Pick the path that fits your situation.
Founders
You’re building a startup
Make sure your stock qualifies for the QSBS exclusion from day one—then get the equity mechanics right: options, vesting, 83(b), and 409A.
→ QSBS Strategy Guide→ Equity Compensation Guide
High Earners ($1M+)
You need a Washington tax plan
Income tax, capital gains tax, domicile rules, PTE elections, and the marriage penalty—all in one place.
→ Washington Income Tax Guide→ Domicile or gain timing? Book a 20-minute call
Selling a Company
You’re planning an exit
What Washington takes when you sell—7% and 9.9% tiers, the 2028 income tax, and whether changing domicile first is worth it.
→ Washington Capital Gains Tax→ Leaving Washington Before an Exit
Advisors & CPAs
You advise founders or high earners
Technical breakdowns, worked examples, and the latest legislative updates you can use with clients.
→ Technical ResourcesDeep Dives
Comprehensive, regularly updated guides on the topics that matter most.
- Washington Income Tax: Complete Breakdown (Updated 2026)
The 9.9% tax, capital gains surtax, residency rules, and what’s coming next.
- QSBS & Section 1202 Strategy Playbook
Qualification, stacking, Section 1045 rollovers, and state conformity.
- Equity Compensation for Startups
Stock options, restricted stock, 83(b) elections, and plan design.
Status (as of September 1, 2026): Washington's 9.9% tax on income above the $1 million standard deduction remains law, effective January 1, 2028, unless voters repeal it or the courts strike it down. Initiative 645 is on the November 3, 2026 ballot and would repeal that tax if it passes; it would not repeal the capital gains excise tax (chapter 82.87 RCW), which the Washington Supreme Court upheld in Quinn v. State. No court has enjoined the income tax. Plan as though it arrives on schedule — treat repeal or a court win as a tail benefit, not a plan.
Quick example: $3M earner in Washington
Without planning, from 2028: ~$198,000 a year in Washington income tax (9.9% on the $2M above the $1 million standard deduction).
What planning can change: a documented change of domicile before January 1, 2028 (the move has to be real, and the proof burden is yours); a pass-through entity election (ESSB 6346 §502) for owners of partnerships and S corporations; and QSBS — which applies only in the year you sell qualifying stock and excludes eligible gain, not salary. Each has its own timing, cost, and proof requirements.
See the worked example in the Tax Planning Guide.
A note before you book: please share only the names of the parties and a brief, non-confidential description of your issue. Confidential details should wait until we’ve completed a conflicts check and signed a written engagement agreement.
Does this apply to you?
If any of these sound familiar, it’s worth a conversation.
Selling a company · Crossing $1M income · Holding startup equity · Considering a move out of Washington
Book a 20-Minute Call