Washington · Service area
Tax resolution in Washington
Washington has no personal income tax — which means a Washington tax problem usually looks different from an Oregon or Idaho one, and gets handled differently.
For most Washington residents, a personal tax problem is a federal problem. There's no state personal income tax return to fall behind on, so the IRS is typically the whole of it: a balance owed, years unfiled, a levy on wages, a lien attached to a house in a market where that equity matters a great deal. Federal representation covers all of it, and none of it requires you to be in the same room as us.
For Washington businesses the state side is very much live. The Department of Revenue administers the Business & Occupation tax — levied on gross receipts rather than profit, which regularly catches out businesses that had a high-revenue, low-margin year and assumed no tax was due. Sales and use tax obligations, reseller permit issues, and DOR audits round out the picture, and the department's audits are thorough.
The combination that shows up most often here is a small business carrying both a federal payroll or income tax balance and a state B&O or sales tax balance at the same time. Those get worked together, because agreeing to terms with one agency without accounting for the other is how businesses end up defaulting on both.
State agency
Who you're dealing with.
Washington State Department of Revenue (DOR) — Business & Occupation tax, sales and use tax, and audits.
Communities we serve in Washington
- Seattle
- Spokane
- Tacoma
- Vancouver
- Bellevue
- Kent
- Everett
- Renton
- Federal Way
- Yakima
- Bellingham
- Olympia
- Kennewick
- Auburn
- Redmond
Cases across Washington are handled remotely; this list is not exhaustive.
Services
What we help Washington taxpayers with.
Offer in Compromise
An Offer in Compromise settles a federal tax debt for less than the full balance.
Learn moreInstallment Agreements
A payment plan is the most common way tax debt gets resolved — and the amount you end up paying each month is far more negotiable than most people realize.
Learn morePenalty Abatement
Penalties are often a substantial share of a tax balance.
Learn moreCurrently Not Collectible
When paying anything toward a tax balance would leave you unable to cover necessities, the IRS can shelve collection entirely.
Learn moreWage Garnishment & Levy Release
This is the emergency.
Learn moreTax Lien Help
A lien doesn't take anything from you directly.
Learn moreFAQ
Washington tax questions
Do I owe Washington state income tax?
Washington doesn't have a personal income tax, so there's no state income tax return for residents to file. Washington taxpayers can still owe federal tax, and can owe income tax to another state where they earned income — a common issue for people working across the river in Oregon.
I live in Vancouver and work in Portland. Which state taxes me?
Oregon generally taxes income earned in Oregon regardless of where you live, so cross-river workers often have an Oregon filing obligation despite living in Washington. It's one of the most common sources of unexpected state balances in the region.
What is Washington B&O tax?
A tax on gross business receipts rather than net profit, administered by the Department of Revenue at rates that vary by activity classification. Because it applies to revenue, a business can owe it in a year it lost money.
Talk to someone about your Washington tax situation.
Free, confidential, and no obligation — just a clear read on where you stand.