§ 838.401 Purpose and scope.

(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 that affect refunds of employee contributions under CSRS or FERS. OPM must comply with court orders, decrees, or court-approved property settlements in connection with divorces, annulments of marriages, or legal separations of employees or retirees that— (1) Award a portion of a refund of employee contributions to a former spouse; or (2) If the requirements of §§ 838.431 and 838.505 are met, bar payment of a refund of employee contributions. (b) This subpart prescribes— (1) The circumstances that must occur before refunds of employee contributions are available to satisfy a court order acceptable for processing; and (2) The procedures that a former spouse must follow when applying for a portion of a refund of employee contributions based on a court order under section 8345(j) or section 8467 of title 5, United States Code. (c)(1) Subpart E of this part contains the rules that a court order directed at a refund of employee contributions must satisfy to be a court order acceptable for processing. (2) Subpart F of this part contains definitions that OPM uses to determine the effect on a refund of employee contributions of a court order acceptable for processing.