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2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE
August 5, 2021 - Introduced by Senators Agard and Johnson, cosponsored by
Representatives Vruwink, Hebl, Snodgrass, Conley, Andraca, Neubauer,
Shelton, Stubbs, Pope, Sinicki, Hesselbein, Subeck, Emerson, Bowen and
Shankland. Referred to Committee on Financial Institutions and Revenue.
SB498,1,4 1An Act to amend 71.05 (6) (b) 4. (intro.), 71.05 (6) (b) 54. (intro.) and 71.83 (1)
2(a) 6.; and to create 71.05 (1) (ad) of the statutes; relating to: tax exemption
3for certain retirement benefits received from the Wisconsin Retirement
4System.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill provides an income tax exemption for pension payments received from
the Wisconsin Retirement System by protective occupation participants, as defined
under current law with respect to the WRS, correctional officers, and frontline
workers. The bill defines “frontline worker” to mean an individual who was a state,
county, or municipal employee with regular job duties that, as determined by the
Employment Relations Commission in consultation with the Department of
Revenue, included interacting with members of the public or with large populations
of people or directly involved the maintenance of public works. Elected state officials,
constitutional officers, agency heads, and legislative staff are excluded from the
definition of “frontline worker.”
Under the bill, 25 percent of the pension payment received in 2021 is exempt;
50 percent of the payment received in 2022 is exempt; 75 percent of the payment
received in 2023 is exempt; and 100 percent of the payment received in 2024 and
thereafter is exempt. The bill provides that the amount exempted may not exceed
the portion of the pension payment that is attributable to the period of time during
which the individual was a protective occupation participant or frontline worker.

Under current law, payments received from the U.S. Civil Service Retirement
System, the Milwaukee City and County Retirement Systems, the police officer's
annuity and benefit fund of Milwaukee, the Milwaukee public school teachers'
retirement fund, the Wisconsin state teachers' retirement fund, and the sheriff's
annuity and benefit fund of Milwaukee County are exempt from tax for individuals
who were members of or retired from the systems as of December 31, 1963. Current
law also provides an exemption for payments received from the U.S. Military
Employee Retirement System and retirement payments that relate to service with
the U.S. Coast Guard, the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, and the commissioned corps of the U.S. Public Health
Service. Also under current law, an individual may subtract up to $5,000 of
payments or distributions received from a qualified retirement plan or individual
retirement account if the individual is at least 65 years old and has federal adjusted
gross income of less than $15,000, or $30,000 if married.
Because this bill relates to an exemption from state or local taxes, it may be
referred to the Joint Survey Committee on Tax Exemptions for a report to be printed
as an appendix to the bill.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB498,1 1Section 1. 71.05 (1) (ad) of the statutes is created to read:
SB498,2,62 71.05 (1) (ad) Certain payments from the Wisconsin Retirement System. 1.
3Subject to the limitation in subd. 5., one of the following amounts of payments or
4distributions received each year by a frontline worker, correctional officer, or
5protective occupation participant from the Wisconsin Retirement System as an
6annuity:
SB498,2,87 a. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020, and before January
81, 2022, 25 percent of the amount received.
SB498,2,109 b. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2021, and before January
101, 2023, 50 percent of the amount received.
SB498,2,1211 c. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022, and before January
121, 2024, 75 percent of the amount received.
SB498,3,2
1d. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2023, 100 percent of the
2amount received.
SB498,3,43 2. In this paragraph, “correctional officer” has the meaning given in s. 102.475
4(8) (a).
SB498,3,115 3. In this paragraph, “frontline worker” means an individual who was a state,
6county, or municipal employee with regular job duties that, as determined by the
7employment relations commission in consultation with the department of revenue,
8included interacting with members of the public or with large populations of people
9or directly involved the maintenance of public works. “Frontline worker” does not
10include any elected state official, constitutional officer, agency head, or person
11employed under s. 13.20.
SB498,3,1312 4. In this paragraph, “protective occupation participant” has the meaning given
13in s. 40.02 (48).
SB498,3,1814 5. The amount exempted under subd. 1. in a taxable year may not exceed the
15portion of the payment or distribution received from the Wisconsin Retirement
16System as an annuity that is attributable to the period of time during which the
17individual was a frontline worker, correctional officer, or protective occupation
18participant.
SB498,2 19Section 2. 71.05 (6) (b) 4. (intro.) of the statutes, as affected by 2021 Wisconsin
20Act 1
, is amended to read:
SB498,4,921 71.05 (6) (b) 4. (intro.) Disability payments other than disability payments that
22are paid from a retirement plan, the payments from which are exempt under subd.
2354. and sub. (1) (ad), (am), and (an), if the individual either is single or is married and
24files a joint return and is under 65 years of age before the close of the taxable year
25to which the subtraction relates, retired on disability, and, when the individual

1retired, was permanently and totally disabled. In this subdivision, “ permanently
2and totally disabled" means an individual who is unable to engage in any substantial
3gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental
4impairment that can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be
5expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months. An individual
6shall not be considered permanently and totally disabled for purposes of this
7subdivision unless proof is furnished in such form and manner, and at such times,
8as prescribed by the department. The exclusion under this subdivision shall be
9determined as follows:
SB498,3 10Section 3. 71.05 (6) (b) 54. (intro.) of the statutes, as created by 2021 Wisconsin
11Act 1
, is amended to read:
SB498,4,1712 71.05 (6) (b) 54. (intro.) Except for a payment that is exempt under sub. (1) (a),
13(ad), (am), or (an), or that is exempt as a railroad retirement benefit, for taxable years
14beginning after December 31, 2020, up to $5,000 of payments or distributions
15received each year by an individual from a qualified retirement plan under the
16Internal Revenue Code or from an individual retirement account established under
1726 USC 408, if all of the following conditions apply:
SB498,4 18Section 4. 71.83 (1) (a) 6. of the statutes, as affected by 2021 Wisconsin Act 1,
19is amended to read:
SB498,4,2520 71.83 (1) (a) 6. `Retirement plans.' Any natural person who is liable for a
21penalty for federal income tax purposes under section 72 (m) (5), (q), (t), and (v), 4973,
224974, 4975, or 4980A of the Internal Revenue Code is liable for 33 percent of the
23federal penalty unless the income received is exempt from taxation under s. 71.05
24(1) (a) or (ad) or (6) (b) 54. The penalties provided under this subdivision shall be
25assessed, levied, and collected in the same manner as income or franchise taxes.
SB498,5
1Section 5. Initial applicability.
SB498,5,22 (1) This act first applies to taxable years beginning on January 1, 2021.
SB498,5,33 (End)
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