The Department of Revenue, State of Washington, will release the refund for the Working Family Tax Credit in 2026 for all the individuals who are eligible to get it and have either zero tax liability or owe less money than the credit.
To get the WFTC refund in 2026, it is mandatory to file the Washington state tax return in 2026 for the tax year 2025 by April 15, 2026. Note that the filing process will start on January 1, 2026, but the processing is expected to begin in the third week of this same month.
If you e-file your Washington State tax return by the WFTC for the tax year 2025 in the early stage and opt for the direct deposit, you will surely get your refund by mid-February 2026. Read this article to check the refund timeline, expected schedule, and much more.
What’s the 2026 WFTC refund timeline?
The DOR, Washington, has announced the timeline for getting the Working Family Tax Credit refund in 2026. The direct deposit is received within 3 weeks in the case of electronic filing; in the case of on-paper filing, it takes up to 5 weeks to be received.
If you file electronically and opt for the paper check, you have to wait at least 8 weeks to get the Working Family Tax Credit refund in 2026; and with the on-paper filing, it takes up to 12 weeks to be received in the mailbox.
2026 WFTC Expected Refund Schedule
The expected refund schedule for the 2026 WFTC is tabulated below; it is prepared based on the refund timeline. Go through the tables below to check when you can expect your refund in case of filing your 2026 taxes on a date.
E-File + Direct Deposit
| Filed Date | Received by DOR | Approved Date | Refund Sent Date |
| Jan 1–5, 2026 | Jan 2–7, 2026 | Jan 25–31, 2026 | Feb 12–15, 2026 |
| Jan 6–10, 2026 | Jan 7–12, 2026 | Feb 1–5, 2026 | Feb 18–22, 2026 |
| Jan 11–15, 2026 | Jan 12–17, 2026 | Feb 6–10, 2026 | Feb 24–28, 2026 |
| Jan 16–31, 2026 | Jan 17–Feb 2, 2026 | Feb 11–20, 2026 | Mar 1–7, 2026 |
| Feb 1–15, 2026 | Feb 2–17, 2026 | Feb 21–28, 2026 | Mar 8–15, 2026 |
E-File + Paper Check
| Filed Date | Received by DOR | Approved Date | Check Sent Date |
| Jan 1–5, 2026 | Jan 2–7, 2026 | Feb 1–5, 2026 | Mar 1–5, 2026 |
| Jan 6–10, 2026 | Jan 7–12, 2026 | Feb 6–10, 2026 | Mar 6–12, 2026 |
| Jan 11–15, 2026 | Jan 12–17, 2026 | Feb 11–15, 2026 | Mar 13–18, 2026 |
| Jan 16–31, 2026 | Jan 17–Feb 2, 2026 | Feb 16–25, 2026 | Mar 20–28, 2026 |
| Feb 1–15, 2026 | Feb 2–17, 2026 | Mar 1–10, 2026 | Apr 1–8, 2026 |
Paper File + Direct Deposit
| Filed Date | Received by DOR | Approved Date | Refund Sent Date |
| Jan 1–5, 2026 | Jan 18–25, 2026 | Feb 10–15, 2026 | Mar 1–5, 2026 |
| Jan 6–10, 2026 | Jan 22–29, 2026 | Feb 16–20, 2026 | Mar 8–12, 2026 |
| Jan 11–15, 2026 | Jan 26–Feb 2, 2026 | Feb 21–25, 2026 | Mar 15–20, 2026 |
| Jan 16–31, 2026 | Feb 5–15, 2026 | Mar 1–10, 2026 | Mar 25–31, 2026 |
| Feb 1–15, 2026 | Feb 20–Mar 1, 2026 | Mar 15–20, 2026 | Apr 5–12, 2026 |
Paper File + Paper Check
| Filed Date | Received by DOR | Approved Date | Check Sent Date |
| Jan 1–5, 2026 | Jan 20–30, 2026 | Feb 20–25, 2026 | Mar 20–30, 2026 |
| Jan 6–10, 2026 | Jan 25–Feb 3, 2026 | Feb 26–Mar 2, 2026 | Apr 1–10, 2026 |
| Jan 11–15, 2026 | Jan 30–Feb 7, 2026 | Mar 3–8, 2026 | Apr 10–18, 2026 |
| Jan 16–31, 2026 | Feb 10–20, 2026 | Mar 15–25, 2026 | Apr 25–May 5, 2026 |
| Feb 1–15, 2026 | Feb 25–Mar 5, 2026 | Apr 1–10, 2026 | May 10–20, 2026 |
If you file near the deadline, you may have to wait more than usual to get your WFTC refund. It is good to file early and go with the direct deposit so you can get it smoothly without any headache.
Once the WDOR has issued the refund direct deposit, you will get it within a few hours, and a paper check takes a minimum of 3 days and a maximum of 7 days to be received in your mailbox.
Disclaimer: WFTC Refund 2026 Washington State details are for informational purposes only. Official eligibility and payment dates are determined by state authorities.
