2026 · Missouri
Missouri unemployment benefits
Missouri pays up to $320 a week for up to 20 weeks, a middle-of-the-pack maximum (#46 of 51). Estimate yours below.
Missouri's 2026 figures
| Weekly benefit range | $35 - $320 |
| Maximum duration | 20 weeks (up to 20 (indexed by statute)) |
| Waiting week | Yes, one unpaid week |
| How it's figured | two high quarters |
| Taxed by Missouri? | Yes |
Worked example: a $60,000 earner in Missouri
On a $60,000 prior wage, the estimate is about $320 a week that hits Missouri's maximum. Over 20 weeks that's up to $6,400 in total. Missouri has an unpaid one-week waiting week, so your first payment covers the second week you claim.
Missouri against its neighbors
Across the border in Kentucky, the weekly cap is $746, $426 a week more than Missouri's $320. 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: Arkansas , Illinois , Iowa , Kansas , Kentucky , Nebraska , Oklahoma , Tennessee .
Questions about Missouri unemployment
How much does Missouri pay in unemployment?
Between $35 and $320 a week in 2026, based on your prior wages (two high quarters). The $320 maximum is a middle-of-the-pack maximum (#46 of 51).
How long does Missouri unemployment last?
Up to 20 weeksup to 20 (indexed by statute). At the $320 weekly maximum that caps total potential benefits at $6,400. The duration and the weekly amount are set separately, Missouri sizes the check off two high quarters 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 Missouri unemployment taxed?
Federally, yes, it's ordinary income (elect 10% withholding on Form W-4V). Missouri also taxes it on the state return.
Does severance affect my Missouri unemployment?
Filing timing can matter. Some states delay or reduce unemployment while severance is being paid, and the rule varies. Missouri's treatment is not modeled here, confirm the timing with Missouri DOLIR, Division of Employment Security before you file, since it is a real-money decision. Confirm the timing with Missouri DOLIR, Division of Employment Security 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 Missouri severance page.
File with Missouri DOLIR, Division of Employment Security. This is an estimate, Missouri DOLIR, Division of Employment Security determines your actual benefit.
Your Missouri layoff toolkit
- Missouri severance tax the tax on your severance
- Runway calculator how long your money lasts
- Missouri paycheck calculator your take-home when you're back at work
- Missouri 1099 tax if you go freelance or contract
An estimate, Missouri'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.