CBPP check (September 28, 2026), Extended Benefits are not triggered on in Montana or any other state. Only regular state benefits are available now. The first eligible week is a waiting week: you file for it but it is not paid.
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Working Part-Time While Claiming Montana Unemployment Benefits
When you work part-time, Montana lets you keep earnings up to one-fourth of your weekly benefit amount. Above that, your payment drops by half of each extra dollar you earn (MCA 39-51-2202). 1/4 of the weekly benefit amount Report every dollar on the weekly claim — unreported earnings are the most common route to an overpayment.
Severance, vacation pay and pensions may delay or reduce benefits depending on how the employer allocates them — report them and let the agency apply the rule.
When and How Montana Unemployment Benefits Are Paid
The first payment usually arrives two to four weeks after filing, once the monetary determination is issued and the first weekly claim is processed. You request payments online (MontanaWorks/UI4U) or by phone, for the past week or, if you file every other week, the past 2 weeks. Each request is due after the claimed week ends and before midnight on the Saturday 7 days later (ARM 24.40.813).
If you file late, the department may accept it if you show good cause. Without good cause, those weeks are denied and you may have to reactivate your claim.
Taxes on Montana Unemployment Benefits
Benefits are taxable income on your federal return and you will receive a Form 1099-G in January; you can elect federal withholding when you file.
Montana rounds down at several steps. The weekly benefit amount is rounded down to the dollar, and so are your part-time wages and the one-fourth earnings allowance (MCA 39-51-2201, 39-51-2202). When you contact UID, use your UI ID number instead of your Social Security number.
Next step: the amount only matters if you qualify. Our Montana eligibility guide covers the fired-vs-quit rules and the work-search count, and the application guide walks through filing.
Montana — the bottom line
- The Montana 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.
- Montana unemployment benefits are paid weekly for a set number of weeks; a missed weekly claim is a lost week.
- Part-time earnings reduce Montana unemployment benefits but rarely erase them — report everything and keep claiming.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is unemployment in Montana?
The weekly amount is 1% of base-period wages or 1.9% of wages in the two highest quarters. The current maximum is $767 for the period January 1, 2026 (DOL table); this state resets each July, so the July 2026 adjustment may not be in this figure.
How long does unemployment last in Montana?
Regular benefits run up to 8-24 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 Montana have a waiting week?
Yes — the first eligible week is not paid, but you must still file for it.
Are Montana unemployment benefits taxable?
Benefits are taxable federal income and you will receive a 1099-G; you can elect federal withholding when you file.
Official Montana Sources & Resources
- Montana Department of Labor and Industry: https://uid.dli.mt.gov/
- Montana unemployment statute: MCA Title 39, ch. 51
- 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 Montana unemployment benefits guide was last verified against official Montana sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.
More Montana Unemployment Guides
- Montana Unemployment Eligibility: Who Qualifies
- How to Apply for Unemployment in Montana
- Montana 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.