§ 838.803 Language not acceptable for processing.

(a) Qualifying Domestic Relations Orders. (1) Any court order labeled as a “qualified domestic relations order” or issued on a form for ERISA qualified domestic relations orders is not a court order acceptable for processing unless the court order expressly states that the provisions of the court order concerning CSRS or FERS benefits are governed by this part. (2) When a court order is required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section to state that the provisions of a court order concerning CSRS or FERS benefits are governed by this part the court order must— (i) Expressly refer to part 838 of Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, and (ii) Expressly state that the provisions of the court order concerning CSRS or FERS benefits are drafted in accordance with the terminology used in this part. (3) Although any language satisfying the requirement of paragraph (a) (2) of this section is sufficient to prevent a court order from being unacceptable under paragraph (a)(1) of this section, OPM recommends the use of the language provided in ¶ 001 in appendix A to subpart F of this part to state that the provisions of the court order concerning CSRS or FERS benefits are governed by this part. (4) A court order directed at employee annuity that contains the language described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section must also satisfy all other requirements of this subpart to be a court order acceptable for processing. (b) Employee annuity cannot continue after the death of the retiree. Any court order that provides that the former spouse's portion of the employee annuity shall continue after the death of the employee or retiree, by using language such as “will continue to receive benefits after the death of” the employee, that the former spouse “will continue to receive benefits for his (or her) lifetime,” or “that benefits will continue after the death of” the employee, but does not use terms such as “survivor annuity,” “death benefits,” “former spouse annuity,” or similar terms is not a court order acceptable for processing. (c) A court order that attempts to award a former spouse survivor annuity based on a phased retirement annuity or to reduce a phased retirement annuity to provide survivor benefits is not a court order acceptable for processing.