PERMANENT RULES
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Purpose: WAC 458-18-020 and 458-18-100 are being amended to conform to SSHB [2SHB] 3104 (chapter 6, Laws of 2008). SSHB [2SHB] 3104 extended the rights and liabilities of spouses under RCW 84.38.030, 84.38.130, and 84.38.150 to domestic partners. In addition, subsection (5) of WAC 458-18-020 has been changed to reflect the 2004 amendment to RCW 84.38.030, which increased the amount of combined disposable income claimants may have in order to qualify for the deferral from thirty thousand dollars to forty thousand dollars.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 458-18-020 Deferral of special assessments and/or property taxes -- Qualifications for deferral and 458-18-100 Deferral of special assessments and/or property taxes -- When payable -- Collection -- Partial payment.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 84.38.180.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 08-10-114 on May 7, 2008.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 2, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 2, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: July 31, 2008.
Janis P. Bianchi
Assistant Director
Interpretations and
Technical Advice Division
OTS-1545.1
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 92-15-057, filed 7/13/92,
effective 8/13/92)
WAC 458-18-020
Deferral of special assessments and/or
property taxes -- Qualifications for deferral.
A person may
defer payment of special assessments and/or real property
taxes on up to eighty percent of the amount of his equity
value in said property if the following conditions are met:
(1) The claimant must have owned, at the time of filing,
the residence on which the special assessment and/or real
property taxes have been imposed. For purposes of this
subsection a residence owned by a marital community, a state
registered domestic partnership, or ((owned by)) cotenants
shall be deemed to be owned by each spouse, each domestic
partner, and each cotenant. A claimant who has only a share
ownership in cooperative housing, a life estate, a lease for
life or a revocable trust does not satisfy the ownership
requirement.
(2) If the amount deferred is to exceed one hundred percent of the claimant's equity value in the land or lot only, the claimant must have and keep in force fire and casualty insurance in sufficient amount to protect the interest of the state of Washington and shall designate the state as a loss payee upon said policy. In no case shall the deferred amount exceed the amount of the insured value of the improvement plus the land value.
(3) In the case of special assessment deferral, the claimant must have opted for payment of such special assessments on the installment method if such method was available.
(4) The claimant must meet all requirements for an exemption for the residence under RCW 84.36.381, other than the income requirements, and to the extent eligible, must have first applied for the exemptions under RCW 84.36.381 through 84.36.389 prior to filing a declaration to defer.
(5) The claimant must have a combined disposable income,
as defined in RCW 84.36.383 ((and WAC 458-16-010 and
458-16-013)), of ((thirty)) forty thousand dollars or less.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 84.38.180. 92-15-057, § 458-18-020, filed 7/13/92, effective 8/13/92; 88-13-042 (Order PT 88-9), § 458-18-020, filed 6/9/88; 84-21-010 (Order PT 84-4), § 458-18-020, filed 10/5/84; 81-05-020 (Order PT 81-8), § 458-18-020, filed 2/11/81; Order PT 76-1, § 458-18-020, filed 4/7/76.]
OTS-1546.1
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Order PT 84-4, filed 10/5/84)
WAC 458-18-100
Deferral of special assessments and/or
property taxes -- When payable -- Collection -- Partial payment.
(1) Any special assessments and/or real property taxes
deferred shall become payable together with interest:
(a) Upon the conveyance of property which has a deferred special assessment and/or real property tax lien upon it.
(b) Upon the death of the claimant except when the surviving spouse or surviving domestic partner is qualified and elects to incur the lien and continue the deferment by (i) filing an original "declaration to defer" within ninety days of the claimant's death and (ii) continuing to meet the qualifications of WAC 458-18-010 through 458-18-100.
When a surviving spouse or surviving domestic partner elects to continue the deferment, the spouse or domestic partner then becomes the claimant and is fully subject to the conditions of WAC 458-18-010 through 458-18-100.
(c) Upon condemnation of property with a deferred special
assessment and/or real property tax lien upon it by a public
or private body exercising the power of eminent domain:
Provided, That if the assessed value of the property not
condemned exceeds the amount of the liens, including interest,
the claimant may elect to have the liens set over to the
property retained: Provided further, That the amount of the
lien allowed to be set over shall not exceed ((80%)) eighty
percent of the claimant's equity in the retained property.
(d) At such time as the claimant ceases to reside permanently in the residence upon which the deferral has been granted. If the cessation occurs between filing the declaration and the date the taxes are payable, the deferral shall not be allowed.
(e) Upon the failure of the claimant to have or keep in force fire and casualty insurance in sufficient amount to protect the interest of the state of Washington or failure to keep the state listed as a loss payee upon said policy. Subsection (1)(b) of this section shall take precedence over subsection (1)(d) of this section.
(2) Once a deferral has been granted, the various conditions contained within WAC 458-18-010 through 458-18-100 may prohibit the claimant from qualifying for further deferrals, but any obligations resulting from deferrals previously granted will become due and payable only upon occurrence of the conditions set forth in subsection (1) of this section.
(3) Upon occurrence of any condition requiring the payment of any deferred special assessments and/or real property taxes, the county treasurer shall proceed to collect the same in the manner provided for in chapter 84.56 RCW. For purposes of collection of the deferred taxes and interest, provisions of chapters 84.56, 84.60, and 84.64 RCW shall be applicable. When these moneys are collected, they shall be credited to a special account in the county treasury and shall then be remitted to the state treasurer within thirty days from collection with remittance advice to the department of revenue. The state treasurer shall deposit the moneys in the state general fund.
(4) Any person may at any time pay a part or all of the deferred assessments and/or taxes including the interest, but such payment shall not affect the deferred tax status of the property. Any payment made shall be credited to the oldest deferred amount and shall be prorated between interest and the deferred assessments and/or taxes.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 84.38.180. 84-21-010 (Order PT 84-4), § 458-18-100, filed 10/5/84; 81-05-020 (Order PT 81-8), § 458-18-100, filed 2/11/81; Order PT 76-1, § 458-18-100, filed 4/7/76.]