§ 838.701 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 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.