Job Loss
Lost your job? Move fast on the first three things.
The first week after a job loss is the most important. File for unemployment, sort out health insurance, and protect the rent. Here's a clear order of operations.
The order matters
Today
File for unemployment online today. Don't wait. Benefits usually start the week you file, not the week you lost the job.
This week
Decide on health insurance: COBRA from your old employer or a marketplace plan. Marketplace is almost always cheaper. Special enrollment opens for 60 days after you lose coverage.
Unemployment — file in your state
Unemployment insurance is run by each state. The rules, amounts, and length of benefits are all state-specific. You file with the state where you worked. If you worked in multiple states recently, file in the most recent one.
What you'll need to file
- Your Social Security number
- The names, addresses, and dates of every employer in the last 18 months
- The reason you separated from each one
- If you served in the military: your DD-214
- If you were a federal employee: your SF-8 or SF-50
Find your state's unemployment office
Health insurance options
Marketplace plans (usually cheapest)
Losing a job triggers a 60-day Special Enrollment Period at HealthCare.gov (or your state marketplace). Most people qualify for subsidies — sometimes plans cost zero or near-zero per month. Apply at healthcare.gov.
COBRA
You can keep your old employer's plan for up to 18 months, but you pay the full cost — usually $700–$2,000 a month for a family. Compare against marketplace before signing. You have 60 days to decide.
Medicaid
If your income drops to zero, you likely qualify for Medicaid. It's free. Apply through HealthCare.gov or your state Medicaid office. Coverage starts the day you apply, not the day it's approved.
Protect the rent and bills
Tell your landlord before you miss a payment. A hardship letter — calm, factual, with a specific ask — works far better than silence. Same for your mortgage company, your credit card, and your car loan. Most lenders have hardship programs but only for people who ask in writing.
Use our free letter generator for any of these.
Where to get help
Read this next
→ What to do the week you lose your job