Washington Income Tax
Estimate onlyNo — Washington has no income tax on wages today, though a 9.9% tax on income above $1 million is scheduled for 2028 and faces a repeal vote in November 2026. Here's what that means for your paycheck, and the federal tax that applies either way.
Reviewed by the ClearTally editorial team · Last updated July 4, 2026 · Methodology & sources
Tax structure
None
Income tax rate
None
Local income tax
—
Washington income tax calculator
Your income after deductions.
Estimated Washington tax
$0
No state income tax
Based on Washington's single-filer schedule. Married-filing-jointly brackets differ in some states, and this ignores state-specific deductions, exemptions, credits, and local taxes. Estimate only, not tax advice.
About Washington income tax
Washington is one of the 9 states with no personal income tax. Wages, salaries, and most other earned income aren't taxed at the state level, so your paycheck is reduced only by federal income tax and FICA.
Washington has no tax on wage income. A capital gains tax applies to large long-term gains, and a 9.9% tax on income over $1 million is scheduled for 2028 but faces a repeal vote in November 2026.
The trade-off is real, though, and it's the thing comparison articles tend to skip: revenue has to come from somewhere, so states without an income tax generally lean harder on sales and property taxes. Whether you come out ahead depends on how much you spend and what you own, not just what you earn — a high earner who rents usually benefits far more than a modest earner who owns a home.
Washington's 9.9% tax on income over $1 million, and the vote to repeal it
Washington has no tax on wages today, and for the overwhelming majority of residents that does not change. But the legislature passed SB 6346, which from 1 January 2028 would apply a flat 9.9% tax to income above $1 million, with the first payments due in April 2029. Only income over the threshold is taxed, and the state estimates it would reach roughly 20,000 filers — under 0.5% of Washington residents.
Whether it ever takes effect is genuinely unsettled. Initiative 645 was certified on 15 July 2026 for the 3 November 2026 ballot, and it would repeal the tax outright as well as bar local governments from imposing one. So this is a scheduled decision, not a done deal, and anyone reading before November should treat the 2028 tax as contingent.
Separately, and already in force, Washington taxes large long-term capital gains — 7% above the annual standard deduction, rising to 9.9% on gains over $1 million after a surcharge added in 2025. That is a tax on investment gains rather than on wages, and it is the reason Washington has appeared on "no income tax" lists with an asterisk for several years.
Other states with no income tax
If you're weighing where to live, these states are in the same position as Washington.
Related tax tools
Washington income tax questions
No. Washington does not tax personal income, so wages and salaries aren't subject to any state income tax and there's no state return to file on your earnings. Washington has no tax on wage income. A capital gains tax applies to large long-term gains, and a 9.9% tax on income over $1 million is scheduled for 2028 but faces a repeal vote in November 2026. There are 9 states in this position, so if you're comparing places to live, Alaska, Florida, Nevada are in the same category.
There is no rate — Washington levies no personal income tax for 2026, at any income level or filing status. That's different from a 0% bracket: there is no state income tax structure at all, so filing status, brackets, and state deductions simply don't apply to your wages.
States without an income tax lean on other taxes instead — most commonly sales tax, property tax, and industry-specific taxes. That means your total state and local tax burden depends far more on what you spend and what property you own than on what you earn, and it can still be substantial. Comparing states purely on income tax misses that trade-off.
Yes. Federal income tax and FICA (Social Security and Medicare) apply in every state regardless of state income tax. For most people federal tax is the larger line by some distance, so having no state income tax reduces your total bill but doesn't come close to eliminating it. Use the income tax calculator to estimate the federal side.
Generally your home state taxes your income wherever you earned it, so living in a state that does tax income while working in Washington usually means you still owe your home state's tax. The reverse — living in Washington and working elsewhere — can mean owing tax to that other state as a non-resident. Multi-state situations turn on residency rules and any reciprocity agreement between the two states, so they're worth checking with each state's revenue department.
Sources & further reading
Washington figures use the 2026 tax year (PayrollTax API). Estimates for planning only, not tax advice. See https://trycleartally.com/disclaimer.