Severance and unemployment, do they overlap? - any advice?

My employer is paying severance in instalments and I am not sure whether to file now. I have a mortgage and need to plan. Who should I ask before signing?

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.