Washington § 26.23.020 Definitions.

Washington Statutes

§ 26.23.020 — Definitions.

Washington § 26.23.020

Title 26DOMESTIC RELATIONS

Ch. 26.23STATE SUPPORT REGISTRY

This text of Washington § 26.23.020 (Definitions.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Wash. Rev. Code § 26.23.020 (2026).

Text

The definitions contained in RCW 74.20A.020 shall be incorporated into and made a part of this chapter.

(1)"Disposable earnings" means that part of the earnings of an individual remaining after the deduction from those earnings of an amount required by law to be withheld.

(2)"Earnings" means compensation paid or payable for personal services, whether denominated as wages, salary, commission, bonus, or otherwise, and, notwithstanding any other provision of law making the payments exempt from garnishment, attachment, or other process to satisfy support obligations, specifically includes periodic payments pursuant to pension or retirement programs, or insurance policies of any type, but does not include payments made under Title 50 RCW, except as provided in RCW 50.40.020 and 50.40.050 ,

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The definitions contained in RCW 74.20A.020 shall be incorporated into and made a part of this chapter.

(1) "Disposable earnings" means that part of the earnings of an individual remaining after the deduction from those earnings of an amount required by law to be withheld.

(2) "Earnings" means compensation paid or payable for personal services, whether denominated as wages, salary, commission, bonus, or otherwise, and, notwithstanding any other provision of law making the payments exempt from garnishment, attachment, or other process to satisfy support obligations, specifically includes periodic payments pursuant to pension or retirement programs, or insurance policies of any type, but does not include payments made under Title 50 RCW, except as provided in RCW 50.40.020 and 50.40.050 , or Title 74 RCW. Earnings shall specifically include all gain from capital, from labor, or from both combined, not including profit gained through sale or conversion of capital assets.

(3) "Employee" means a person in employment as defined in Title 50 RCW to whom an employer is paying, owes or anticipates paying earnings as a result of services performed.

(4) "Employer" means any person or entity who pays or owes earnings in employment as defined in Title 50 RCW to the responsible parent including but not limited to the United States government, or any state or local unit of government.

(5) "Lump sum payment" means income other than a periodic recurring payment of earnings on regular paydays and does not include reimbursement for expenses. Lump sum payment includes, but is not limited to, discretionary and nondiscretionary bonuses, commissions, performance bonuses, merit increases, safety awards, signing bonuses, moving and relocation incentive payments, holiday pay, termination pay, and severance pay. Lump sum payment also includes workers' compensation, insurance settlements, and personal injury settlements paid as replacement for wages owed.

(6) "Support order" means a superior court order or administrative order, as defined in RCW 74.20A.020 .

Reviser's note: The definitions in this section have been alphabetized pursuant to RCW 1.08.015 (2)(k).

Findings — 2023 c 248: See note following RCW 26.23.063 .