22 USC 4069b – Survivor benefits for certain former spouses
(a) Eligibility; amount of annuity
Any individual who was a former spouse of a participant or former participant on February 14, 1981, shall be entitled, to the extent or in such amounts as are provided in advance in appropriations Acts, and except to the extent such former spouse is disqualified under subsection (b), to a survivor annuity equal to 55 percent of the greater of—
(1) the full amount of the participant’s or former participant’s annuity, as computed under this subchapter; or
(2) the full amount of what such annuity as so computed would be if the participant or former participant had not withdrawn a lump-sum portion of contributions made with respect to such annuity.
(b) Election by former spouse
Terms Used In 22 USC 4069b
- agency: means an agency as defined in section 552(e) 1 of title 5. See 22 USC 3902
- Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
- Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
- Foreign Service: means the Foreign Service of the United States. See 22 USC 3902
- former spouse: means a former wife or husband of a participant or former participant who was married to such participant for not less than 10 years during periods of service by that participant which are creditable under section 4056 of this title. See 22 USC 4044
- individual: shall include every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development. See 1 USC 8
- Secretary: means the Secretary of State, except that (subject to section 3921 of this title) with reference to the exercise of functions under this Act with respect to any agency authorized by law to utilize the Foreign Service personnel system, such term means the head of that agency. See 22 USC 3902
- United States: when used in a geographic sense, means the several States and the District of Columbia. See 22 USC 3902
If an election has been made with respect to such former spouse under section 4159 or 4046(f) of this title, then the survivor annuity under subsection (a) of such former spouse shall be equal to the full amount of the participant’s or former participant’s annuity referred to in subsection (a) less the amount of such election.
(c) Disqualification
A former spouse shall not be entitled to a survivor annuity under this section if—
(1) the former spouse remarries before age 55; or
(2) the former spouse was not married to the participant at least 10 years during service of the participant which is creditable under this subchapter with at least 5 years occurring while the participant was a member of the Foreign Service.
(d) Period of entitlement; application approval and payment
(1) The entitlement of a former spouse to a survivor annuity under this section—
(A) shall commence—
(i) in the case of a former spouse of a participant or former participant who is deceased as of December 22, 1987, beginning on December 22, 1987; and
(ii) in the case of any other former spouse, beginning on the later of—
(I) the date that the participant or former participant to whom the former spouse was married dies; or
(II) December 22, 1987; and
(B) shall terminate on the last day of the month before the former spouse’s death or remarriage before attaining the age 55.
(2)(A) A survivor annuity under this section shall not be payable unless appropriate written application is provided to the Secretary, complete with any supporting documentation which the Secretary may by regulation require, within 30 months after December 22, 1987. The Secretary may waive the 30-month application requirement under this subparagraph in any case in which the Secretary determines that the circumstances so warrant.
(B) Upon approval of an application provided under subparagraph (A), the appropriate survivor annuity shall be payable to the former spouse with respect to all periods before such approval during which the former spouse was entitled to such annuity under this section, but in no event shall a survivor annuity be payable under this section with respect to any period before December 22, 1987.
(e) Promulgation of regulations; notification of rights
The Secretary shall—
(1) as soon as possible, but not later than 60 days after December 22, 1987, issue such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this section; and
(2) to the extent practicable, and as soon as possible, inform each individual who was a former spouse of a participant or former participant on February 14, 1981, of any rights which such individual may have under this section.
(f) Effect of section on annuity
Nothing in this section shall be construed to impair, reduce, or otherwise affect the annuity or the entitlement to an annuity of a participant or former participant under this subchapter.
(g) Former spouses of United States Information Agency and Agency for International Development employees
Any individual who on February 14, 1981, was an otherwise qualified former spouse pursuant to this section, but who was married to a former Foreign Service employee of the United States Information Agency or of the Agency of International Development, shall be entitled to benefits under this section if—
(1) the former employee retired from the Civil Service Retirement and Disability System on a date before his employing agency could legally participate in the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System; and
(2) the marriage included at least five years during which the employee was assigned overseas.