When did the Washington long-term care tax start?

Employers began withholding amounts from paychecks for the WA Cares fund:

Starting from: 1st July

Year: 2023

Why do some pages say 2022?

It is possible to see “2022” mentioned online because that was the original target date for employee contributions. The state later delayed the rollout to 2023. 

Older articles were never updated which resulted in confusion.

• 2019 — the state adopted the law creating the program.
• 2022 — the initially scheduled date for payroll deductions (which was later delayed
• July 2026 — the month benefits become available for residents who satisfy the program's rules

What is important for the paycheck records?

For the own records, the real start date is the exact pay period the WA Cares deduction first appeared on the pay stub. 

Save copies of that stub, along with a few subsequent ones — so you have them standing if you ever need to correct a payroll mistake.

• A distinct line item labeled WA Cares — or WA LTC
• A deduction calculated from the gross wages — not the net pay
• A deduction percentage that complies with the official state rate

When do benefits open and why does that matter?

The state plans to activate benefits available to eligible workers in 2026. They will open applications & account setups early that year. In other words, the sooner their payroll contributions begin, the faster they build the work history necessary to claim such benefits.

What should you do if the withholding looks wrong?

Payroll mistake correctiıns geberakky require a brief paper trail with a direct request to the HR team.

• Download the pay stub presenting the very first month of withholding — along with the latest stub
• Ask the payroll department for the specific earning code they leverage for the WA Cares deduction
• If the state approved for an exemption — resend the approval letter to HR % ask them to confirm the exact date they applied it to rgw profile
• If you recently moved or changed employment status — give HR the exact date of that change in writing

If you need a second set of professional eyes before going back to HR — Helium Day Tax & CPAs reviews WA Cares withholding as well as related payroll setup.

• Reconciliation of pay stubs to payroll registers
• Locating general withholding mistakes for remote & multi-state workers
• Organizing exemption documentation in order for payroll to apply

Contact us to talk through your facts and situation for optimal next steps.