Starting a business on unemployment in Montana

Self-Employment Assistance in Montana

No. Montana doesn’t run Self-Employment Assistance, so unemployment is for people looking for work.

How self-employment affects your benefit

You may be ineligible if you are self-employed full-time; seeking self-employment does not count as a work search contact, and self-employment earnings must be reported (the handbook lists them among earnings reported in the week payment is issued).

You can earn up to 25% of your weekly benefit without a reduction; after that the weekly benefit is cut 50 cents for each additional dollar earned, and working full time (40 hours) means no benefit.

Your weekly job search

Make at least one work search contact per week by applying for a job (application or resume) with someone who has hiring authority, not reusing the same employer two weeks running; keep detailed records for 3 years; register and stay registered with Job Service via MontanaWorks.gov.

Pontia keeps your job-search record for you and links to MontanaWorks, so your plan and your search run side by side.

Other help in Montana

• Vocational Rehabilitation and Blind Services (DPHHS Disability Employment and Transitions Division): VRBS publishes self-employment resources (business plan workbook and instructions, decision tree, model IPE, model business plan and cash-flow templates) for clients pursuing self-employment.
• Medicaid: Montana expanded Medicaid, so the new work requirement applies to expansion adults: 80 hours or $580 net a month, and hours on your business count. Montana started early: expansion community engagement requirements (80 hours/month) took effect 1 Jul 2026 for new applicants and apply to existing members at redetermination (first from 31 Aug 2026), with a hold-harmless period Jul-Sep 2026 and enforcement from Oct 2026.
• SBA Microloans of up to $50,000, and free advice from your local SBDC and SCORE mentors.
• On SSI or SSDI: PASS and the SSDI trial work period let you test a business.

Questions