Were you recently laid off?

One of the first things you need to do is to sign up for unemployment benefits.

At any given time, millions of people are out of work. But, believe it or not, less than half of Americans who are unemployed actually receive unemployment benefits!

Typically, unemployment benefits last for a maximum of 26 weeks. With the recent state and federal programs and subsidies, however, you can now get up to 99 weeks of unemployment compensation. At over $450 per week in some states, this amounts to nearly $45,000 of money from the government while you are searching for a job.

Applying for unemployment benefits is a relatively straightforward process, and can be accomplished online or over the phone.

Once you have decided to sign up for unemployment benefits, the next step is to determine your unemployment eligibility.