RCW 41.40.052
Exemption from taxation and judicial process—Exceptions—Assignability—Deductions authorized.
(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3) of this section, the right of a person to a pension, an annuity, or retirement allowance, any optional benefit, any other right accrued or accruing to any person under the provisions of this chapter, the various funds created by this chapter, and all moneys and investments and income thereof, are hereby exempt from any state, county, municipal, or other local tax, and shall not be subject to execution, garnishment, attachment, the operation of bankruptcy or insolvency laws, or other process of law whatsoever, whether the same be in actual possession of the person or be deposited or loaned and shall be unassignable.
(2)(a) This section shall not be deemed to prohibit a beneficiary of a retirement allowance from authorizing deductions therefrom for payment of premiums due on any group insurance policy or plan issued for the benefit of a group comprised of public employees of the state of Washington or its political subdivisions and which has been approved for deduction in accordance with rules that may be adopted by the state health care authority and/or the department, and this section shall not be deemed to prohibit a beneficiary of a retirement allowance from authorizing deductions therefrom for payment of dues and other membership fees to any retirement association or organization the membership of which is composed of retired public employees, if a total of three hundred or more of such retired employees have authorized such deduction for payment to the same retirement association or organization.
(b) This section does not prohibit a beneficiary of a retirement allowance from authorizing deductions from that allowance for charitable purposes on the same terms as employees and public officers under RCW 41.04.035 and 41.04.036.
(3) Subsection (1) of this section shall not prohibit the department from complying with (a) a wage assignment order for child support issued pursuant to chapter 26.18 RCW, (b) an order to withhold and deliver issued pursuant to chapter 74.20A RCW, (c) a notice of payroll deduction issued pursuant to *RCW 26.23.060, (d) a mandatory benefits assignment order issued by the department, (e) a court order directing the department of retirement systems to pay benefits directly to an obligee under a dissolution order as defined in RCW 41.50.500(3) which fully complies with RCW 41.50.670 and 41.50.700, or (f) any administrative or court order expressly authorized by federal law.
[ 2012 c 159 § 26; 1999 c 83 § 1. Prior: 1991 c 365 § 22; 1991 c 35 § 92; 1989 c 360 § 27; 1988 c 107 § 20; 1987 c 326 § 24; 1982 c 135 § 2; 1981 c 294 § 14; 1979 ex.s. c 205 § 6; 1974 ex.s. c 195 § 4; 1967 c 127 § 6; 1947 c 274 § 39; Rem. Supp. 1947 § 11072-39. Formerly RCW 41.40.380.]
NOTES:
*Reviser's note: RCW 26.23.060 was amended by 2021 c 35 § 15, changing "notice of payroll deduction" to "income withholding order."
Severability—1991 c 365: See note following RCW 41.50.500.
Intent—1991 c 35: See note following RCW 41.26.005.
Implementation—Effective dates—1988 c 107: See RCW 41.05.901.
Effective date—1987 c 326: See RCW 41.50.901.
Severability—1981 c 294: See note following RCW 41.26.115.
Severability—1974 ex.s. c 195: See note following RCW 41.40.023.
Structure Revised Code of Washington
Title 41 - Public Employment, Civil Service, and Pensions
Chapter 41.40 - Washington Public Employees' Retirement System.
41.40.005 - Provisions applicable to "plan 1," "plan 2," and "plan 3."
41.40.015 - Construction—Chapter applicable to state registered domestic partnerships—2009 c 521.
41.40.020 - System created—Administration.
41.40.025 - Membership in system—Charter school employers and employees.
41.40.034 - Purchase of additional service credit—Costs—Rules.
41.40.038 - Duty disability retirement recipients—Continued service credit.
41.40.042 - Members agree to deductions.
41.40.048 - Employer's contribution—Computation—Billing.
41.40.054 - Disability retirement—Criminal conduct.
41.40.055 - Penalty for false statements.
41.40.058 - Transfer of service credit from statewide city employees' retirement system.
41.40.059 - Credit for service in Seattle's police relief and pension fund system.
41.40.068 - Hearing prior to appeal—Required—Notice.
41.40.073 - Hearing prior to appeal—Conduct of hearing.
41.40.078 - Judicial review in accordance with administrative procedure act.
41.40.082 - Appeal—No bond required.
41.40.088 - Education employment—Service credit—Computation.
41.40.092 - Transfer of cadet service credit to Washington state patrol retirement system.
41.40.0932 - Death benefit—Course of employment—Occupational disease or infection.
41.40.095 - Transfer of membership from judicial retirement system.
41.40.096 - Law enforcement officers—Dual membership—Plan 1 exception.
41.40.098 - Transfer of former service from judicial retirement system.
41.40.102 - Effect of certain accumulated vacation leave on retirement benefits.
41.40.103 - Benefit calculation—Limitation.
41.40.104 - Establishing, restoring service credit.
41.40.1041 - Prior service for plan 2 or 3 members—One-half service credit.
41.40.105 - Chapter not applicable to officers and employees of state convention and trade center.
41.40.109 - Retirement system employer—Termination of status.
41.40.111 - Retirement system employer—Unit of government.
41.40.113 - Public safety employees' retirement system—Election—Membership.
41.40.127 - Additional benefit for district or municipal court judges—One-time irrevocable election.
41.40.131 - Purchase of life annuity benefit.
41.40.145 - Provisions applicable to plan 1.
41.40.150 - Termination of membership—Restoration of service credit.
41.40.160 - Creditable service.
41.40.163 - Purchase of service credit—Service at Washington State University.
41.40.170 - Credit for military service.
41.40.180 - Retirement—Length of service.
41.40.185 - Retirement allowances—Members retiring after February 25, 1972.
41.40.189 - Retirement allowance—Adjustment eligibility.
41.40.190 - Retirement allowance—In lieu of allowance provided in RCW 41.40.185.
41.40.191 - Retirement allowance—Members with thirty years of service—Irrevocable election.
41.40.193 - Dates upon which retirement allowances accrue.
41.40.197 - Retirement allowance—Annual increases restricted after July 1, 2010—Eligibility.
41.40.1971 - Definition—"Beneficiary."
41.40.1985 - Permanent retirement allowance adjustment.
41.40.1986 - Permanent increase for specified beneficiaries age seventy or over.
41.40.1987 - Monthly benefit increase.
41.40.200 - Retirement for disability in line of duty—Applicability to certain judges.
41.40.210 - Duty disability retirement allowance for disability after age sixty.
41.40.220 - Allowance on retirement for duty disability—Before sixty.
41.40.230 - Nonduty disability—Applicability to certain judges.
41.40.235 - Nonduty disability retirement allowance—Amount—Maximum—Death benefit.
41.40.250 - Allowance on retirement for nonduty disability—Election.
41.40.260 - Withdrawal from system—Refund of contributions—Waiver of allowance, when.
41.40.262 - Elected officials—Restoration of withdrawn contributions.
41.40.280 - Department may withhold refunds of contributions.
41.40.300 - Benefits offset by workers' compensation or similar benefits.
41.40.320 - Disability beneficiary—Restoration to service.
41.40.363 - Employer's contributions—Labor guild, association or organization.
41.40.404 - Justices or judges retirement allowance—In lieu of RCW 41.40.185.
41.40.408 - District or municipal court judges retirement allowances—In lieu of RCW 41.40.185.
41.40.610 - Provisions applicable to plan 2.
41.40.620 - Computation of the retirement allowance.
41.40.625 - Lump sum retirement allowance—Reentry—Conditions for reinstatement of service.
41.40.630 - Retirement for service.
41.40.633 - Member with terminal illness—Removal from system.
41.40.640 - Post-retirement cost-of-living.
41.40.680 - Application for and effective date of retirement allowances.
41.40.690 - Suspension of retirement allowance upon reemployment—Exceptions—Reinstatement.
41.40.720 - Vested membership.
41.40.730 - Refund of contributions.
41.40.763 - End of participation in chapter 41.28 RCW—Newly elected or appointed judges.
41.40.767 - Justices or judges retirement allowance—In lieu of RCW 41.40.620.
41.40.770 - District or municipal court judges retirement allowance—In lieu of RCW 41.40.620.
41.40.780 - Provisions applicable to plan 3—Plan 3 elements.
41.40.785 - Membership in plan 2 or plan 3—Irrevocable choice—Default.
41.40.787 - Right to waive benefit—Irrevocable choice.
41.40.790 - Computation of retirement allowance.
41.40.795 - Transfer period and basis—Additional transfer payment.
41.40.801 - Application for and effective date of retirement allowances.
41.40.805 - Leaves of absence—Military service.
41.40.811 - Purchased service credit—Allocation.
41.40.815 - Lump sum payments—Reentry.
41.40.820 - Retirement eligibility.
41.40.823 - Member with terminal illness—Removal from system.
41.40.825 - Disability allowance—Death of recipient.
41.40.830 - Restored, purchased service credit under plan 2—Transfer to plan 3.
41.40.840 - Postretirement cost-of-living.
41.40.845 - Options for payment of retirement allowances—Court-approved property settlement.
41.40.850 - Suspension of retirement allowance upon reemployment—Exception—Reinstatement.
41.40.873 - Additional benefit for district or municipal court judges—One-time irrevocable election.
41.40.877 - Justices or judges retirement allowance—In lieu of RCW 41.40.790.
41.40.880 - District or municipal court judges retirement allowance—In lieu of RCW 41.40.790.
41.40.920 - Effective date—1977 ex.s. c 295.
41.40.930 - Benefits not contractual right until March 1, 2002.