# question on how to classify unemployement benefit in france on US tax return



## Julukaman (Apr 11, 2014)

Hi folks

Its that time of year, and I have a question about filing my US taxes.

Just about all of my income in 2015 was my chomage, that is the unemployment benefit / Work seekers allowance I get from the France Pole Emploi. When completing my 1040, do I put this in part 19 ( unemployment benefit) or do I consider this normal earned income and add it to the other earned income in line 7. I ask because from a French point of view I will be declaring this amount on my French Tax return, so in a way it is more like normal earned income? in any case i just want to do it correctly. 

( although I possibly don't need to this year, due to lower AGI, I still use the Free File Fillable Forms) 

Thanks 

C


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Throughout the instructions, you will find that you are supposed to report Federal or State unemployment. However, foreign unemployment compensation is often considered to be covered under "Welfare and Other Public Assistance Benefits" and thus not income. (See publication 525 for the details.)

Don't forget that unemployment compensation works quite differently in the US from elsewhere. In many other countries, you contribute toward your unemployment insurance as a "social insurance" much like Social Security (in the US) and the national health coverage. Payouts from those insurances are not considered income for US tax purposes. In the US, unemployment is something paid for strictly by the employer and so not, strictly speaking, a "public assistance benefit." 

Frankly, I'd just leave it off altogether. 
Cheers,
Bev


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## Julukaman (Apr 11, 2014)

Thanks Bev

that makes sense to me.


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