RCW 41.40.845
Options for payment of retirement allowances—Court-approved property settlement.
(1) Upon retirement for service as prescribed in RCW 41.40.820 or retirement for disability under RCW 41.40.825, a member shall elect to have the retirement allowance paid pursuant to one of the following options, calculated so as to be actuarially equivalent to each other.
(a) Standard allowance. A member electing this option shall receive a retirement allowance payable throughout such member's life. Upon the death of the member, the member's benefits shall cease.
(b) The department shall adopt rules that allow a member to select a retirement option that pays the member a reduced retirement allowance and upon death, such portion of the member's reduced retirement allowance as the department by rule designates shall be continued throughout the life of and paid to a person nominated by the member by written designation duly executed and filed with the department at the time of retirement. The options adopted by the department shall include, but are not limited to, a joint and one hundred percent survivor option and a joint and fifty percent survivor option.
(2)(a) A member, if married, must provide the written consent of his or her spouse to the option selected under this section, except as provided in (b) and (c) of this subsection. If a member is married and both the member and the member's spouse do not give written consent to an option under this section, the department shall pay a joint and fifty percent survivor benefit calculated to be actuarially equivalent to the benefit options available under subsection (1) of this section unless spousal consent is not required as provided in (b) and (c) of this subsection.
(b) Written consent from a spouse or domestic partner is not required if a member who is married or a domestic partner selects a joint and survivor option under subsection (1)(b) of this section and names the member's spouse or domestic partner as the survivor beneficiary.
(c) If a copy of a dissolution order designating a survivor beneficiary under RCW 41.50.790 has been filed with the department at least thirty days prior to a member's retirement:
(i) The department shall honor the designation as if made by the member under subsection (1) of this section; and
(ii) The spousal consent provisions of (a) of this subsection do not apply.
(3) No later than July 1, 2002, the department shall adopt rules that allow a member additional actuarially equivalent survivor benefit options, and shall include, but are not limited to:
(a)(i) A retired member who retired without designating a survivor beneficiary shall have the opportunity to designate their spouse from a postretirement marriage as a survivor during a one-year period beginning one year after the date of the postretirement marriage provided the retirement allowance payable to the retiree is not subject to periodic payments pursuant to a property division obligation as provided for in RCW 41.50.670.
(ii) A member who entered into a postretirement marriage prior to the effective date of the rules adopted under this section and satisfies the conditions of (a)(i) of this subsection shall have one year to designate their spouse as a survivor beneficiary following the adoption of the rules.
(b) A retired member who elected to receive a reduced retirement allowance under this section and designated a nonspouse as survivor beneficiary shall have the opportunity to remove the survivor designation and have their future benefit adjusted.
(c) The department may make an additional charge, if necessary, to ensure that the benefits provided under this subsection remain actuarially equivalent.
(4) No later than July 1, 2003, the department shall adopt rules to permit:
(a) A court-approved property settlement incident to a court decree of dissolution made before retirement to provide that benefits payable to a member who meets the length of service requirements of RCW 41.40.820(1) and the member's divorcing spouse be divided into two separate benefits payable over the life of each spouse.
The member shall have available the benefit options of subsection (1) of this section upon retirement, and if remarried at the time of retirement remains subject to the spousal consent requirements of subsection (2) of this section. Any reductions of the member's benefit subsequent to the division into two separate benefits shall be made solely to the separate benefit of the member.
The nonmember ex spouse shall be eligible to commence receiving their separate benefit upon reaching the age provided in RCW 41.40.820(1) and after filing a written application with the department.
(b) A court-approved property settlement incident to a court decree of dissolution made after retirement may only divide the benefit into two separate benefits payable over the life of each spouse if the nonmember ex spouse was selected as a survivor beneficiary at retirement.
The retired member may later choose the survivor benefit options available in subsection (3) of this section. Any actuarial reductions subsequent to the division into two separate benefits shall be made solely to the separate benefit of the member.
Both the retired member and the nonmember divorced spouse shall be eligible to commence receiving their separate benefits upon filing a copy of the dissolution order with the department in accordance with RCW 41.50.670.
(c) The department may make an additional charge or adjustment if necessary to ensure that the separate benefits provided under this subsection are actuarially equivalent to the benefits payable prior to the decree of dissolution.
(5) Beginning on the date that the state receives a determination from the federal internal revenue service that this subsection (5) conforms with federal law, retirees have up to ninety calendar days after the receipt of their first retirement allowance to change their survivor election under subsections (1) and (2) of this section. If a member changes the member's survivor election under this subsection the change is effective the first of the following month and is prospective only.
[ 2020 c 161 § 7; 2019 c 102 § 9; 2003 c 294 § 9; 2002 c 158 § 14; 2000 c 247 § 314.]
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.