What Does Washington Law Say About Pension Division?

Washington applies community property rules, which treat anything earned during the marriage — including pension contributions — as joint property. Even if only one of you earned an income, the law views your pension as something both of you built, at least for the portion you earned during the marriage. If you started contributing before you got married, the court usually separates that premarital portion, but everything you added afterward typically falls into the marital pot.