Washington WFTC Refund 2026: Amount, Eligibility & Payment Date

Washington state residents can claim the Washington Families Tax Credit for the tax year 2024, as the application deadline is open till 31 December 2028, while the portal for tax year 2025 will open soon. The residents planning to claim this credit can check the eligibility, amount, and other details here. 

The state supports the low-to-moderate income families and individuals through the WFTC from the sales tax you have already paid. This credit gives the hard-earned money back to the residents. The refund amount depends on the number of dependent children and your income. 

The WFTC refund amount for the tax year 2025 is the same as the tax year 2024, so the maximum refund you can expect under the credit is $1290. The application for the WFTC is allowed for three years from the federal tax return date.  

Who can claim the Washington WFTC refund in 2026?

As per the Department of Revenue of Washington State, the residents who meet the following eligibility conditions can claim the WFTC refund:

• You must have a valid Social Security Number or ITIN. 
• Your age should be at least 25 or under 65 years of age, or you have a qualifying child in the respective tax year. 
• You must be living in Washington State for at least 183 days in the respective tax year, such as 2025.
• You must have filed the federal tax return of the respective tax years and must have claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit on the return. 
• The qualified child rule under the WFTC is the same as the EITC rules, where the child should be under 19, must be living with you (except under 24 who is dependent on you and a full-time student), and claimed as a dependent on your return. 

What will be the Washington WFTC refund amount?

The Washington WFTC refund amount for the tax year 2025 has not been revised yet; hence, reports claimed it will be the same as the refund amount for the tax year 2024. The Washington Families Tax Credit amount depends on the number of qualifying children and your earnings. 

Here, the eligible Washington residents can check the Washington WFTC refund amount depending on their family size and income:

Number of Qualifying Children	Must make less than the Income in the tax year based on filing status		Maximum Refund Payout
	Single	Married filing jointly
Zero	$18,591	$25,511	$325
One	$49,084	$56,004	$640
Two	$55,768	$62,688	$965
Three or more	$59,899	$66,819	$1290

What will be the application deadline for the Washington WFTC 2026?

As we mentioned before, the residents can apply for the WFTC for the tax year in the respective tax year, and the application portal will be open for three years. The application portal for the respective tax year is opened from 01 February of the following year, so the residents can apply for tax year 2025 from 01 February 2026. 

If you have not applied for the WFTC in the past, you can still apply for it as, you can application is open for the following tax years:

•  Tax year 2022 to 31 December 2026
• Tax year 2023 from 01 Feb 2024 to 31 Dec 2027
• Tax year 2024 from 01 Feb 2025 to 31 Dec 2028
• Tax year 2025 will commence from 01 Feb 2026 till 31 Dec 2029

How to apply for the WFTC refund?

If you qualify for the WFTC refund in 2025, you can apply for the credit when the portal opens in February 2026; however, if you have a 2024/2023/2022 tax year credit that is unclaimed, you can complete the application. Here are the WFTC refund application ways available; you can choose what suits you:

• Using MyDOR: 
• You can apply online through your SAW account or create an account and complete the WFTC applications with all the supporting documents. 
• Tax Return software: 

• You can use the tax preparation software and apply for the WFTC credits with your tax return. 
• You can also take help from the VITA & AARP centres if you need assistance in the application. 
• Paper return:
• You can download the PDF application for the WFTC from the DOR website and mail the filled form with supporting documents to the department. 
• Application Event:
• The authority hosts the application event for the WFTC every year. You can find the event as per your residence on the DOR official website and attend it. 

When can you expect the WFTC Refund payout?

According to the Washington DOR, when you apply for the WFTC refund, you can expect the refund to be processed within the next 90 days if your application is accurate and there is no issue with the application. 

Remember, the WFTC refund is different from the federal tax refund, and it will be processed separately. If you are unsure of your WFTC application, you can call the center at 360-763-7300. You can also track your WFTC refund status on the DOR website with the refund status tool.

The state of Washington supports the low-to-moderate moderate-income earners and households through WFTC and boosts their purchasing power. The application for the credit is open throughout the year, so apply for previous years as well if you have not claimed it, even if you meet the eligibility requirements. 

Disclaimer: Washington WFTC refund details are for informational purposes only; confirm eligibility and payments with official state sources.