QUALIFYING FOR BENEFITS
Most Washington workers earn WA Cares benefits through automatic contributions from each paycheck. When you need long-term care, you can access the benefits you earned by contributing.
how to qualify
To qualify for WA Cares benefits, you must meet a contribution requirement and a care needs requirement.
1 Meet the contribution requirement
You can meet the contribution requirement through one of three pathways. Any worker can earn full benefits through the temporary and permanent pathways. Near and recent retirees (born before 1968) can also access partial benefits through the transition pathway.
Summary for 2026 applications
1. Temporary pathway: If you’ve contributed for at least three years, you’ve earned access to the full benefit amount of $36,500.
2. Transition pathway: If you were born before 1968, you’ve also earned access to partial benefits ($3,650 for each year you contributed).
Permanent pathway
Full benefit
Requirement
Contribute for at least 10 years
Benefit amount
$36,500 (grows over time with inflation)
Purpose
Provides lifetime access for workers who contribute to the fund over the long term
Temporary pathway
Full benefit
Requirement
At the time you apply for benefits, have contributed for at least 3 of the past 6 years
Benefit amount
$36,500 (grows over time with inflation)
Purpose
Provides temporary access for workers who have contributed recently but haven't yet yearned lifetime access to benefits
Transition Pathway
Pro-rated benefit
Requirement
Born before January 1, 1968 and have contributed for at least one year
Benefit amount
10% of the full benefit amount for each year you contribute (currently $3,650 per year)
Purpose
Ensures people who are near retirement when WA Cares launches can earn lifetime access to pro-rated benefits
We will count each calendar year you worked at least 500 hours toward the requirement. Washington workers began contributing July 1, 2023.
Contributions are automatic for most Washington workers. If you want to check your contribution history, you can create a benefits account to see your annual statement.
2 Meet the care needs requirement
To confirm that you meet the care needs requirement, you’ll meet with a WA Cares team member in person or over the phone. We must determine you need help with three or more activities of daily living and will continue to need help for at least 90 days.
The activities we consider are:
- Bathing
- Bed mobility
- Eating
- Medication management
- Mobility (walking or moving around)
- Transferring (getting in or out of a chair)
- Toileting
We’ll count any activities that you need supervision (like monitoring, cueing or set-up assistance) to complete.
Other details
Exemptions
If you currently have an approved WA Cares exemption, you cannot qualify for WA Cares benefits. If you properly discontinued an exemption, we will count the contributions and hours you worked outside of your exemption period.
Self-employed workers
If you’re a self-employed worker who has opted in to WA Cares, reported your earnings and paid your premiums, you can qualify for benefits.
Out-of-state coverage
Right now, you must live in Washington state to use benefits. Starting in July 2026, you can choose to continue participating in WA Cares if you move out of state. Benefits will become available for out-of-state participants starting in July 2030. Learn more about out-of-state coverage.
Your benefits account
If you’ve contributed to WA Cares, you can create a benefits account to check your contribution history, apply for benefits and manage your services.
You may already have a Paid Family and Medical Leave account you created to apply for an exemption or opt in to WA Cares as a self-employed worker. You’ll continue to use that account to manage your exemption or your elective coverage reporting.
Creating an account
Get access through Secure Access Washington
Like most Washington state agencies, we use SecureAccess Washington to handle customer accounts. You’ll need a SecureAccess Washington account to apply and manage your benefits. To get started:
- Visit the SecureAccess Washington website. If you already have an account, log in. If you don’t have an account, you’ll need to create one. If you’d like to use SecureAccess Washington in Spanish, you can select it at the bottom of your screen.
- After you’ve logged in to SecureAccess Washington, you’ll select “My Services” at the top of your screen. Select “Add Service,” then “Add Service By Name”. Search for “WA Cares Benefits Account” and select the “Add” button to the right.
- If you haven’t used your SecureAccess Washington account before, you’ll need to verify your identity. Fill in your name and address, then answer a few questions to confirm.
Set up your benefits account
Once you’ve added the service, select "WA Cares Benefits Account." You’ll be redirected to set up your account. You can also create an account to help someone else with their benefits. If you do, make sure to enter your own information.
- Set up your WA Cares profile and fill out your information. You’ll enter your name, address and date of birth. You will be asked to provide your Social Security Number, Taxpayer Identification Number. If you do not have one, you can select "I do not have a Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number".
- Choose the language you want to use to communicate with us and how you’d like us to contact you. We can send you updates by email, text message or mail.
- If you’re helping someone else, there is a pathway to help you access someone else’s account. You’ll need to provide legal documents (or get an invitation code from them if they already have an account).
If you need help with your account or application, you can call us at 844-CARE4WA (toll free) or contact us by email or live chat. Language assistance is available.
Checking contribution history
You can use your benefits account to find an annual statement that shows your contributions to the program. After you create or log in to your benefits account, you’ll see a dashboard where you can find your annual statement.
Annual statements are designed to help you understand your progress toward earning benefits. They’re separate from the letter you’ll receive during the application process that confirms you’ve officially met the contribution requirement.
Your 2026 statement will include your contributions to the program from July 1, 2023, to Dec. 31, 2025. If you see any errors or missing information, the statement includes details on what to do.
Your annual statement can be a useful tool for long-term care planning. You can request an updated annual statement in April every year to keep track of your contributions.