2026 · Kansas
Kansas unemployment benefits
Kansas pays up to $637 a week for up to 16 weeks, a middle-of-the-pack maximum (#20 of 51). Estimate yours below.
Kansas's 2026 figures
| Weekly benefit range | $159 - $637 |
| Maximum duration | 16 weeks (16-26 indexed; current 16) |
| Waiting week | Yes, one unpaid week |
| How it's figured | high quarter |
| Taxed by Kansas? | Yes |
Worked example: a $60,000 earner in Kansas
On a $60,000 prior wage, the estimate is about $577 a week (within Kansas's $159-$637 range). Over 16 weeks that's up to $9,232 in total. Kansas has an unpaid one-week waiting week, so your first payment covers the second week you claim.
Kansas against its neighbors
Across the border in Colorado, the weekly cap is $884, $247 a week more than Kansas's $637. That gap doesn't mean you can shop for a better rate: benefits come from the state where your wages were reported, not where you live now.
Worked in a bordering state? Its rules apply instead: Colorado , Missouri , Nebraska , Oklahoma .
Questions about Kansas unemployment
How much does Kansas pay in unemployment?
Between $159 and $637 a week in 2026, based on your prior wages (high quarter). The $637 maximum is a middle-of-the-pack maximum (#20 of 51).
How long does Kansas unemployment last?
Up to 16 weeks16-26 indexed; current 16. At the $637 weekly maximum that caps total potential benefits at $10,192. The duration and the weekly amount are set separately, Kansas sizes the check off high quarter but counts weeks on its own rules, so low earners may qualify for fewer weeks, and two people with the same weekly benefit can exhaust at different times.
Is Kansas unemployment taxed?
Federally, yes, it's ordinary income (elect 10% withholding on Form W-4V). Kansas also taxes it on the state return.
Does severance affect my Kansas unemployment?
Filing timing can matter. Some states delay or reduce unemployment while severance is being paid, and the rule varies. Kansas's treatment is not modeled here, confirm the timing with Kansas Department of Labor before you file, since it is a real-money decision. Confirm the timing with Kansas Department of Labor before you file rather than after, a difference of one week in when the claim starts can change whether a severance payment offsets the benefit. The tax side of the severance itself is on the Kansas severance page.
File with Kansas Department of Labor. This is an estimate, Kansas Department of Labor determines your actual benefit.
Your Kansas layoff toolkit
- Kansas severance tax the tax on your severance
- Runway calculator how long your money lasts
- Kansas paycheck calculator your take-home when you're back at work
- Kansas 1099 tax if you go freelance or contract
An estimate, Kansas's agency determines your actual benefit. Figures from the verified 2026 dataset, last verified 2026-07-24. Nothing you enter is stored. Not tax or legal advice.