Washington Paycheck Calculator
Washington has no state income tax, but most Washington workers do see one state deduction: the WA Cares Fund at 0.58% of wages, the state's long-term care program. Enter your gross salary for a 2026 take-home estimate including both.
Worked example
Single filer earning $60,000 in Washington, paid biweekly: federal tax is $5,020.00/yr (after the $16,100 standard deduction). State income tax is $0, and the WA Cares Fund deduction is $348.00/yr (0.58% of wages). Social Security is $3,720 and Medicare is $870. Take-home: $50,042.00/yr — $1,924.69 per biweekly paycheck. Change the salary above and try your own.
How Washington paycheck tax works
Federal first: your employer annualizes each paycheck. Federal taxable income is your gross minus the IRS standard deduction for 2026 — $16,100 if you file single, $32,200 married filing jointly (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32) — then taxed through the 2026 federal brackets (10% up to 22% across most middle incomes). Social Security takes 6.2% of wages up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500, and Medicare takes 1.45% of all wages (plus 0.9% over $200,000 single / $250,000 joint).
Washington state tax: there isn't one. Washington has no state income tax — but most workers pay the WA Cares Fund payroll deduction of 0.58%. Your only paycheck deductions for government are federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, plus the state payroll deduction below. The WA Cares Fund takes 0.58% of wages with no cap for most workers — $348.00/yr on a $60,000 salary — funding a long-term care benefit.
Washington paycheck FAQ
What is the WA Cares deduction on my pay stub?
WA Cares is Washington's long-term care insurance program, funded by a 0.58% payroll deduction on wages with no cap. Some workers qualify for exemptions (for example, people who bought qualifying private long-term care insurance before November 2021, or certain veterans and spouses) — if you are exempt, your take-home is a little higher than this estimate. Washington's Paid Family & Medical Leave program also has an employee premium that varies by year and employer split; it is not included here.
My real Washington paycheck is different. Why?
Pre-tax 401(k) or HSA contributions, health premiums, garnishments, bonuses (often withheld at a flat 22% federal), and your W-4 elections all move the real number. This estimate covers federal, Social Security and Medicare — in a no-income-tax state, that is everything the government takes from a wage paycheck.
What about overtime or a bonus?
Overtime hours are taxed at the same rates — a higher paycheck just annualizes higher. Try our time and a half calculator and bonus tax calculator for those.