How your Washington paycheck is calculated
Paid Family & Medical Leave
For 2026 the total premium is 1.13% of gross wages up to the Social Security wage base ($184,500); employees pay up to 71.43% of it — about 0.807% of wages (Employment Security Department). Small employers may choose to pay it for you.
WA Cares Fund
Employees pay 0.58% of all gross wages, with no wage cap, unless they have an approved exemption (check the box if you do).
Federal withholding and FICA
Federal income tax follows IRS Publication 15-T (2026). Social Security is 6.2% up to $184,500; Medicare 1.45% plus 0.9% above $200,000.
Federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare
Federal withholding uses the IRS 2026 percentage method for automated payroll systems (Publication 15-T, Worksheet 1A). Social Security is 6.2% of wages up to the $184,500 wage base, and Medicare is 1.45% of all wages plus 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax on wages above $200,000. Per-paycheck Social Security and Medicare are shown as a yearly average: if you pass the wage base, your later paychecks will show none.
What this calculator does not include
This estimate does not cover bonuses or other supplemental wages, multiple jobs, Roth (after-tax) contributions, HSA payroll contributions, wage garnishments, or tips and overtime deductions unless you enter them on Form W-4 Step 4(b). Workers' compensation (L&I) employee premiums, which are charged per hour worked and vary by job class, are not included. See the methodology for details.
Frequently asked questions
Does Washington have a state income tax on wages?
No. Washington has no personal income tax on wages. Paycheck deductions for the state are the PFML and WA Cares premiums.
How much is WA PFML in 2026?
The 2026 premium rate is 1.13%; the employee share is 71.43%, so a worker earning $3,000 per paycheck pays about $24.21.
How is federal income tax withholding calculated?
We follow Worksheet 1A of IRS Publication 15-T (2026) for a 2020-or-later Form W-4: your taxable pay is annualized, adjusted by the Form W-4 entries (Step 2 checkbox, Step 3 credits, Step 4 other income, deductions and extra withholding), run through the 2026 percentage-method table for your filing status, and divided back by your number of paychecks. Our engine reproduces all 4,350 cells of the IRS 2026 wage-bracket tables for weekly, biweekly, semimonthly and monthly pay.
Why does Social Security stop at $184,500?
For 2026 the Social Security (OASDI) wage base is $184,500 (SSA). The 6.2% employee tax applies only to wages up to that amount each year. Medicare (1.45%) has no cap, and employers must withhold an extra 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax on wages above $200,000 in the year, regardless of filing status.
Is withholding the same as the tax I will owe?
No. Withholding is an estimate taken from each paycheck. Your actual tax is settled when you file your return and depends on all your income, deductions and credits, so you may get a refund or owe more.
Official sources
- WA ESD: Paid Leave premium rate for 2026 (1.13%, employee 71.43%)
- WA Paid Leave & WA Cares Employer Toolkit v25.1 (June 2026)
- IRS Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods
- IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 tax brackets and standard deduction)
- SSA: 2026 Social Security wage base ($184,500)
- IRS Topic 560: Additional Medicare Tax