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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021
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APPEAL TRIBUNE
Address: P.O. Box 13009, Salem, OR 97309
Phone: 503-399-6773
Fax: 503-399-6706
Email: sanews@salem.gannett.com
Web site: www.SilvertonAppeal.com
Staff
News Director
Don Currie
503-399-6655
dcurrie@statesmanjournal.com
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Westsmb@gannett.com
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Property owners in West Salem face some of the largest property tax bills in the
Willamette Valley. STATESMAN JOURNAL FILE
Unemployed
could be in for
a tax surprise
Bill Poehler
Salem Statesman Journal
USA TODAY NETWORK
Thousands of first-time unemploy-
ment filers in Oregon could be in for a
surprise when they file their 2020 tax
returns.
Over 600,000 people in Oregon filed
for unemployment since the start of the
COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
When they did, whether they remember
or not, they were prompted to choose
whether they wanted money from their
unemployment withheld.
It’s unclear how many did not.
Unemployment benefits are consid-
ered taxable income by the Internal Rev-
enue Service and the state. If people
didn’t choose to have taxes withheld,
they face a significant tax liability when
filing their 2020 taxes.
Oregon Employment Department
acting director David Gerstenfeld said
the department will begin sending out
the 1099-G forms, which show how
much money people received in unem-
ployment benefits and how much tax
was withheld, next week.
He said all of those forms should be
mailed by Jan. 31.
“For anybody who wants a digital
copy, the 1099G form will be available in
the online claims system so people don’t
have to call or write to us, they can just
access that directly in the online claims
system,” Gerstenfeld said.
Those in Oregon who claimed unem-
ployment were given a choice of holding
10% of their benefits for federal income
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taxes and 6% for state income taxes.
But that was voluntary.
“A lot of people do have those
amounts withheld and we’ve already
forwarded those on to the Internal Reve-
nue Service or the Oregon Department
of Revenue,” Gerstenfeld said.
Those who didn’t choose to have the
tax withheld could be facing a large pay-
ment, especially with the boosted un-
employment amounts – $600 weekly
from March to July and $300 weekly
until September.
All of that additional money is tax-
able, too
The stimulus payments of $1,200 and
$600 that were sent out in April 2020
and January 2021 are not taxable. But
people who did not receive one of the
payments are eligible to claim them on
their taxes as deductions, according to a
statement from the IRS.
Some people who had their 2019 tax
refunds directly deposited had their
stimulus payments deposited a differ-
ent bank account than the one on their
2019 taxes.
If there is a third stimulus payment
that comes in 2021, some people will
need to update their routing of it, either
by direct deposit or physical address, in
order to receive the payment.
Bill Poehler covers Marion County for
the Statesman Journal. Contact him at
bpoehler@statesmanjournal.com
or
Twitter.com/bpoehler
A long line of cars forms at the Marion County and Salem Health COVID-19 vaccination clinic along Silverton Road Northeast on Thursday at the Oregon State
Fairgrounds in Salem. ABIGAIL DOLLINS / STATESMAN JOURNAL
Vaccine
where people can register to be told
when it’s their turn.
Healthcare and long-term care facil-
ity workers should check with their em-
ployers. Long-term care facility resi-
dents will be vaccinated at their facili-
ties.
Marion County and Salem Health are
sponsoring vaccination clinics for peo-
ple who qualify and aren’t vaccinated by
their employers at the Oregon State Fair-
grounds, 2330 17th St. NE in Salem.
Continued from Page 1A
tions were added with just minutes to
spare. Some, such as agricultural work-
ers and food processing employees,
were removed.
In Oregon, some large COVID-19 out-
breaks have been in agriculture, and
food processing, and in communities
that are home to those industries.
The committee began meeting on
Jan. 5. It had one official and two option-
al meetings before Thursday.
The recommendation now goes to the
Oregon Health Authority.
Are vaccinations free?
What does Oregon’s COVID-19
vaccine distribution look like?
In Oregon, vaccines currently are
generally available to:
h Health care workers at hospitals,
urgent care clinics, outpatient settings,
public health and early learning set-
tings.
h People who work in hospice pro-
grams, mobile crisis care and related
services, secure transport and non-
emergency medical transport.
h Employees and residents of skilled
nursing, long-term care and memory
care facilities.
h Emergency medical service provid-
ers and other first responders.
h Tribal health programs.
Oregon health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities are
currently getting the COVID-19 vaccinations, and teachers and residents over
age 65 will be eligible starting Jan. 23. On Thursday, a state group suggested
who would come after that. BRIAN HAYES/STATESMAN JOURNAL
h In-home care and day treatment
services.
h People working in correctional set-
tings.
h Death care workers.
On Jan. 23, Oregon will begin allow-
ing vaccines for K-12 educators and staff
and childcare providers, and for anyone
age 65 and older.
Gov. Kate Brown is scheduled to pro-
vide more details on Oregon’s distribu-
tion plans for those groups at a Friday
news conference.
The committee’s recommendation is
for who follows next.
Can I register somewhere to be
notified when it’s my turn?
Unlike some states, including neigh-
boring Washington, Oregon does not
have plans to set up an app or website
Yes.
The federal government has pur-
chased the vaccines, and residents
won’t be charged for them. However,
some places may charge a fee to admin-
ister the shot. Insurance should cover
the fee.
Can I stop wearing a mask and
social distancing once I am
fully vaccinated?
No.
Health officials say it’s possible even
a fully vaccinated person could still be-
come infected and experience mild ill-
ness or pass the virus on to someone
else.
Tracy Loew is a reporter at the States-
man Journal. She can be reached at
tloew@statesmanjournal.com,
503-
399-6779 or on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew.