Need tax help? Call (360) 862-6556
Clarity Tax & CPAs
Preparing your experience
Please hold
Loading tailored solutions…
You get one tax accountant in Bellingham for your federal return and Washington's own taxes, all year. Our office is on E Laurel Street, and clients work with us in person or by phone and video.
We prepare your 1040, answer IRS letters and adjust your withholding or estimated payments during the year. We complete individual returns within two to three weeks of receiving all your documents. One accountant keeps your file from year to year.
We file S corporation, partnership and corporate returns, set quarterly estimates and report your Washington business and occupation (B&O) tax. We track your federal and Washington filing deadlines together.
You pay self-employment tax at 15.3% on 92.35% of your net earnings. You pay the Social Security part only on the first $184,500 of earnings in 2026 and $192,300 in 2027. We track your Schedule C deductions and set quarterly payments, so you do not face a large balance due in April.
You depreciate a residential rental over 27.5 years and report the income on Schedule E. We keep your depreciation schedule current and work out the tax on a sale before you list.
Send last year's return in confidence and tell us what changed, so we can see which returns you need.
Request a free quote →
Washington does not have an individual income tax in 2026, but you can still owe these state taxes and premiums:
Assumptions: a Bellingham resident sells stock in 2025 with a $1.5 million gain on shares held over a year.
| Washington capital gains tax, 2025 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gain on the sale | $1,500,000 |
| Standard deduction for 2025 | $278,000 |
| Taxable Washington capital gains | $1,222,000 |
| 7% on the first $1,000,000 | $70,000 |
| 9.9% on the remaining $222,000 | $21,978 |
| Total Washington tax | $91,978 |
We model this state tax with your federal tax before you sell.
Washington capital gains tax on a $1.5 million gain in 2025
One stock sale by an individual, standard deduction applied first
Total Washington capital gains tax: $91,978
A CPA is one credential a tax accountant can hold. Accountants with other credentials answer to a different licensing body and have different rights to represent you before the IRS, so check which credential yours holds before you hire:
| Credential | Licensed by | IRS representation |
|---|---|---|
| Certified public accountant (CPA) | A state board of accountancy | Unlimited, including audits, collections and appeals |
| Enrolled agent | The IRS | Unlimited, including audits, collections and appeals |
| Annual Filing Season Program participant | No license, an IRS program record | Limited to returns they prepared and signed, with no appeals or collections |
| Preparer with only an IRS preparer number | No license | None |
Clarity's tax accountants include CPAs and Enrolled Agents who can represent you if the IRS contacts you about your return.
We charge a flat fee based on:
The light end is one individual return with no schedules. These are the factors, not a quote. You see the fee in writing before we start.
“Service is good, answers are proper and with our goals in mind.”
Tell us what you need help with, in confidence. We reply the same day. Visit us at 1326 E Laurel Street, Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM.
Reviewed by Anvar Akhtamov, CPA, Senior Tax Manager at Clarity Tax & CPAs. Last reviewed October 2026.