HONOLULU -- The state's unemployment trust fund is expected to run out of money this fall. So, for the first time in more than 30 years, the state will have to borrow from the federal government to keep paying unemployment benefits.

Hawaii's unemployment fund has just $65.6 million remaining as of this week, state officials said. Officials said they expect that money to be depleted by Oct. 18. In comparison, there was $552 million in the fund at the beginning of 2007, which was an all-time high.

Hawaii joins 31 other states that borrowed money from the feds because their unemployment funds have gone broke.

Helen Tamura, of Makiki, an out-of-work accounting employee, filed for an extension of unemployment benefits on Friday.

When KITV4 told her the state's unemployment fund is going broke, she said, "I think that's pretty sad, actually, you know. I mean, I've been unemployed for over a year now, and can't find anything in my field."

The state expects its unemployment trust fund, which covers unemployment claims, to become insolvent this October.

"We want to assure people that their benefits will not be interrupted. They will continue to get unemployment benefits," Hawaii Labor Department spokesman Ryan Markham said.

The state will borrow money from the federal government, but officials are not sure how big the loan will be.

"We have to reach a zero balance before we can request a loan. When we do reach that zero balance and request a loan from the federal government, it will be interest free," Markham said.

With businesses closing and shedding jobs, fewer people are employed and companies are not paying as much unemployment insurance, so the state is paying out more money than it collects. More people are out of work and they have been unemployed for longer periods of time.

"We've had historically high unemployment figures over the last couple years. We haven't seen unemployment this high since the 1970s, which was coincidentally the last time we had to borrow from the federal government," Markham said.

California has already borrowed $7.2 billion from the feds, Michigan $3.8 billion and New York and Pennsylvania each borrowed $3 billion.

"Other states have been borrowing from the federal government for a couple of years now -- billions in debt... Relative to the rest of the country, we're doing pretty well," Markham said.

The state hopes to replenish its unemployment trust fund and pay back the federal loans by the end of next year.