Does Washington state have a personal income tax in 2026?

No. Washington State has no personal state income tax on wages or salaries. However, residents are subject to two state-level payroll deductions: the WA Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) premium (0.522% employee share) and the WA Cares Fund long-term care premium (0.58%).

What is the WA Cares Fund deduction on my Washington paycheck?

The WA Cares Fund is a state-mandated long-term care benefit program funded by a 0.58% payroll deduction ($0.58 per $100) on all gross wages without an income cap.

How much more do you take home in Seattle vs. California?

On a $150,000 salary, a worker in Washington keeps approximately $10,500 to $12,000 more per year in take-home pay compared to California, as Washington has 0% state income tax compared to California's progressive tax rates up to 9.3%+.

State of Washington • 0% Income Tax • WA Cares & PFML Included

Washington Paycheck Calculator 2026

Calculate your exact take-home pay in Seattle, Bellevue, Spokane, and across Washington State. Washington levies 0% personal state income tax, with state payroll deductions for the WA Cares Fund (0.58%) and WA Paid Family & Medical Leave (0.522%) alongside 2026 IRS federal withholding and FICA.

Salary & Withholding Inputs

Live Compute

Annual Gross Salary or Wages ($)

Pre-tax total annual earnings in Washington.

Pay Frequency

Filing Status

Pre-Tax Voluntary Deductions

401(k) Contribution (% of salary) 5%

2026 IRS contribution limit is $24,500.

Monthly Health Insurance Premium ($)

WA State Advantage: Washington imposes $0 in state personal income tax. You keep 100% of your earnings after IRS federal taxes and modest WA state payroll programs (WA Cares & PFML).

Estimated Take-Home Pay

$2,763.50

Per Bi-Weekly Paycheck (26x / year)

Annual Net Take-Home $71,851.00 71.9% of Gross

Effective Tax Rate 21.8%

WA State Tax $0.00 (0%)

WA Cares + PFML $1,102.00

Comprehensive Payroll Deduction Breakdown Per Paycheck & Annual

Category	Per Paycheck	Annual Total	% Gross
Gross Pay	$3,846.15	$100,000.00	100.0%
401(k) Retirement Pre-Tax	-$192.31	-$5,000.00	5.0%
Pre-Tax Health Insurance	-$69.23	-$1,800.00	1.8%
Federal Income Tax (IRS)	-$473.08	-$12,300.00	12.3%
Social Security (6.2%)	-$238.46	-$6,200.00	6.2%
Medicare (1.45%)	-$55.77	-$1,450.00	1.5%
Washington State Income Tax	$0.00	$0.00	0.0%
WA Cares Fund (0.58%)	-$22.31	-$580.00	0.58%
WA PFML Premium (0.522%)	-$20.08	-$522.00	0.52%
Net Take-Home Pay	$2,763.50	$71,851.00	71.9%

Washington vs. California Tax Savings

0% vs 9.3%+

By earning in Washington rather than California on this salary, you avoid California's progressive Franchise Tax Board income tax (up to 9.3%+) and CA SDI (1.1%). Even after paying WA Cares (0.58%) and WA PFML (0.522%), you keep approximately:

Estimated Annual Savings vs. California: +$4,850.00 / year

Check CA Taxes →

Frequently Asked Questions: Washington Paycheck Taxes

1. Does Washington State have any personal income tax?

No. Article VII, Section 1 of the Washington State Constitution prohibits a graduated personal net income tax. Washington is one of 9 states with no personal income tax on wages and salaries. Note that Washington does levy a 7% excise tax on long-term capital gains over $250,000, but regular paycheck earnings are 100% free of state income tax.

2. What is the WA Cares Fund payroll deduction?

The WA Cares Fund (RCW 50B.04) is a state long-term care insurance program enacted to provide eligible workers up to $36,500 (adjusted for inflation) in lifetime care benefits. It is funded through a mandatory 0.58% payroll tax on all gross wages with no salary ceiling. For a $100,000 wage earner, this equals $580 per year.

3. What is the Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) deduction?

Washington PFML provides paid time off when you experience a serious health condition or need to care for a family member. The employee premium rate is approximately 0.522% of gross wages up to the Social Security wage limit ($184,500 in 2026). Once your earnings exceed $184,500 in a calendar year, PFML deductions stop.