can you draw unemployment & retirement at the same time in florida without one affecting the other?

by Keith
(Tampa, Florida)

I was terminated from a company after an on the job accident that took a year to be released from the Dr. I began my unemployment July 2009 and now contemplating drawing my retirement. Will it affect my unemployment in Florida, because I am still unemployed. This is after 35 years with my employer.


Hi Keith,

SSI doesn't effect UI benefits in Florida, but if you're talking about a 401K or other retirement account and it was employer funded at all .. then yes it could and that usually happens if the UI benefits and the retirement payments are from a "base period employer".

So, if this is the case .. you might want to hold off until the UI benefits are exhausted .. if you can because Florida unemployment just doesn't pay that much .. therefore it would take very little retirement to wipe out the WBA.