Tax year 2026 · Updated
Washington Paycheck Calculator
Washington has no personal income tax on wages. This estimate includes the standard employee PFML share (about 0.81%) and 0.58% for WA Cares; employer-paid contributions or exemptions can change your deductions.
No state wage income tax. Washington has no state income tax on wages. Federal withholding, any state payroll programs listed here, and your benefit deductions still affect take-home pay.
Annual and monthly figures assume the entered pay repeats for a full year. Wage caps are averaged across those paychecks; year-to-date pay and deductions are not tracked.
| Line | Per paycheck | Full-year projection |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $2,307.69 | $60,000.00 |
| Pre-tax retirement | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Health, HSA, FSA (pre-tax) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Federal income-tax withholding | $193.08 | $5,020.00 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | $143.08 | $3,720.00 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | $33.46 | $870.00 |
| Washington income-tax estimate (none) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave (employee share) | $18.63 | $484.32 |
| WA Cares Fund (long-term care) | $13.38 | $348.00 |
| After-tax deductions | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Take-home pay | $1,906.06 | $49,557.68 |
Estimated tax share is the displayed federal withholding, FICA, state/local tax estimate and state payroll deductions divided by gross pay. Benefit deductions are excluded from that share; it is not your final income-tax rate.
Federal withholding follows IRS Publication 15-T for a 2020-or-later W-4. Social Security applies to the first $184,500 of wages in 2026.
Compare a Washington salary offer with your paystub
- Enter annual gross salary and the employer's pay frequency. Every two weeks means 26 paychecks; twice a month means 24. Benefits entered per paycheck follow that choice.
- Copy the elections from your current federal W-4. A job offer's salary alone does not establish withholding.
- Enter your employee retirement and health deductions, then any after-tax deductions. Compare gross pay and each deduction line with a regular paystub before relying on the net estimate.
- For a proposed raise, run both annual salaries with the same elections, pay frequency and benefit settings. Percentage-based retirement deductions change with salary. Keep one-off bonuses separate from regular annual salary.
A raise starting partway through the year affects fewer paychecks. The annual result here is a full year at the entered salary; it does not combine earlier wages or predict a refund. For household withholding and amounts already paid, use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator.
How Washington paycheck taxes work in 2026
Washington does not tax wages, so no state income tax comes out of your paycheck. Federal income tax withholding follows your Form W-4. Applicable Social Security and Medicare deductions still affect take-home pay.
State payroll deductions
Beyond income tax, Washington employees pay into state programs that appear as separate lines on a pay stub: Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave (employee share) at 0.807% of wages up to $184,500; WA Cares Fund (long-term care) at 0.58% of all wages. These are included in the estimate.
Good to know. Washington has no tax on wages; its 7% and 9% income tax applies only to capital gains above $278,000.
Worked example: $60,000 salary in Washington
A single filer earning $60,000 a year, paid every two weeks, with a standard W-4 and no pre-tax deductions, sees this estimate for each paycheck in 2026. These numbers are produced by the same engine as the calculator above, so they never drift from the tool.
| Gross pay | $2,307.69 |
| Federal income-tax withholding | $193.08 |
| Social Security | $143.08 |
| Medicare | $33.46 |
| Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave (employee share) | $18.63 |
| WA Cares Fund (long-term care) | $13.38 |
| Take-home pay per paycheck | $1,906.06 |
| Full-year take-home projection | $49,557.68 |
| Estimated tax share of gross pay | 17.4% |
Comparing a raise or new offer? Use the pay raise calculator to find the percentage change and its federal-only paycheck effect, then compare both salaries above with your Washington elections and deductions.
Reading PFML and WA Cares on a Washington paystub
The 2026 Paid Family and Medical Leave premium is 1.13% in total. The employee share is 71.43% of that premium, about 0.8072% of covered wages, up to $184,500. The full 1.13% is not the employee deduction. An employer may pay some or all of the employee share.
WA Cares is a separate 0.58% contribution with no Social Security wage cap. An approved exemption must be provided to the employer before it stops deducting premiums. The employer may also pay contributions on an employee's behalf.
This calculator assumes ordinary covered wages and the standard employee contributions. It does not determine eligibility, apply WA Cares exemptions or model employer-paid shares and voluntary plans. If any of those apply, compare the separate deduction lines with your paystub instead of treating the displayed take-home pay as an exact payroll result.
Washington's lack of personal income tax on wages does not remove federal withholding, FICA or these state programs. For a raise, compare both salaries with the same W-4 and benefits, then account for any contribution arrangements your employer uses.
Federal taxes on every paycheck in 2026
Federal income tax withholding follows IRS Publication 15-T: your pay is annualised, adjusted for the entries on your Form W-4, reduced by the standard deduction built into the withholding tables ($16,100 single, $32,200 joint, $24,150 head of household), and run through the 2026 rate schedule below. Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to $184,500; Medicare is 1.45% of all wages plus 0.9% on wages above $200,000.
| Rate | Single | Married filing jointly | Head of household |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 – $12,400 | $0 – $24,800 | $0 – $17,700 |
| 12% | $12,400 – $50,400 | $24,800 – $100,800 | $17,700 – $67,450 |
| 22% | $50,400 – $105,700 | $100,800 – $211,400 | $67,450 – $105,700 |
| 24% | $105,700 – $201,775 | $211,400 – $403,550 | $105,700 – $201,775 |
| 32% | $201,775 – $256,225 | $403,550 – $512,450 | $201,775 – $256,200 |
| 35% | $256,225 – $640,600 | $512,450 – $768,700 | $256,200 – $640,600 |
| 37% | over $640,600 | over $768,700 | over $640,600 |
Frequently asked questions
Does Washington have state income tax?
No. Washington does not tax wages. Federal withholding, Social Security and Medicare, plus the state programs listed above, can still apply. Retirement, health premiums and other deductions can also reduce take-home pay.
How much is taken out of a $1,000 paycheck in Washington?
For a single filer paid $1,000 a week with no pre-tax deductions, this 2026 calculator estimates $168.45 in tax and state-program deductions: $78.08 federal withholding, $62.00 Social Security, $14.50 Medicare and $13.87 in state programs, leaving estimated take-home pay of $831.55. This assumes the same pay and elections throughout the year.
What is the Washington income tax rate for 2026?
Washington has no income tax rate on wages in 2026.
Are 401(k) contributions taxed in Washington?
Washington has no state income tax on wages. Qualifying traditional pre-tax retirement contributions reduce federal income-tax withholding wages in this estimate, while Social Security and Medicare still apply. Any state-program wage rules are separate.
How do I calculate my hourly take-home pay in Washington?
Switch the calculator to Hourly, enter your rate, hours per week and any overtime, and choose how often you are paid. The Washington hourly paycheck calculator opens with those settings and shows the same federal, FICA and state breakdown.
Why is my actual paycheck different from this estimate?
Washington has no state income tax on wages. Federal withholding, any state payroll programs listed here, and your benefit deductions still affect take-home pay. The estimate assumes steady regular pay and the elections and deductions you enter. Employer rounding, variable pay, year-to-date wage caps, benefit coverage and local-tax rules can produce different deductions. Compare gross pay and each deduction line with your paystub before using the net figure for budgeting. It does not predict a refund or balance due.
Related calculators
- Washington hourly paycheck calculatorHourly rate, hours and overtime
- Federal income tax calculatorYour 2026 federal tax bill
- W-4 withholding calculatorCheck if enough is being withheld
- Pay raise calculatorWhat a raise means after tax
- Hours worked calculatorTime card to gross pay
- Texas paycheck calculator
- Florida paycheck calculator
- California paycheck calculator
- New York paycheck calculator
- Illinois paycheck calculator
- Pennsylvania paycheck calculator
Paycheck calculators for other states
- AlabamaUp to 5%
- AlaskaNo income tax
- ArizonaFlat 2.5%
- ArkansasUp to 3.9%
- CaliforniaUp to 13.3%
- ColoradoFlat 4.4%
- ConnecticutUp to 6.99%
- DelawareUp to 6.6%
- District of ColumbiaUp to 10.75%
- FloridaNo income tax
- GeorgiaFlat 4.99%
- HawaiiUp to 11%
- IdahoFlat 5.3%
- IllinoisFlat 4.95%
- IndianaFlat 2.95%
- IowaFlat 3.8%
- KansasUp to 5.58%
- KentuckyFlat 3.5%
- LouisianaFlat 3%
- MaineUp to 9.15%
- MarylandUp to 6.5%
- MassachusettsUp to 9%
- MichiganFlat 4.25%
- MinnesotaUp to 9.85%
- MississippiFlat 4%
- MissouriUp to 4.7%
- MontanaUp to 5.65%
- NebraskaUp to 4.55%
- NevadaNo income tax
- New HampshireNo income tax
- New JerseyUp to 10.75%
- New MexicoUp to 5.9%
- New YorkUp to 10.9%
- North CarolinaFlat 3.99%
- North DakotaUp to 2.5%
- OhioFlat 2.75%
- OklahomaUp to 4.5%
- OregonUp to 9.9%
- PennsylvaniaFlat 3.07%
- Rhode IslandUp to 5.99%
- South CarolinaUp to 6%
- South DakotaNo income tax
- TennesseeNo income tax
- TexasNo income tax
- UtahFlat 4.5%
- VermontUp to 8.75%
- VirginiaUp to 5.75%
- West VirginiaUp to 4.82%
- WisconsinUp to 7.65%
- WyomingNo income tax
Sources and updates
Figures are for tax year 2026 and were checked against the sources below on . Tax rules and rates can change. Each calculator identifies the method and limitations used.
- Tax Foundation, State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (as of Jan 1, 2026)
- Washington Paid Leave, 2026 premium split (reviewed September 14, 2026)
- WA Cares, contributions and employer exemption handling (reviewed September 14, 2026)
- IRS, Revenue Procedure 2025-32: tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (standard deduction, rate brackets)
- IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods, Worksheet 1A percentage method for automated payroll systems
- Social Security Administration, 2026 contribution and benefit base $184,500
- IRS Topic 751, Social Security and Medicare withholding rates (6.2% and 1.45%; Additional Medicare Tax 0.9% over $200,000)
- Tax Foundation, 2026 Tax Brackets (head of household and married filing separately thresholds)
This calculator gives estimates for information only and is not tax, legal or financial advice. Your employer's payroll system, local taxes, benefits and year-to-date wages can change the exact amounts on your pay stub. See how we calculate.