The State Care Tax is a Math Error in Your Retirement Plan
Politicians are selling a safety net that wouldn't cover a single month in a nursing home.
By Neil D'Monte, Palmelle Editorial Team · Reviewed by Neil D'Monte · 7 min read · 2026-06-17
If you live in Washington State, you are already paying a 0.58% payroll tax for a benefit that will, if you are lucky, cover about ninety days of basic care. Several other states, including California and New York, are actively drawing up blueprints to copy this exact homework. It is the political equivalent of handing someone a single band-aid after they have fallen off a three-story building.
