Washington Revised Code Title 41. Public Employment, Civil Service, and Pensions § 41.26.164. Optional reduced retirement allowance--Continues for spouse otherwise ineligible for survivor benefits

(a) Have a portion of the retirement allowance payable to the retiree that is not subject to periodic payments pursuant to a property division obligation as provided for in RCW 41.50.670; and

(b) Choose an actuarially reduced benefit equivalent to that portion not subject to periodic payments under (a) of this subsection during a one-year period beginning one year after the date of marriage to the survivor benefit-ineligible spouse.

(3)(a) A member who married a spouse ineligible for survivor benefits under RCW 41.26.160 or 41.26.161 prior to the effective date of the rules adopted under this section and satisfies subsection (2)(a) of this section has one year to designate their spouse as a survivor beneficiary following the adoption of the rules.

(b) A member who married a spouse ineligible for survivor benefits under RCW 41.26.160 or 41.26.161, has been married to that spouse for at least two years prior to September 1, 2015, and satisfies subsection (2)(a) of this section has one year from September 1, 2015, to designate their spouse as a survivor beneficiary. The office of the state actuary must provide the department with administrative factors to ensure that the benefits provided under this section are actuarially equivalent.

(c) A deceased member's spouse who was eligible to be provided a survivor benefit under RCW 41.26.164(1) [subsection (1) of this section] but the member did not select a survivor benefit, and who prior to March 1, 2015, exhausted all administrative remedies with the department for establishing eligibility for a benefit under RCW 41.26.164 [this section], is eligible beginning August 1, 2015, for a retirement allowance equal to two-thirds of the gross monthly retirement allowance the retired member received at the time of death.

(5)(a) Any member who chose to receive a reduced retirement allowance under subsection (1) of this section is entitled to receive a retirement allowance adjusted in accordance with (b) of this subsection if:

(b) The retirement allowance payable to the retiree from the beginning of the month following the date of the beneficiary's death shall be increased by the following: