Unemployment benefits for Airbnb hosts (U.S.)

I was able to get PUA in NY. I was turned down at first. If you go to the AirBNB site, you can search your earnings and send them your 2019 earnings. It’s exactly what you should be sending to your accountant every year to file taxes. Mine were significant, showing they were my only income. I had near six figures in income and not anywhere near 200 bookings, so it is true that you need both to be given a 1099. (This was not the case in prior years-- I remember when I first began airbnb’ing and was sent a 1099 for significantly less.)

I used the unemployment until I was able to start booking again, so not the full term.

If you did not report your income (illegal, but technically possible to do when you do not receive a 1099) you will not be eligible for UE. And as someone said above, it’s irrelevant what HI thinks of airbnb. If you get turned down, appeal again.

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Hi Nicole,

Thanks so much for your response. Which documents did your friend supply for her Airbnb income? I’m not sure what to give them. Also, most years I reported my Airbnb income as passive income on a schedule E and I typically report a loss because my expenses and depreciation are usually greater than my earnings. I’ve read if that’s the case, you don’t qualify for PUA because there’s no “net” income -which is not exactly true because depreciation is calculated into your losses and is not a true loss so you actually do earn money (just not on paper). Does that makes sense? Since they have asked for my net income I’m assuming if I report losses greater than my earnings they’re not going to provide PUA. I’m not sure what they’re doing though. Do you have contact info for your friend?

Thanks!!

Paige

I read that rental and other passive income reported on the Schedule E is not qualifying income for PUA.

So basically I’ll have to file a schedule C?

That’s my guess, but I’m no expert. I googled and came up with the same answer. It makes sense that passive income/investment income isn’t considered eligible for unemployment.

My issue is that I just started rentals in Hawaii in 2019 and have not yet filled 2019 taxes.

Prior to that, all of my Airbnb income was in Utah but since I don’t have a driver’s license in Utah it seems I can’t apply for PUA in Utah even though I earned almost six figures there through Airbnb.

In 2019 I earned income in both Utah and Hawaii so I’m not sure where I file PUA since my current residency is in Hawaii but most of my earnings were in Utah.

Any thoughts?

I disagree with that point because some people survive entirely off passive income and when the governor shuts down the state and makes it illegal to rent you should be compensated for that in some way.

Not that I’m disagreeing with you ,I just have a problem with the fact that some people are being foreclosed on because I can’t get assistance and it’s illegal to rent.

That’s not an unemployment issue though. UI has been funded through taxes paid by employers and employees. The CARES act made dramatic changes to the normal expectations. What someone in your situation really needs a different kind of aid the accounts for the situation. CARES used the unemployment systems which already existed to try to get money out quickly. Trying to create a new system or new program from scratch would have taken too long.

I’m not saying people in your situation don’t need help, I’m just saying it always made sense to not permit people filing schedule E to claim unemployment. One advantage to Schedule E is not paying self-employment taxes.

If that’s there’s stance then the easy answer is just to file schedule C.

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Although I submitted my tax return, I don’t think I had to.

It was quite confusing at first getting statements saying I wasn’t entitled to anything (but ignore them, they don’t mean anything!) Although I’ve now received some payments I’m still confused as to what I’m entitled to and when I will get it. Apparently in some states people have had quite a time of it trying to get their payments. And now the program is ended with no idea as to when the resolution will be.

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May I ask, did you send your schedule E or just your 2019 Airbnb earnings or both?