Massachusetts Unemployment Benefits Calculator
Estimate your Massachusetts unemployment benefits. Max weekly: $1,154 for benefit years beginning on or after October 4, 2026. Max weeks: 30. Free calculator.
Estimate only — these are not official figures
The weekly benefit applies Massachusetts's exact statutory formula, cited in the methodology and sources, so it matches the law when the wages you enter are accurate. The page is still labeled an estimate because its monthly figure (the weekly amount times 4.33) is not an amount the state pays and only the state agency can decide whether you qualify. The maximum weekly benefit ($1,154 for benefit years beginning on or after October 4, 2026) and duration (30 weeks) come from published sources.
Do not rely on these amounts for budgeting or payment. For exact amounts, check the Massachusetts state unemployment insurance agency (file there and use its official benefits estimator for your actual Weekly Benefit Amount determination).
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Pre-filled: Massachusetts DUA, effective October 4, 2026
Estimated Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA)
Estimated • Based on your inputs
Estimated Monthly Benefit
$2,165.00
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
Massachusetts pays a base Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA) of 50% of your average weekly wage rounded down to a whole dollar, floored at $60 and capped at a base maximum that §29(a) recomputes every October: $1,154 for benefit years beginning on or after October 4, 2026 (Massachusetts DUA). The older $1,105 cap covers claims through October 3, 2026; enter the maximum on your monetary determination for another benefit year. Section 29(c) then adds $25/week for each eligible dependent IN ADDITION to that base amount; the statute and DOL table state no dependent-count or aggregate-dollar cap. Section 30(a) limits the base claim to whichever is smaller, in whole dollars: thirty base weekly payments, or 36% of everything you earned in the base period; it then adds the dependency allowance for each payable week. DOL reports 10-30 weeks for eligible claims; this calculator does not determine monetary eligibility, so inconsistent wage inputs preserve the base dollar cap and may show a shorter period with a partial final week rather than inflating the total.
Key State Information
Massachusetts's base weekly UI benefit is $60 to $1,154 for benefit years beginning on or after October 4, 2026; the cap is reset each October, so another benefit year uses the figure on its determination. It then pays $25/week per eligible dependent in addition, with no aggregate dependent-allowance cap stated in §29(c). Standard duration is up to 30 weeks.
Example Calculation
Let's review the inputs that set unemployment benefits in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts 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: $1,154 for benefit years beginning on or after October 4, 2026. Current maximum duration: 30 weeks. These are ceilings, not a typical award; the calculator above applies Massachusetts'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 Massachusetts?
Massachusetts pays 50% of your average weekly wage as a base amount ($60 to $1,154 for benefit years beginning on or after October 4, 2026), then adds $25/week per eligible dependent. A claimant with a $1,000/week average wage and no dependents would get an estimated $500/week; with 3 dependents, an estimated $575/week.
Is there a limit on how many dependents Massachusetts pays for?
M.G.L. c.151A §29(c) and the U.S. DOL table state no dependent-count or aggregate-dollar cap for Massachusetts's $25/week allowance. The base maximum ($1,154 for benefit years beginning on or after October 4, 2026) applies before dependency benefits are added.
How long do Massachusetts unemployment benefits last?
10 to 30 weeks — the longest standard maximum of the 39 states this calculator models with a source-backed formula. The claim on the base WBA stops at 30 base weekly payments or at 36% of what you earned in the base period, whichever comes first; $25 per eligible dependent is then added for each payable week.
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