Dear Neighbor,
I have recently heard from some of you regarding the payroll tax to fund long-term care that will be implemented next year. I know many of you have questions and concerns regarding this new tax so I wanted to provide you with information based on some of the questions I have received.
In 2019, the legislature passed a bill (which my Republican colleagues and I did not support) that created the Long-Term Services and Supports Trust Program through a new payroll tax to provide care for individuals who are in need of assistance with daily living. This legislation will require most Washington employees (those who receive a W2) to be taxed 58 cents for every $100 of income starting in 2022. This is on top of all the other state and federal taxes workers already pay. The maximum benefit an individual can receive is $36,500 – anyone with a relative living in a nursing home knows this doesn’t go very far.