5 C.F.R. Subpart G—Procedures for Processing Court Orders Awarding Former Spouse Survivor Annuities
Title 5 - Administrative Personnel
(a) This subpart regulates the procedures that the Office of Personnel Management will follow upon the receipt of claims arising out of State court orders awarding former spouse survivor annuities under CSRS or FERS (including the FERS basic employee death benefit as defined in §843.102 of this chapter). OPM must comply with qualifying court orders, decrees, or court-approved property settlements in connection with divorces, annulments of marriages, or legal separations of employees or retirees that award former spouse survivor annuities. (b) This subpart prescribes— (1) The commencing and terminating dates of former spouse survivor annuities based on court orders acceptable for processing; and (2) The procedures that a former spouse must follow when applying for a former spouse survivor annuity based on a court order under section 8341(h) or section 8445 of title 5, United States Code. (c)(1) Subpart H of this part contains the rules that a court order must satisfy to be a court order acceptable for processing to award a former spouse survivor annuity. (2) Subpart I of this part contains definitions that OPM uses to determine the effect of a court order in connection with a former spouse survivor annuity. [57 FR 33574, July 29, 1992, as amended at 58 FR 43493, Aug. 17, 1993]
Title 5: Administrative Personnel
PART 838—COURT ORDERS AFFECTING RETIREMENT BENEFITS
Subpart G—Procedures for Processing Court Orders Awarding Former Spouse Survivor Annuities
Regulatory Structure
§ 838.701 Purpose and scope.
Limitations on Survivor Annuities
§ 838.711 Maximum former spouse survivor annuity.
(a) Under CSRS, payments under a court order may not exceed the amount provided in §831.641 of this chapter.
(b) Under FERS, payments under a court order may not exceed amount provided in §842.613 of this chapter plus the basic employee death benefit as defined in §843.102 of this chapter.
[57 FR 33574, July 29, 1992, as amended at 58 FR 52882, Oct. 13, 1993]
Application and Processing Procedures
§ 838.721 Application requirements.
(a)(1) A former spouse (personally or through a representative) must apply in writing to be eligible for a former spouse survivor annuity based on a court order acceptable for processing. No special form is required to give OPM notice of the court order.
(2) OPM may require an additional application after the death of the employee, separated employee, or retiree. This additional application will be on a form prescribed by OPM.
(b)(1) The application letter under paragraph (a)(1) of this section must be accompanied by—
(i) A certified copy of the court order;
(ii) A certification from the former spouse or the former spouse's representative that the court order is currently in force and has not been amended, superseded, or set aside;
(iii) Information sufficient for OPM to identify the employee or retiree, such as his or her full name, CSRS or FERS claim number, date of birth, and social security number;
(iv) The current mailing address of the former spouse;
(v) If the employee has not retired or died, the mailing address of the employee; and
(vi) A statement in the form prescribed by OPM certifying—
(A) That the former spouse has not remarried before age 55;
(B) That the former spouse will notify OPM within 15 calendar days of the occurrence of any remarriage before age 55; and
(C) That the former spouse will be personally liable for any overpayment to him or her resulting from a remarriage before age 55.
(2) OPM may subsequently require recertification of the statements required by this paragraph.
§ 838.722 OPM action on receipt of a court order acceptable for processing.
(a) If OPM receives a court order acceptable for processing that awards a former spouse survivor annuity based on the service of a living retiree, OPM will inform—
(1) The former spouse—
(i) That the court order is acceptable for processing;
(ii) Of the date on which OPM received the court order; and
(iii) Of the present amount of the monthly former spouse survivor annuity if the retiree were to die immediately and the formula OPM used to compute the monthly benefit; and
(2) The retiree—
(i) That the former spouse has applied for benefits under this subpart;
(ii) That the court order is acceptable for processing and that OPM must comply with the court order;
(iii) Of the date on which OPM received the court order;
(iv) Of the amount and commencing date of the reduction in the retiree's annuity;
(v) Of the present amount of the monthly former spouse survivor annuity if the retiree were to die immediately and the formula OPM used to compute the amount of the former spouse survivor annuity; and
(vi) That, if he or she contests the validity of the court order, he or she must obtain, and submit to OPM, a court order invalidating the court order submitted by the former spouse.
(b) If OPM receives a court order acceptable for processing that awards a former spouse survivor annuity, but the employee, separated employee, or retiree has died, OPM will inform—
(1) The former spouse—
(i) That the court order is acceptable for processing;
(ii) Of the date on which OPM received the court order, the date on which the former spouse's benefit will begin to accrue, and if known the date on which OPM will commence payment under the court order; and
(iii) Of the amount on the monthly former spouse survivor annuity and the formula OPM used to compute the former spouse survivor annuity.
(2) Anyone whom OPM knows will be adversely affected by the court order—
(i) That the former spouse has applied for benefits under this subpart;
(ii) That the court order is acceptable for processing and that OPM must comply with the court order;
(iii) Of the date on which OPM received the court order;
(iv) How the court order may adversely affect him or her; and
(v) That, if he or she contests the validity of the court order, he or she must obtain, and submit to OPM, a court order invalidating the court order submitted by the former spouse.
(c) If OPM receives a court order acceptable for processing that awards a former spouse survivor annuity and the employee or separated employee has not retired or died, OPM will attempt to inform—
(1) The former spouse—
(i) That the court order is acceptable for processing;
(ii) To the extent possible, the formula that OPM will use to compute the former spouse survivor annuity (including the FERS basic employee death benefit as defined in §843.102 of this chapter, if applicable); and
(iii) That, if he or she disagrees with the formula, he or she must obtain, and submit to OPM, an amended court order clarifying the amount before the employee or separated employee retires or dies; and
(2) The employee or separated employee—
(i) That the former spouse has applied for benefits under this subpart;
(ii) That the court order is acceptable for processing and the OPM must comply with the court order;
(iii) To the extent possible, the formula that OPM will use to compute the former spouse survivor annuity (including the FERS basic employee death benefit as defined in §843.102 of this chapter, if applicable); and
(iv) That, if he or she—
(A) Contests the validity of the court order, he or she must obtain, and submit to OPM, a court order invalidating the court order submitted by the former spouse; or
(B) Disagrees with the formula, he or she must obtain, and submit to OPM, an amended court order clarifying the amount before he or she retires or dies.
(d) The failure of OPM to provide, or of the employee, separated employee, or retiree, the former spouse, or anyone else to receive, the information specified in this section does not affect—
(1) The validity of payment under the court order; or
(2) The commencing date of the reduction in the employee annuity or the commencing date of the former spouse's entitlement as determined under §838.731.
[57 FR 33574, July 29, 1992, as amended at 58 FR 43493, Aug. 17, 1993]
§ 838.723 OPM action on receipt of a court order not acceptable for processing.
If OPM receives an application from a former spouse not based on a court order acceptable for processing, OPM will inform the former spouse that OPM cannot approve the application and provide the specific reason(s) for disapproving the application. Examples of reasons for disapproving an application include that the order does not meet the definition of court order in §838.103 or does not meet one or more of the requirements of subpart H of this part.
§ 838.724 Contesting the validity of court orders.
(a) An employee, retiree or person adversely affected by a court order who alleges that a court order is invalid must prove the invalidity of the court order by submitting to OPM a court order that—
(1) Declares invalid the court order submitted by the former spouse; or
(2) Sets aside the court order submitted by the former spouse.
(b) OPM must honor a court order acceptable for processing that appears to be valid and that the former spouse has certified is currently in force and has not been amended, superseded, or set aside, until the employee, separated employee, retiree, or person adversely affected by the court order submits to OPM a court order described in paragraph (a) of this section or, if issued before the retirement or death of the employee or separated employee, a court order acceptable for processing amending or superseding the court order submitted by the former spouse.
§ 838.725 Effect on employee and retiree election rights.
(a) A court order acceptable for processing that awards a former spouse survivor annuity does not affect a retiring employee's or retiree's rights and obligations to make survivor elections under subpart F of part 831 of this chapter or subpart F of part 842 of this chapter.
(b) A court order acceptable for processing that awards a former spouse survivor annuity requires OPM to pay a former spouse survivor annuity and prevents OPM from paying an elected survivor benefit to a widow or widower or another former spouse if the election is inconsistent with the court order.
Payment Procedures
§ 838.731 Commencing date of payments.
(a) A former spouse survivor annuity based on a court order acceptable for processing begins to accrue in accordance with the terms of the court order but no earlier than the later of—
(1) The first day after the date of death of the employee, separated employee, or retiree; or
(2) The first day of the second month after OPM receives a copy of the court order acceptable for processing.
(b) OPM will not authorize payment of the former spouse survivor annuity until it receives an application and supporting documentation required under §838.721.
§ 838.732 Termination of entitlement.
(a) A former spouse survivor annuity (other than the FERS basic employee death benefit as defined in §843.102 of this chapter) or the right to a future former spouse survivor annuity based on a court order acceptable for processing terminates in accordance with the terms of the court order but no later than the last day of the month before the former spouse remarries before age 55 or dies.
(b) If the employee dies before the former spouse remarries before age 55 or dies, the former spouse's entitlement to the FERS basic employee death benefit as defined in §843.102 of this chapter based on a court order acceptable for processing terminates in accordance with the terms of the court order.
[57 FR 33574, July 29, 1992, as amended at 58 FR 43493, Aug. 17, 1993]
§ 838.733 Rights of current and other former spouses after termination of a former spouse's entitlement.
(a) If a former spouse of a retiree loses entitlement to a former spouse survivor annuity based on a court order acceptable for processing while the retiree is living and—
(1) If court orders acceptable for processing award former spouse survivor annuities to other former spouses, OPM will continue the reduction to comply with court orders in the order specified in §838.135;
(2) If paragraph (a)(1) of this section does not obligate the entire entitlement lost by he former spouse, OPM will continue the reduction to provide a current spouse survivor annuity or a former spouse survivor annuity based on a timely-filed election under §831.611, §831.612, §831.631, §831.632, §842.603, §842.604, §842.611, or §842.612 of this chapter; or
(3) If paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section do not obligate the entire entitlement lost by the former spouse, the retiree (except a retiree under CSRS who retired before May 7, 1985 and who remarried before February 27, 1986) may elect within 2 years after the former spouse loses entitlement to continue the reduction to provide a survivor annuity for a spouse acquired after retirement.
(b)(1) If a former spouse of an employee or retiree loses entitlement to a former spouse survivor annuity based on a court order acceptable for processing after the death of the employee or retiree and—
(i) If court orders acceptable for processing award former spouse survivor annuities to other former spouses, OPM will pay the next entitled former spouse in the order specified in §838.135; or
(ii) If paragraph (b)(1) of this section does not obligate the entire entitlement lost by the former spouse, OPM will pay the balance to a current spouse of the deceased—
(A) Retiree who had elected a reduced annuity to provide a current spouse annuity (as defined in §831.603 or §842.602); or
(B) Employee.
(2) Except as provided in §838.734—
(i) The former spouse survivor annuity based on paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section begins to accrue in accordance with the terms of the court order but no earlier than the later of—
(A) The first day of the month in which the former spouse with the earlier-issued court order loses entitlement; or
(B) The first day of the second month after OPM receives a copy of the court order acceptable for processing; or
(ii) The current spouse annuity under paragraph (b)(1) (ii) of this section begins to accrue on the first day of the month in which the former spouse loses entitlement.
(c) OPM will not authorize payment of the former spouse survivor annuity until it receives an application and supporting documentation required under §838.721.
[57 FR 33574, July 29, 1992, as amended at 58 FR 52882, Oct. 13, 1993]
§ 838.734 Payment of lump-sum awards by survivor annuity.
OPM will not honor court orders awarding lump-sum payments (other than the FERS basic employee death benefit as defined in §843.102 of this chapter) to a former spouse upon the death of an employee or retiree.
[57 FR 33574, July 29, 1992, as amended at 58 FR 43493, Aug. 17, 1993]
§ 838.735 Cost-of-living adjustments.
(a) OPM applies cost-of-living adjustments to all former spouse survivor annuities in pay status at the time of the adjustment and in the amount provided by Federal statute.
(b) OPM will not honor provisions of a court order that alters the time or amount of cost-of-living adjustments or that attempts to prevent OPM from applying cost-of-living adjustments to a former spouse survivor annuity in pay status.
Browse Previous | Browse Next
