Applications for the WA Working Families Tax Credit are live. This is who is eligible

Jared Gendron
Mark Lennihan/AP

Applications for Washington state’s Working Families Tax Credit opened on Wednesday. It provides individuals and families who qualify up to $1,200 annually, but the actual amount varies based on income and number of children who also qualify.

Here is what you need to know to find out if you or your children are eligible to receive the tax credit.

Who is eligible?

According to the Washington State Department of Revenue, the requirements for the tax credit are similar to ones for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit. Both individuals and families can qualify if they meet these criteria:

  • You possess a valid SSN or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number

  • You’re at least 25 years of age and under 65 or have a qualifying child

  • You must have lived in Washington for at least half a year – a minimum of 183 days – in 2022.

  • You filed a federal tax return in 2022

  • You’re eligible to claim the federal Earned Income Tax Credit on your 2022 tax return

WA state residency requirements

If you aren’t sure if you qualify for the minimum days of residence, you may qualify if you are a spouse living out of state or are a student studying in Washington:

  • Only the primary applicant must live in the state for at least half a year. So, if you have a spouse who lives out of state but you physically reside in the state but you are married filing jointly on your federal tax return, you still qualify.

  • If you are physically in Washington for school for at least half the year and don’t commute back to your state of residence, you are still considered eligible.

  • If you are experiencing homelessness and meet the minimum day requirement, you still qualify. On your application, you can check the box allowing you to opt out of giving a primary residence.

Income eligibility

The minimum credit amount is $50. The maximum credit goes up to as much as $1,200, and is based on how many qualifying children you have. Your annual income must meet the following criteria:

  • If you have no children, you must make less than $16,480 or $22,610 if you’re married and file federal tax returns jointly. Your maximum eligibility amount is $300.

  • If you have one eligible child, you must make less than $43,492 or $49,622 if you’re married and file federal tax returns jointly. Your maximum eligibility amount is $600.

  • If you have two eligible children, you must make less than $49,399 or $55,529 if you’re married and file federal tax returns jointly. Your maximum eligibility amount is $900.

  • If you have three eligible children, you must make less than $53,057 or $59,187 if you’re married and file federal tax returns jointly. Your maximum eligibility amount is $1,200.

Does my child qualify?

The Department of Revenue website states that a child’s age, relationship, residency and how they filed taxes determines whether they qualify for the tax credit:

  • Age: A child must be either under 19 years of age and be younger than you or the applicant or under 24 years old and are also a full-time student for at least five months of the year and be younger than you or the applicant. A child of any age who is permanently and totally disabled at any time of the year also qualifies.

  • Relationship: The child must be your son, daughter, stepchild, adopted child, foster child, a brother or sister, half-brother or half-sister, stepsister or stepbrother, grandchild, niece or nephew.

  • Residency: The child must live in the same home as you for at least half of the year. If they were temporarily away from the home, that time is still counted. Examples of being temporarily away from home include being hospitalized, away on vacation, in school, at a business, carrying out military service, are at a juvenile facility or were the victim of kidnapping.

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