// About
About Washington Tax Desk
// Mission
A public tax research resource for Washington
Washington Tax Desk is built as a community service for people trying to understand Washington State tax. The project organizes primary law, DOR guidance, live DOR updates, and AI-assisted research tools so CPAs, tax managers, business owners, and advisors can get to the right starting point faster.
The model is public access first. Free tools stay available through donations, responsible access limits, and ongoing maintenance. Donations support the research infrastructure; they are not payments for tax advice or a substitute for hiring a qualified professional.
Some questions still need human judgment, representation, or filing support. Washington Tax Desk can help visitors identify when that line has been crossed and, where appropriate, connect them with qualified CPAs, attorneys, former agency professionals, or Washington tax specialists.
// What We Are Building
Research first, professional help when needed
Community Resource
The site is designed to make Washington tax research more accessible to taxpayers, advisors, and professionals without forcing every question into a paid engagement.
Research-First Tools
Delphi, Solomon, Search DOR, DOR Updates, and the apportionment tools are built around cited source material so users can verify the path behind an answer.
Professional Network
When a matter needs individualized advice, representation, or implementation support, Washington Tax Desk can help point you toward the right type of professional.
Donation-Supported
Contributions help cover AI calls, search infrastructure, hosting, database maintenance, and the ongoing work required to keep public tools useful.
// FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about how Washington Tax Desk works, where the tools fit, and when a matter needs source verification or professional review.
Using Washington Tax Desk
What is Washington Tax Desk?
Washington Tax Desk is a public research project for Washington State tax issues. It brings together DOR monitoring, live DOR search, AI-assisted research, hot-topic trackers, and professional-help issue maps in one place.
Is Washington Tax Desk part of the Department of Revenue?
No. Washington Tax Desk is independent. It links to DOR, Legislature, RCW, WAC, and other official materials, but it is not a government website and does not speak for DOR.
Is the site legal, tax, or accounting advice?
No. The site provides general research context and source links. It can help you understand the issue and find the right documents, but specific filing positions, appeals, refund claims, or audit responses should be reviewed by a qualified professional.
Research Tools
When should I use Search DOR?
Use Search DOR when you want to find the official dor.wa.gov page or publication first. It is best for source discovery, quick lookups, and finding the government page you should read before going deeper.
What is the difference between Delphi and Solomon?
Delphi is the general Washington tax research assistant for topics like B&O tax, sales tax, nexus, refunds, audits, and compliance. Solomon is focused on apportionment, attribution, receipts factors, and Rule 19402 questions.
Where do AI answers get their sources?
The assistants are designed to work from retrieved source material, including Washington tax statutes, regulations, DOR guidance, Washington Tax Decisions, legislative materials, and the site's knowledge base. For high-stakes decisions, always verify against the linked official source.
Issue Pages
What are Hot Topics?
Hot Topics are active or fast-changing Washington tax issues that people are searching for now. These pages are trackers, not long essays: they summarize what changed, why it matters, source documents, and areas of uncertainty.
What is the Common Issues section?
The Common Issues section organizes common issue areas where taxpayers often need structured research or a qualified advisor, such as refunds, audit defense, nexus analysis, tax classifications, compliance, voluntary disclosure, appeals, and letter rulings.
Why do some pages link out to DOR or legislative sources?
Washington tax rules change through statutes, regulations, DOR guidance, special notices, and bill activity. The site summarizes and organizes those materials, but the source documents are the starting point for any serious analysis.
Professional Help and Support
When should I stop researching and contact a professional?
Bring in a professional when the answer affects a filing position, refund amount, audit response, disclosure decision, appeal deadline, ruling request, or recurring compliance system. Research can frame the issue, but facts and risk tolerance matter.
Can I request help with a specific Washington tax problem?
Yes. Use the contact page when the issue needs individualized review, representation, or professional judgment beyond general public research.
How is Washington Tax Desk supported?
The project is community-supported. Donations help cover AI research costs, hosting, data infrastructure, source monitoring, and ongoing maintenance of public tools.