Upon retirement for service under RCW 41.37.210 or retirement for disability under RCW 41.37.230, you must choose to have your retirement benefit paid to you by one of the options described in this section.
(1) Which option will pay my beneficiary a monthly benefit after my death? Options described in subsection (2)(b) through (d) of this section will pay a monthly benefit to your survivor after your death. The person you name at the time of retirement to receive a monthly benefit after your death is referred to as your "survivor beneficiary." After your death, your survivor beneficiary will receive a monthly benefit for the duration of their life. Your monthly retirement benefit will be reduced to offset the cost of the survivor option. See WAC 415-02-380 for more information on how your monthly benefit will be affected if you choose a survivor option.
(2) What are my benefit options?
(a) Option one: Standard benefit (nonsurvivor option). The department will pay you a monthly retirement benefit throughout your lifetime. Your monthly benefit will cease upon your death.
(b) Option two: Joint and 100 percent survivor benefit. The department will pay you a reduced monthly retirement benefit throughout your lifetime. After your death, your survivor beneficiary will receive a gross monthly benefit equal to your gross monthly benefit.
(c) Option three: Joint and 50 percent survivor benefit. The department will pay you a reduced monthly retirement benefit throughout your lifetime. After your death, your survivor beneficiary will receive a gross monthly benefit equal to 50 percent of your gross monthly benefit.
(d) Option four: Joint and two-thirds survivor benefit. The department will pay you a reduced monthly retirement benefit throughout your lifetime. After your death, your survivor beneficiary will receive a gross monthly benefit equal to two-thirds (66.667 percent) of your gross monthly benefit.
(3) Do I need my spouse's consent on the option I choose? The option you select will determine whether spousal consent is required. For purposes of this section, a registered domestic partnership is treated the same as a spousal relationship.
(a) If you are married and select a nonsurvivor benefit option, you must provide your spouse's consent, verified by a notarized signature or other means acceptable to the department. If you do not provide verified spousal consent, the department will pay you a monthly retirement benefit based on option three (joint and 50 percent benefit) with your spouse as the survivor beneficiary as required by RCW 41.37.170(2).
(b) If you are married and select a survivor benefit option for your spouse, spousal consent is not required. The department will pay you a monthly benefit based on the option you selected.
(c) If you are married and select a survivor benefit option for someone other than your spouse, spousal consent is required. If you do not provide spousal consent, verified by a notarized signature or other means acceptable to the department, the department will pay you a monthly retirement benefit based on option three (joint and 50 percent benefit) with your spouse as the survivor beneficiary as required by RCW 41.37.170(2).
(d) If your survivor beneficiary has been designated by a dissolution order according to subsection (5) of this section, which was filed with the department at least 30 days before your retirement date, spousal consent is not required.
(4) How will naming a nonspousal survivor beneficiary affect my benefit options? When you name a nonspouse survivor, your benefit options may be limited when your survivor is 11 or more years younger than you. Your available options are based on the adjusted age difference between you and your survivor:
(a) Age difference: Less than 11 years: Eligible for Option 2 (100 percent), Option 3 (50 percent), or Option 4 (66.67 percent) survivor benefit option. These options are also all available if the age difference is 11 years or more, but the survivor's age is the higher number.
(b) Age difference: 11–24 years: Eligible for Option 3 (50 percent) or Option 4 (66.67 percent) survivor benefit options.
(c) Age difference: 25 or more years: Eligible for Option 3 (50 percent) survivor benefit option.
(d) If you retire before the age the IRS requires your required minimum distributions (RMDs) to begin, the age difference between you and your survivor will be reduced by the number of years between your age at retirement and your RMD age.
(i) If you were born before July 1, 1949, your RMD age is 70.
(ii) If you were born between July 1, 1949, and December 31, 1950, your RMD age is 72.
(iii) If you were born between January 1, 1951, and December 31, 1959, your RMD age is 73.
(iv) If you were born on or after January 1, 1960, your RMD age is 75.
If you retire after your RMD age, there is no adjustment to the age difference between you and your nonspouse survivor.
(e) Example: Janet was born January 5, 1961, and will retire September 1, 2026. She plans to name her son, born April 14, 1985, as her survivor beneficiary. The age difference between Janet and her son is 24 years. Janet's RMD age is 75, and she is retiring at age 65 so the age difference is reduced by 10 years (75 minus 65) for an adjusted age difference of 14 years (24 minus 10). Janet is eligible to choose between survivor Option 3 (50 percent) and Option 4 (66.67 percent) for her son.
(5) Can a dissolution order require that a former spouse be designated as a survivor beneficiary? Yes. A dissolution order may require that a former spouse be designated as a survivor beneficiary. The department is required to pay survivor benefits to a former spouse pursuant to a dissolution order that complies with RCW 41.50.790.
(6) What happens if I choose a benefit with a survivor option and my survivor beneficiary dies before I do? If your survivor beneficiary dies before you do, you may request to have your benefit increased as described in WAC 415-02-380.
(7) May I change my benefit option after retirement? Your choice of a benefit option is irrevocable with the following five exceptions:
(a) Return to membership. If you retire and then return to membership for at least two years of uninterrupted service, you may choose a different retirement option upon your subsequent retirement. See RCW 41.37.050(3).
(b) Postretirement marriage option. If you select the standard benefit option at the time of retirement and marry after retirement, you may select a survivor benefit option and name your current spouse as survivor beneficiary, provided that:
(i) Your benefit is not subject to a property division obligation pursuant to a dissolution order. See WAC 415-02-500;
(ii) The selection is made during a one-year window, on or after the date of the first anniversary and before the second anniversary of your postretirement marriage;
(iii) You provide a copy of your certified marriage certificate to the department; and
(iv) You provide proof of your current spouse's birthdate.
(c) Removal of a nonspouse survivor option. If you select a survivor benefit option and name a nonspouse as your survivor beneficiary at the time of retirement, you may remove that survivor beneficiary designation and have your benefit adjusted to a standard benefit. You may exercise this option one time only.
(d) One-time change of survivor. You may change your benefit option and/or designated survivor one time within 90 days from the date your first benefit payment is issued. Your change request must be in writing, and must comply with other requirements as described in this section. Your new benefit amount will be effective the first of the month following the receipt of your request by the department.
(e) Retirement type changes. If your retirement status changes due to the acceptance of a new retirement application from service retirement to a disability or catastrophic retirement, or disability to catastrophic retirement, you may select a different survivor benefit option. Your benefit will be recalculated to reflect your new survivor option in accordance with WAC 415-106-530.
(8) Who will receive the balance of my accumulated contributions, if any, after my death?
(a) If you do not have a survivor beneficiary at the time of your death, and you die before the total of the retirement benefit paid equals the amount of your accumulated contributions at the time of retirement, the balance will be paid:
(i) To the person or entity (i.e., trust, organization, or estate) you have nominated by written designation, executed and filed with the department.
(ii) If you have not designated a beneficiary, or if your designated beneficiary is no longer living or in existence, then to your surviving spouse.
(iii) If not paid according to (a)(i) or (ii) of this subsection, then to your estate.
(b) If you have a survivor beneficiary at the time of your death, and your survivor beneficiary dies before the total of the retirement benefit paid equals the amount of your accumulated contributions at the time of retirement, the balance will be paid:
(i) To the person or entity (i.e., trust, organization, or estate) your survivor beneficiary has nominated by written designation, executed and filed with the department.
(ii) If your survivor beneficiary has not designated a beneficiary, or if the designated beneficiary is no longer living or in existence, then to your survivor beneficiary's spouse.
(iii) If not paid according to (b)(i) or (ii) of this subsection, then to your survivor beneficiary's estate. See RCW 41.37.170.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.50.050. WSR 26-17-035, s 415-106-600, filed 8/11/26, effective 8/12/26; WSR 25-18-099, s 415-106-600, filed 9/2/25, effective 10/3/25. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.50.050 and 41.37.230. WSR 24-08-071, § 415-106-600, filed 4/2/24, effective 4/3/24. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.50.050. WSR 22-01-061, § 415-106-600, filed 12/8/21, effective 1/8/22; WSR 20-13-065, § 415-106-600, filed 6/15/20, effective 7/16/20; WSR 20-06-040, § 415-106-600, filed 2/27/20, effective 3/29/20. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.50.050(5). WSR 13-18-034, § 415-106-600, filed 8/28/13, effective 10/1/13. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.37.170, 41.50.050(5), 41.37.050, 41.37.170, 41.37.210, 41.37.230, and 41.50.790. WSR 08-02-046, § 415-106-600, filed 12/27/07, effective 1/27/08.]