(k) Former spouse1 means a former wife or husband of a participant or former participant who was married to such participant for not less than ten years during periods of service by that participant which are creditable under section 816 of the Act provided the participant was making contributions to the Fund under section 805 of the Act during some portion of such service, and provided the divorce occurred after February 15, 1981. For this purpose, a former spouse shall not be considered as married to a participant for periods assumed to be creditable under section 808 of the Act in the case of a disability annuity or section 809 of the Act in the case of a death in service. A former spouse will be considered married to a participant for any extra period of creditable service provided under section 817 of the Act for service at an unhealthful post during which the former spouse resided with the participant. See §19.5-3 for procedures to determine this extra period of marriage.

(1) Fund means the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Fund.

(m) M/MED means the Department's Office of Medical Services.

(n) Military and naval service means honorable active service:

(1) In the Armed Forces of the United States;

(2) In the Regular or Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service after June 30, 1960; or

(3) As commissioned officer of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or predecessor organization after June 30, 1961.

However, this definition does not inIclude service in the National Guard, except when ordered to active duty in the service of the United States.

(0) Participant means a person as described in § 19.3.

Note: Section 804(6) of the Act defines "former spouse" with respect to duration of marriage as being married to a participant "for not less than 10 years during periods of service by that participant which are creditable under section 816." The Department interprets this as necessarily implying that the marriage must have covered a period of at least one day while the member of the Foreign Service was a participant in the System.

(p) Previous spouse means any person formerly married to a principal, whether or not such person qualifies as a former spouse under paragraph (k) of this section.

(q) Principal means a participant or former participant whose service forms the basis for a benefit under chapter 8 of the Act for a spouse, previous spouse, former spouse or child of a participant.

(r) PER/ER/RET means the Department's Retirement Division in the Bureau of Personnel.

(s) Pro Rata Share means, in the case of any former spouse of any participant or former participant, a percentage which is equal to the percentage that (1) the number of years and months during which the former spouse was married to the participant during the creditable service of that participant is of (2) the total number of years and months of such creditable service. When making this calculation, item (1) is adjusted in accordance with paragraph (k) of this section and item (2) is adjusted in accordance with §19.4. In the total period, 30 days constitutes a month and any period of less than 30 days is not counted.

(t) Spousal Agreement means any written agreement between a participant or former participant, and the participant's spouse or former spouse.

(u) Student means a child regularly pursuing a full-time course of study or training in residence in a high school, trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, university, or comparable recognized educational institution. A child who is a student shall not be deemed to have ceased to be a student during any interim between school years, semesters, or terms if the interim or other period of nonattendance does not exceed 5 calendar months and if the child shows to the satisfaction of the Retirement Division (PER/ER/RET) that the child has a bona fide intention of continuing to pursue such course during the school year, semester, or term immediately following the interim.

(v) Surviving Spouse means the surviving wife or husband of a participant or annuitant who, in the case of death in service or marriage after retirement, was married to the participant

or annuitant for at least one year immediately preceding death or is the parent of a child born of the marriage.

(w) System means the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System.

[46 FR 12958, Feb. 19, 1981. Redesignated and amended at 46 FR 18970, Mar. 27, 1981]

$19.3 Participants.

The following persons are participants in the System:

(a) Members of the Service serving under a career appointment or as a career candidate under section 306 of the Act (1) in the Senior Foreign Service, or (2) assigned to a salary class in the Foreign Service Schedule;

(b) Any person not otherwise entitled to be a participant who has served as chief of mission or an ambassador at large for an aggregate period of 20 years or more, exclusive of extra service credit for service at unhealthful posts, and who has paid into the Fund a special contribution for each year of service;

(c) Any individual who was appointed as a Binational Center Grantee and who completed, prior to February 15, 1981, at least 5 years of satisfactory service as a grantee, as determined by the Director of Personnel of USICA, or under any other appointment under the Foreign Service Act of 1946, as amended, who has paid into the Fund a special contribution for such service.

(d) Any person converted to the competitive service pursuant to section 2104 of the Act who elects to participate in the System pursuant to section 2106(b)(1) or (2) shall remain a participant so long as he/she is employed in an agency which is authorized to utilize the Foreign Service personnel system.

§ 19.4 Special rules for computing creditable service for purposes of payments to former spouses.

For purposes of determining the pro rata share of annuity, survivor annuity or lump-sum payable to a former spouse, the following shall be considered creditable service

(a) The entire period of a principal's approved leave without pay during fulltime service with an organization composed primarily of Government employees irrespective of whether the

principal elects to make payments to the Fund for this service;

(b) The entire period of Government service for which a principal received a refund of retirement contributions which he/she has not repaid unless the former spouse received under §19.13 a portion of the (lump-sum) refund or unless a spousal agreement or court order provided that no portion of the refund be paid to the former spouse; and

(c) All creditable service including service in excess of 35 years.

The period covered by the credit for unused sick leave is not creditable for this purpose.

§ 19.5 Required notifications to Department respecting spouses and former spouses.

§ 19.5-1 Notification from participant or annuitant.

If a participant or former participant becomes divorced on or after February 15, 1981, he/she shall notify the Department (PER/ER/RET) of the divorce on or prior to its effective date. The notice shall include the effective date of the divorce, the full name, mailing address, and date of birth of the former spouse and the date of the member's marriage to that person, and enclose a certified copy of the divorce decree. If there is a court order or spousal agreement concerning payment or nonpayment of Foreign Service benefits to the former spouse, the original or a certified copy of the order or agreement shall also be forwarded to PER/ ER/RET. In the absence of a court order or spousal agreement providing otherwise, the Department will pay a pro rata share of the member's benefits to the former spouse. (A former spouse of a former participant who separated from the Service on or before February 15, 1981 is not eligible for a pension under $19.9, i.e. not eligible for a pro rata share of the principal's annuity.) Upon receipt of notice of a divorce, a court order, or spousal agreement, the Department will proceed as indicated in §19.6 or §19.7. Delinquent notice to the Department of the divorce of an annuitant will result in retroactive payments to any qualified former spouse

to the extent that the retroactive payments can be deducted from future annuity payments to the principal as stated in § 19.6-4.

§ 19.5-2 Notification

to Department

from former spouses.

A former spouse is obligated to notify the Department of the following on a timely basis:

(a) A divorce from a participant or former participant when the former spouse is notified by the court of the divorce before the participant is notified;

(b) Any change in address; and
(c) Any remarriage.

Notices shall be sent to the Department of State, Attention PER/ER/RET, Washington, DC 20520.

§ 19.5-3 Residence of spouse during service at unhealthful post.

(a) The calculation of the pro rata share of benefits for a former spouse, and the determination of whether a person qualifies as a "former spouse" depends on the length of the marriage. The latter, under the definition in the Act and when the principal has received extra service credit for an assignment to an unhealthful post, depends upon whether a spouse has resided with the principal at the unhealthful post. In order to determine residency for this purpose, whenever a married participant is assigned to an unhealthful post for which he/she does not receive post differential and does receive or request extra service credit, the participant shall report on Form OF-140, Election to Receive Extra Service Credit Towards Retirement, whether his/her spouse is or is not residing at the post. Although a chief of mission is not required to submit Form OF-140 in order to receive extra credit for service at an unhealthful post, he/ she must nevertheless submit this form if the chief of mission has a spouse that does not accompany him/her at post for the entire assignment. Both the participant and spouse shall sign the completed form. If there is a change in residence of the spouse during the assignment, a new joint Form OF-140 shall be filed to report the change.

(b) Whenever a participant retires or becomes divorced, or whenever

a

former participant becomes divorced who has extra service credit for assignment at unhealthful posts completed prior to the issuance of this regulation who was married during at least a portion of the assignment, the participant or former participant shall submit a statement to PER/ER/RET reporting on whether his/her spouse resided at the unhealthful post and the dates of such residence. The statement shall be signed by the principal and his/her spouse or former spouse whenever possible.

(c) In the event of a disagreement between a principal and his/her spouse or former spouse concerning residency at an unhealthful post, or the submission of a report or statement by a principal showing a period of nonresidence at a post by a spouse which is not signed by the spouse, the determination of residence will be made by PER/ER/RET and based on records in the Department of payments for travel and allowances plus any other evidence that can be adduced. In the absence of any evidence to the contrary, the assumption will be made that the spouse resided at the post.

$19.6 Court orders and divorce de

crees.

§ 19.6-1 Orders by a court.

(a) A court may

(1) Fix the amount of any pension to a former spouse under $19.9, or order that none be paid;

(2) Fix the amount of any regular survivor annuity to a former spouse under paragraphs (a) and (b) of §19.11, or order that none be paid;

(3) Order provision of an additional survivor annuity for a spouse or former spouse under § 19.10-5;

(4) Fix the amount of any benefit under $19.10-6 based on recall service payable to a former spouse to whom the annuitant was married during any portion of the recall service, or order that none be paid;

(5) Fix the amount of any lump-sum payable to a former spouse under § 19.13 or order that none be paid;

(6) Order, to the extent consistent with any obligation stated in §19.8 between a participant and a former

spouse, and pursuant to any court decree of divorce, legal separation or annulment or any court ordered or approved property settlement agreement incident to any court decree of divorce, legal separation, or annulment, that any payment from the Fund which would otherwise be made to a former participant based on his/her service shall be paid (in whole or in part) by the Secretary of State to a previous spouse or child of such participant. No apportionment under this paragraph may be made of a payment authorized to be paid to a survivor of a participant or annuitant.

(b) An order by a court that does not meet the definition of "court" in §19.2(f) is not valid for purposes of this section even though a divorce decree issued by such court may be a basis for pro rata share payments to a former spouse as described in these regulations.

§ 19.6-2 Qualifying court order.

(a) To be valid for purposes of this section, a court order must be found to be "qualified" by PER/ER/RET acting for the Secretary of State. A qualifying court order must

(1) Be consistent with the terms of the Act and applicable regulations;

(2) Not direct payment of an amount in excess of the maximum amount authorized to be paid by the relevant regulation;

(3) Direct that payments be made to an eligible beneficiary from a principal's Foreign Service retirement benefit or survivor benefit. If a court directs or implies that a principal, rather than the Secretary of State or the Government, make the payments, the order will not be considered qualified unless the principal does not object during the 30-day notice period provided under § 19.6-6;

(4) Define the amount to be paid to a beneficiary in way so that it can be readily calculated from information in the normal files of the Department;

(5) Not make payment contingent upon events other than those on which other payments from the Fund are based such as age, marital status and school attendance; and

(6) Not be in conflict with any previously issued court order which remains valid.

(b) No apportionment of annuity to a beneficiary under §19.6-1(a) (1) or (6) shall exceed the net annuity of the principal. The net annuity is computed by excluding from the gross annuity the amounts which are:

(1) Owed by the individual to the United States;

(2) Deducted for health benefits premiums pursuant to section 8906 of Title 5, United States Code;

(3) Deducted for life insurance premiums under the Government Life Insurance Program;

(4) Owed due to overpayment of annu

ity;

(5) Properly withheld for Federal income tax purposes, if amounts withheld are not greater than they would be if the individual claimed all dependents to which he/she was entitled.

[46 FR 12958, Feb. 19, 1981. Redesignated and amended at 46 FR 18970, Mar. 27, 1981]

§ 19.6-3 Application for payment.

(a) To receive payment from the Fund pursuant to a court award, the beneficiary must submit an application in writing to the Chief of the Retirement Division (PER/ER/RET), Department of State, Washington, DC 20520. The application must be typed or printed, signed by the beneficiary, and include

(1) The full name, date of birth, current address and current marital status of the beneficiary;

(2) Full name and date of birth of the participant or former participant and his/her date of birth or other identifying information;

(3) Relationship to the beneficiary, and if a spouse or former spouse, date of marriage to and/or divorce from the participant;

(4) A statement that the court order has not been amended, superseded, or set aside;

The original of the court order or a recently certified copy must be enclosed with the application, or a statement appended that such a copy has been sent to the Department by other

means.

(b) When payments are subject to termination upon the occurrence of a condition subsequent, such as marriage, remarriage or termination of schooling, or death of the principal, no payment will be made until the beneficiary submits a statement to PER/ ER/RET that—

(1) The condition has not occured;

(2) He/she will notify the Department (PER/ER/RET) within 15 calendar days of the occurrence of the condition subsequent; and

(3) He/she will be personally liable for any overpayment to him/her resulting from the occurrence of the condition subsequent. PER/ER/RET may require periodic recertification of these statements. $19.6-4

Date of court orders.

(a) A court order directing or barring payment of a pension to a former spouse under § 19.9 may not be given effect by the Department if it is issued more than 12 months after the divorce becomes final. A court order adjusting the amount of a regular or additional survivor annuity to a former spouse under §19.11-2 or §19.10-5 may not be given effect by the Department if it is issued after the death of the principal.

(b) A court order issued within 12 months after a divorce becomes final directing payment of a pension to a former spouse in an amount other than provided in §19.9 may be made retroactively effective to the first of the month in which the divorce becomes final if so specified by the court. In such event, the Department will adjust any future payments that may become due to an annuitant and a former spouse by increasing one and correspondingly reducing the other in order to give effect to the order of the court. However, if future payments to one party are not due, as for example if a court orders that no payments be made to a former spouse, or that 100 percent of an annuity be paid as pension to a former spouse, the Department will not give retroactive effect to a court order by collecting overpayments from one party in order to pay them to the other party and will not make overpayments from the Fund.

(c) A court order under this chapter involving any payment other than a

pension to a former spouse under § 19.9 may not be given retroactive effect and shall not be effective until it is determined to be a qualifying order under § 19.6-5.

$19.6-5 Preliminary review.

(a) Upon receipt of an application for payment under $19.6-3, PER/ER/RET will determine whether

(1) The application is complete;

(2) The applicant is an eligible beneficiary under this chapter; and

(3) The court order is a qualifying order. If the application is completed, the beneficiary is eligible and the court order appears on its face to be a qualifying order, PER/ER/RET will provide the notification required by $19.6-6, otherwise, it will notify the applicant of any deficiency or requirement for additional information, and if the order is determined to be non-qualifying, the basis for such determination.

(b) Upon receipt of a certified copy of a final decree of divorce, PER/ER/RET will determine whether

(1) It is a valid decree. Any decree recognized as valid by the parties will be considered valid for this purpose. In addition, any non-recognized decree will be considered valid for this purpose unless:

(i)(A) Neither party was domiciled within the court's jurisdiction, and

(B) The party denying recognition did not participate in the proceedings,

or

(ii) The party denying recognition was not afforded notice of the proceedings (actual or constructive);

(2) A related court order has been submitted by either party; and

(3) A pro rata share payment is or may become due the former spouse. If a divorce decree is deemed valid under this paragraph, a pro rata share payment is due a former spouse unless PER/ER/RET is in receipt of a court order which it has deemed qualified under paragraph (a) of this section, or a valid spousal agrement providing otherwise. If it determines that a pro rata share payment is due, it will provide the notification required by §19.66, otherwise, unless action is being taken pursuant to a related court order, it will notify both parties to the