Section 20.055. Spouse's or domestic partner's signature on a benefit application.

  Documentation of inability to obtain a spouse's or domestic partner's signature on an annuity application as required under s. 40.24 (7) (a) or s. 40.25 (3m) , Stats., or on a separation benefit application as provided in s. 40.25 (3m) , Stats., shall be accepted for any of the following reasons:

(1)  

(a) The spouse or domestic partner is incompetent as defined under s. 54.10 (3) , Stats., and a copy of the court order appointing the spouse's or domestic partner's guardian is submitted to the department.

(b) The guardian's signature shall be required on the annuity application in lieu of the spouse's or domestic partner's signature if the participant chooses an annuity option other than an option specified under s. 40.24 (7) (a) or 40.25 (1) (a) , Stats.

(c) The spouse's, domestic partner's or guardian's signature is not required when the participant is only eligible for a single sum benefit payable under s. 40.25 (1) (a) , Stats.

(2)  The participant certifies, on a form provided by the department, that the participant does not now know and has not known the whereabouts of the spouse or domestic partner for at least the 90 days immediately prior to the date the application is signed, or the participant provides evidence to the department's satisfaction that the spouse's or domestic partner's signature is otherwise not obtainable.

(3)  The requirements in s. 40.24 (7) (a) (intro.) and (b) , Stats., and in s. 40.25 (3m) , Stats., as it applies to s. 40.25 (1) (b) , Stats., related to the requirement for the domestic partner's signature on benefit applications, shall not apply if the participant is prohibited under the internal revenue code from selecting a joint and survivor annuity with the domestic partner as the named survivor, based on the participant's and domestic partner's respective ages.

Cr. Register, September, 1986, No. 369 , eff. 10-1-86; EmR0938 : emerg. am. eff. 1-1-10; CR 10-004 : am. Register July 2010 No. 655 , eff. 8-1-10; CR 10-137 : am. Register August 2011 No. 668 , eff. 9-1-11.

Note

Section ETF 20.055 (2) requires a form which can be obtained at no charge by writing to: department of employee trust funds, P.O. Box 7931, Madison, WI 53707-7931, or by calling: [phone] or toll free at [phone]. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1