Illinois Unemployment Benefits Calculator
Estimate your Illinois unemployment benefits. Max weekly: $859 with dependents, $628 without. Max weeks: 26. Free calculator.
Estimate only — these are not official figures
The weekly benefit follows Illinois's method in law but approximates the state's published benefit table or one of its figures (the methodology says which), so treat it as an estimate rather than the agency's own lookup. The monthly figure is the weekly amount times 4.33, a convenience rather than an amount the state pays, and only the state agency can decide whether you qualify. The maximum weekly benefit ($859 with dependents, $628 without) and duration (26 weeks) come from published sources.
Do not rely on these amounts for budgeting or payment. For exact amounts, check the Illinois state unemployment insurance agency (file there and use its official benefits estimator for your actual Weekly Benefit Amount determination).
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Estimated Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA)
Estimated • Based on your inputs
Estimated Monthly Benefit
$2,035.00
Detailed Breakdown
Cumulative Benefits
Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only. Results should not be considered financial, tax, or legal advice. Consult a qualified professional for your specific situation.
How This Calculator Works
Calculation methodology and assumptions
Illinois calculates your "average weekly wage" (AWW) as your combined wages in your 2 highest-earning base-period quarters, divided by 26, rounded to the nearest dollar (820 ILCS 405/401(B)). Your Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA) is then 47% of that AWW, rounded UP to the next higher dollar, floored at $51 and capped at $628. IMPORTANT DEPENDENT-ALLOWANCE DISCLOSURE: Illinois law (820 ILCS 405/401(C)) also pays a separate nonworking-spouse allowance and a dependent-child(ren) allowance, which is why the U.S. DOL's own published range shows a higher $77 minimum / $859 maximum "with dependents." This calculator does NOT compute those allowances — Illinois's dependent-child rate floats between 17.0% and 17.9% of AWW and is redetermined every year, and neither the current-year rate nor Illinois's statewide average weekly wage was confirmed from an official IDES source as of October 12, 2026. Rather than invent a number, the dependent allowance is always shown as $0 here; if you have dependents, use IDES's own BEN-548 Table of Weekly Benefit Amounts for your exact figure. Your maximum total benefit is the lesser of 26 times your WBA or your FULL base-period wages (not a fraction, unlike most other states) — 820 ILCS 405/403(B). Duration is a uniform 26 weeks.
Key State Information
Illinois's maximum weekly UI benefit (no dependents) is $628, with a $51 minimum — both rise with dependents (up to $859 max / $77 min per the DOL's published range), but this calculator does not compute the exact dependent-inclusive figure (see methodology). Standard duration is a uniform 26 weeks.
Example Calculation
Let's review the inputs that set unemployment benefits in Illinois.
Illinois uses its own benefit formula from state law rather than a general 50%-of-wage estimate. Enter the exact quarter/base-period wage and eligibility fields requested by the calculator; the required inputs differ by state and cannot be reconstructed safely from median household income.
Result: Published maximum weekly amount: $859 with dependents, $628 without. Current maximum duration: 26 weeks. These are ceilings, not a typical award; the calculator above applies Illinois's source-backed formula to your own wage history, and only the state agency determines eligibility.
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StateCalc Team
Editorial Team
The StateCalc team builds free financial calculators using data from official government sources including the IRS, U.S. Census Bureau, BLS, and state revenue departments. All formulas are validated by an automated test suite and cross-referenced against published data.
Our editorial standardsFrequently Asked Questions
How much is unemployment in Illinois?
Illinois pays 47% of your average weekly wage (combined wages in your 2 highest quarters ÷ 26), floored at $51 and capped at $628/week before any dependent allowance. A worker with $26,000 combined in their 2 highest quarters would get an estimated $470/week.
Does Illinois pay extra for dependents?
Yes — 820 ILCS 405/401(C) pays a nonworking-spouse allowance and a separate dependent-child(ren) allowance, which is why Illinois's published maximum rises to $859/week (minimum to $77) with dependents. This calculator does not compute the exact dependent-inclusive amount because Illinois's dependent-child rate is redetermined annually (17.0%-17.9% of your average weekly wage) and the current year's rate was not confirmed from an official source as of October 12, 2026 — check IDES's official Table of Weekly Benefit Amounts for your exact figure.
How long do Illinois unemployment benefits last?
A uniform 26 weeks for all approved claims, capped at the lesser of 26 times your weekly benefit amount or your full base-period wages (820 ILCS 405/403(B)).
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