Severance and unemployment, do they overlap?

My employer is paying severance in instalments and I am not sure whether to file now. It has been weighing on me all week. The agreement mentions a release and a payment schedule. Did you file straight away?

Keep everything in writing and save the confirmation numbers. It made the follow-up calls so much easier.

Before signing, I asked a friend who is a lawyer to look at the agreement. It was a short conversation and worth it.