Got severance, how does it affect benefits? (Honolulu)

My employer is paying severance in instalments and I am not sure whether to file now. I worked as a call-centre agent before this. The agreement mentions a release and a payment schedule. Who should I ask before signing?

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it last year, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.

I filed on day one anyway and reported the severance honestly. The agency decided what to do about the timing.