New Hampshire Unemployment Calculator
Estimate New Hampshire unemployment benefit amounts, the 2026 weekly cap, the monetary eligibility screen, and potential maximum benefit credit.
Benefit Estimate
Claim Details
Calculation Method
- Enter wages from four base-period quarters.
- The highest quarter is divided by the New Hampshire weekly divisor to estimate the weekly rate.
- The weekly estimate is capped by the New Hampshire maximum and raised to the New Hampshire minimum when applicable.
- Monetary screening checks two paid quarters, total wages at least 1.5 times the highest quarter, and the New Hampshire minimum total wage rule.
- The maximum benefit credit uses the smaller of weekly benefit times allowed weeks and one-third of total base-period wages.
- Official eligibility also depends on separation, availability, and work-search rules.
2026 Data Inputs
- Weekly rate formula: highest quarter wages divided by 26.
- Default maximum weekly benefit: $450.
- Default minimum weekly benefit: $32.
- Default regular benefit weeks: 26.
- Default minimum total base-period wages: $1,400.
For estimation only. Not legal, tax, or benefits advice.
What Is the New Hampshire Unemployment Calculator?
The New Hampshire Unemployment Calculator estimates unemployment insurance benefits using earnings from four base-period quarters. It identifies your highest-earning quarter, calculates a possible weekly benefit, checks basic wage requirements, and determines a potential maximum benefit credit. Results are estimates and do not confirm whether New Hampshire Employment Security will approve your unemployment claim.
Unemployment insurance may provide temporary financial assistance to eligible workers who become unemployed. Previous wages are one factor used to determine potential benefits. A base period consists of calendar quarters used to review a worker’s earnings history.
The calculator includes default settings labeled for 2026, including a $450 maximum weekly benefit, a $32 minimum weekly benefit, 26 maximum benefit weeks, a $1,400 minimum total wage requirement, and a weekly benefit divisor of 26. These settings can be changed to reflect verified applicable values.
Along with weekly benefit estimates, the calculator displays total base-period wages, required wages, quarters with earnings, monetary screening results, and the one-third wage limit used to determine potential maximum benefit credit.
How the New Hampshire Unemployment Calculation Works
The calculator uses your highest-quarter earnings to estimate a weekly unemployment payment. It also examines total wages and the number of quarters with positive earnings to check whether the entered amounts satisfy its monetary screening conditions.
Step 1: Calculate Total Base-Period Wages
The calculator first adds the gross wages from all four quarters.
Here, T represents total base-period wages. Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 represent wages earned in each quarter. The calculator also identifies H, the highest wage amount among the four quarters.
Step 2: Check Monetary Eligibility Requirements
The calculator applies three wage-related conditions when checking monetary eligibility:
- Positive wages must be recorded in at least two quarters.
- Total base-period wages must equal or exceed 1.5 times the highest-quarter wages.
- Total base-period wages must meet the configured minimum wage requirement, which defaults to $1,400.
The calculator determines the required total wage amount using the following formula:
R represents the required total wages, H represents the highest-quarter wages, and M represents the configured minimum total wage requirement. The calculator selects the greater of 1.5 times the highest-quarter wages or the minimum required wages.
The highest-quarter wages must also be greater than zero. If any monetary screening requirement is not satisfied, the calculator displays zero for both estimated weekly benefits and potential maximum benefit credit.
Step 3: Calculate the Estimated Weekly Benefit
The initial weekly benefit is calculated by dividing the highest-quarter wages by the configured weekly benefit divisor. The default divisor is 26.
H represents the highest-quarter wages, while D represents the weekly benefit divisor.
The calculator then applies the configured weekly maximum and rounds the provisional amount down to a whole dollar. If monetary screening is passed, it raises the result to the configured minimum weekly benefit when necessary.
In this formula, W represents the estimated weekly benefit, C represents the maximum weekly benefit, and F represents the applicable minimum weekly benefit. The calculator limits the configured minimum to the maximum when necessary. The floor symbols indicate rounding down to a whole number before applying the minimum.
Step 4: Calculate Potential Maximum Benefit Credit
The calculator compares the weekly benefit multiplied by the configured maximum benefit weeks with one-third of total base-period wages. It selects the smaller amount and rounds it down to calculate potential maximum benefit credit.
B represents potential maximum benefit credit, W represents the estimated weekly benefit, N represents the configured maximum benefit weeks, and T represents total base-period wages.
Example: New Hampshire Unemployment Benefit Calculation
Consider a worker with the following hypothetical quarterly wages. These amounts match the calculator’s default wage entries.
| Base-Period Quarter | Gross Wages |
|---|---|
| Quarter 1 | $12,000 |
| Quarter 2 | $11,000 |
| Quarter 3 | $10,000 |
| Quarter 4 | $9,000 |
| Total Base-Period Wages | $42,000 |
The highest-quarter wages are $12,000. Multiplying $12,000 by 1.5 produces a required total wage amount of $18,000, which exceeds the default $1,400 minimum.
Because total wages are $42,000 and earnings were recorded in all four quarters, the calculator’s monetary eligibility conditions are satisfied.
Next, calculate the initial weekly benefit:
The initial estimated weekly benefit is approximately $461.54. Because this exceeds the default $450 maximum weekly benefit, the calculator applies the $450 cap.
Next, calculate the potential maximum benefit credit using the configured 26 weeks:
Then calculate one-third of total base-period wages:
The calculator selects the smaller amount, $11,700, as the potential maximum benefit credit.
| Calculation Result | Amount |
|---|---|
| Highest Quarter Wages | $12,000 |
| Total Base-Period Wages | $42,000 |
| Required Total Wages | $18,000 |
| Quarters With Wages | 4 |
| Monetary Rule Check | Met |
| Estimated Weekly Benefit | $450 |
| Maximum Benefit Weeks | 26 |
| One-Third Wage Limit | $14,000 |
| Potential Maximum Benefit Credit | $11,700 |
This example uses hypothetical wages and the calculator’s default benefit settings. Actual unemployment benefits may differ based on an official determination and other applicable conditions.
How to Use the New Hampshire Unemployment Calculator
Follow these steps to calculate your estimated New Hampshire unemployment benefits.
- Enter Quarter 1 wages: Provide your gross earnings for the first base-period quarter before deductions.
- Enter Quarter 2 wages: Add your gross earnings for the second quarter.
- Enter Quarter 3 wages: Provide the gross wages earned during the third quarter.
- Enter Quarter 4 wages: Add your gross earnings for the fourth quarter.
- Review the benefit limits: Check the maximum weekly benefit rate, minimum weekly benefit rate, maximum benefit weeks, minimum total base-period wages, and weekly benefit divisor. Adjust these settings when you have verified different applicable values.
- Click Calculate Benefits: The calculator processes your entered wages and displays the estimated results.
- Review the benefit estimate: Check your estimated weekly benefit, potential maximum benefit credit, monetary rule check, and supporting claim details.
- Click Reset if needed: This restores the original input values and hides previous results.
Enter zero for quarters in which no wages were earned. The four quarterly wage fields are required and accept nonnegative values with $0.01 steps. The benefit limit fields also accept nonnegative values, while the maximum benefit weeks field uses a step of one.
Results are displayed using U.S. dollar formatting without decimal places. The calculator may retain fractional values during parts of its calculations, even though displayed currency amounts are formatted as whole dollars.
Understanding Your New Hampshire Unemployment Results
The calculator provides several results that explain how your estimated unemployment benefits were determined.
Estimated Weekly Benefit
The estimated weekly benefit represents a possible unemployment insurance payment for one week. It is based on your highest-quarter wages and the configured weekly minimum and maximum benefit limits.
The calculator also displays a horizontal meter comparing the weekly estimate with the configured maximum weekly benefit. The accompanying percentage is rounded to the nearest whole percent and is limited to 100%.
Potential Maximum Benefit Credit
Potential maximum benefit credit is the total amount calculated using the smaller of the weekly benefit multiplied by the configured maximum weeks and one-third of total base-period wages.
This amount is not a guarantee of total payments. The amount actually received may depend on the approved claim, benefit duration, and other applicable conditions.
Monetary Rule Check
The calculator displays “Met” or “Not met” based on its monetary screening conditions. It also provides a status badge indicating whether monetary eligibility appears likely under the entered wage information.
A passing result only confirms that the calculator’s wage-related conditions were satisfied. It does not verify the reason for unemployment, availability for work, work-search requirements, or other conditions considered during an official claim determination.
Quarters With Wages
This result counts how many of the four entered quarters contain positive wages. The number matters because the calculator requires earnings in at least two quarters to pass its monetary eligibility screen.
One-Third Wage Limit
The one-third wage limit represents total base-period wages divided by three, rounded down to a whole dollar. The calculator uses this wage-based limit when determining potential maximum benefit credit.
Base-Period Type
The calculator displays “Basic or alternate” as its base-period type description. Its explanatory note states that a standard New Hampshire base period generally uses the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters, while an alternate base period may use the last four completed quarters.
The calculator does not automatically determine which base period applies to an individual claim. Users must identify the relevant four quarters before entering their wage amounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much unemployment can I get in New Hampshire?
Your estimated weekly unemployment benefit depends on your highest-quarter wages and the configured benefit limits. The calculator divides your highest-quarter earnings by 26 by default and then applies its weekly maximum and minimum when monetary screening is passed. Actual benefits are determined through the official unemployment claim process.
What is the maximum weekly unemployment benefit in New Hampshire?
The calculator uses $450 as its default maximum weekly benefit in its 2026-labeled settings. This amount is editable and should not be treated as independent confirmation of the current state maximum. The calculator limits the weekly estimate to the configured maximum. Verify the applicable benefit rate with New Hampshire Employment Security.
How many weeks of unemployment does the calculator use?
The calculator uses 26 maximum benefit weeks by default. You can change this setting, which affects the potential maximum benefit credit calculation. The actual number of weeks for which a worker may receive benefits depends on the approved claim and applicable unemployment insurance rules.
What happens if I only worked during one quarter?
If positive wages are entered for only one quarter, the calculator marks its monetary requirements as not met. Its wage screening requires earnings in at least two quarters. When this condition fails, the estimated weekly benefit and potential maximum benefit credit are both displayed as $0.
Why is my maximum benefit credit lower than 26 weeks of payments?
The calculator compares the weekly benefit multiplied by the configured maximum weeks with one-third of total base-period wages. It uses the smaller amount. Therefore, the wage-based limit may reduce potential maximum benefit credit below the amount represented by 26 full weekly payments.
Should I enter gross wages or take-home pay?
Enter gross wages before deductions. The four quarterly wage fields are intended for earnings before taxes and other deductions. Entering take-home pay instead may reduce the wages used in the calculation and change your estimated weekly benefit, potential maximum benefit credit, or monetary screening result.
Does passing the monetary eligibility check guarantee unemployment benefits?
No. The calculator evaluates specific wage-related requirements only. Official unemployment eligibility may also depend on the reason for unemployment, availability for work, work-search activities, and other applicable conditions. New Hampshire Employment Security determines whether a claim qualifies for benefits.