Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-110
§4054 Former Spouses
Title 22 › CHAPTER 52 — FOREIGN SERVICE › SUBCHAPTER VIII — FOREIGN SERVICE RETIREMENT AND DISABILITY › Part I — Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System › § 4054
Summary
Former spouses can get a pension based on a participant’s Foreign Service service if they were married to that person for at least 10 years of service that counts under the retirement rules, and at least 5 of those years were while the participant was a Foreign Service member. If the couple was married for the participant’s entire creditable service, the former spouse can get 50% of the participant’s annuity. If not, the former spouse gets a share of that 50% based on how much of the service the marriage covered. A former spouse who remarries before age 60 normally loses the right to start that annuity. The former spouse’s payment usually starts when the participant becomes eligible for a pension or when the divorce becomes final (whichever is later) and ends on the month before the former spouse dies, remarries before 60, or the participant’s annuity ends. A court order or agreement cannot give a former spouse more than the participant’s annuity, and certain orders signed more than 24 months after the divorce may not be effective. When a former spouse gets payments, the participant’s annuity is reduced by the same amount; if the participant returns to work, the participant’s salary is reduced instead and the money goes back to the fund. If the participant has died and a former spouse is entitled, that survivor payment is 55% of the participant’s full annuity if they were married for the participant’s whole creditable service, or a pro rata share of 55% if not. Survivor payments start the day after the participant dies and stop on the month before the former spouse dies or remarries before age 60; a remarried former spouse may restore the annuity if the lump sum paid on termination is returned. The total survivor benefits for any participant cannot exceed 55% of the participant’s full annuity. A participant may also arrange and pay for extra survivor annuities for other current or former spouses (subject to a medical check), but the combined survivor benefits still cannot exceed 55%. Payments can be funded by reducing the participant’s annuity or salary, or by lump sums, and must be actuarially fair; if a covered former spouse dies or remarries early, payments are recomputed and any excess payments refunded under rules set by the Secretary of State.
Full Legal Text
Title 22, §4054
Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Living Service members
(1)Unless otherwise expressly provided by any spousal agreement or court order under section 4060(b)(1) of this title, a former spouse of a participant or former participant is entitled to an annuity if such former spouse was married to the participant for at least 10 years during service of the participant which is creditable under this subchapter with at least 5 of such years occurring while the participant was a member of the Foreign Service and—
(A)if married to the participant throughout the creditable service of the participant, equal to 50 percent of the annuity of the participant; or
(B)if not married to the participant throughout such creditable service, equal to that former spouse’s pro rata share of 50 percent of such annuity.
For the purposes of this paragraph, the term “creditable service” means service which is creditable under part I or II.
(2)A former spouse shall not be qualified for an annuity under this subsection if before the commencement of that annuity the former spouse remarries before becoming 60 years of age.
(3)The annuity of a former spouse under this subsection commences on the later of the day the participant upon whose service the annuity is based becomes entitled to an annuity under this part or the first day of the month in which the divorce or annulment involved becomes final. The annuity of such former spouse and the right thereto terminate on—
(A)the last day of the month before the former spouse dies or remarries before 60 years of age; or
(B)the date the annuity of the participant terminates (except in the case of an annuity subject to paragraph (5)(B)).
(4)No spousal agreement or court order under section 4060(b)(1) of this title involving any participant may provide for an annuity or any combination of annuities under this subsection which exceeds the annuity of the participant, nor may any such court order relating to an annuity under this subsection be given effect if it is issued more than 24 months after the date the divorce or annulment involved becomes final.
(5)(A)The annuity payable to any participant shall be reduced by the amount of an annuity under this subsection paid to any former spouse based upon the service of that participant. Such reduction shall be disregarded in calculating the survivor annuity for any spouse, former spouse, or other survivor under this part, and in calculating any reduction in the annuity of the participant to provide survivor benefits under subsection (b) or section 4046(b)(3) of this title.
(B)If any annuitant whose annuity is reduced under subparagraph (A) is recalled to service under section 3948 of this title, or reinstated or reappointed in the Service in the case of a recovered disability annuitant or if any annuitant is reemployed as provided for under section 4064 of this title, the salary of that annuitant shall be reduced by the same amount as the annuity would have been reduced if it had continued. Amounts equal to the reductions under this subparagraph shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States to the credit of the Fund.
(6)Notwithstanding paragraph (3), in the case of any former spouse of a disability annuitant—
(A)the annuity of that former spouse shall commence on the date the participant would qualify on the basis of his or her creditable service for an annuity under this part (other than a disability annuity) or the date the disability annuity begins, whichever is later, and
(B)the amount of the annuity of the former spouse shall be calculated on the basis of the annuity for which the participant would otherwise so qualify.
(7)An annuity under this subsection shall be treated the same as a survivor annuity under subsection (b) for purposes of section 4046(h) of this title or any comparable provision of law.
(b)Deceased Service members
(1)Subject to any election under section 4046(b)(1)(C) of this title and unless otherwise expressly provided by any spousal agreement or court order under section 4060(b)(1) of this title, if a former participant who is entitled to receive an annuity is survived by a former spouse, the former spouse shall be entitled to a survivor annuity—
(A)if married to the participant throughout the creditable service of the participant, equal to 55 percent of the full amount of the participant’s annuity, as computed under section 4046(a) of this title; or
(B)if not married to the participant throughout such creditable service, equal to that former spouse’s pro rata share of 55 percent of the full amount of such annuity.
For the purposes of this paragraph, the term “creditable service” means service which is creditable under part I or II.
(2)A former spouse shall not be qualified for an annuity under this subsection if before the commencement of that annuity the former spouse remarries before becoming 60 years of age.
(3)An annuity payable from the Fund under this part to a surviving former spouse under this subsection shall commence on the day after the annuitant dies and shall terminate on the last day of the month before the former spouse’s death or remarriage before attaining age 60. If such a survivor annuity is terminated because of remarriage, it shall be restored at the same rate commencing on the date such remarriage is terminated if any lump sum paid upon termination of the annuity is returned to the Fund.
(4)(A)The maximum survivor annuity or combination of survivor annuities under this section (and section 4046(b)(3) of this title) with respect to any participant or former participant may not exceed 55 percent of the full amount of the participant’s annuity, as calculated under section 4046(a) of this title.
(B)Once a survivor annuity has been provided for under this subsection for any former spouse, a survivor annuity may thereafter be provided for under this subsection (or section 4046(b)(3) of this title) with respect to a participant or former participant only for that portion (if any) of the maximum available which is not committed for survivor benefits for any former spouse whose prospective right to such annuity has not terminated by reason of death or remarriage.
(C)After the death of a participant or former participant, a court order under section 4060(b)(1) of this title may not adjust the amount of the annuity of any former spouse under this section.
(5)(A)For each full month after a former spouse of a participant or former participant dies or remarries before attaining age 60, the annuity of the participant, if reduced to provide a survivor annuity for that former spouse, shall be recomputed and paid as if the annuity had not been so reduced, unless an election is in effect under subparagraph (B).
(B)Subject to paragraph (4)(B), the participant may elect in writing within one year after receipt of notice of the death or remarriage of the former spouse to continue the reduction in order to provide a higher survivor annuity under section 4046(b)(3) of this title for any spouse of the participant.
(c)Additional survivor annuity
(1)In the case of any participant or former participant providing a survivor annuity benefit under subsection (b) for a former spouse—
(A)such participant may elect, or
(B)a spousal agreement or court order under section 4060(b)(1) of this title may provide for,
an additional survivor annuity under this subsection for any other former spouse or spouse surviving the participant, if the participant satisfactorily passes a physical examination as prescribed by the Secretary of State.
(2)Neither the total amount of survivor annuity or annuities under this subsection with respect to any participant or former participant, nor the survivor annuity or annuities for any one surviving spouse or former spouse of such participant under this section and section 4046 of this title, shall exceed 55 percent of the full amount of the participant’s annuity, as computed under section 4046(a) of this title.
(3)(A)In accordance with regulations which the Secretary of State shall prescribe, the participant involved may provide for any annuity under this subsection—
(i)by a reduction in the annuity or an allotment from the salary of the participant,
(ii)by a lump sum payment or installment payments to the Fund, or
(iii)by any combination thereof.
(B)The present value of the total amount to accrue to the Fund under subparagraph (A) to provide any annuity under this subsection shall be actuarially equivalent in value to such annuity, as calculated upon such tables of mortality as may from time to time be prescribed for this purpose by the Secretary of State.
(C)If a former spouse predeceases the participant or remarries before attaining age 60 (or, in the case of a spouse, the spouse does not qualify as a former spouse upon dissolution of the marriage)—
(i)if an annuity reduction or salary allotment under subparagraph (A) is in effect for that spouse or former spouse, the annuity shall be recomputed and paid as if it had not been reduced or the salary allotment terminated, as the case may be, and
(ii)any amount accruing to the Fund under subparagraph (A) shall be refunded, but only to the extent that such amount may have exceeded the actuarial cost of providing benefits under this subsection for the period such benefits were provided, as determined under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of State.
(D)Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of State, an annuity shall be recomputed (or salary allotment terminated or adjusted), and a refund provided (if appropriate), in a manner comparable to that provided under subparagraph (C), in order to reflect a termination or reduction of future benefits under this subsection for a spouse in the event a former spouse of the participant dies or remarries before attaining age 60 and an increased annuity is provided for that spouse in accordance with this part.
(4)An annuity payable under this subsection to a spouse or former spouse shall commence on the day after the participant dies and shall terminate on the last day of the month before the former spouse’s death or remarriage before attaining age 60.
(5)section 4066 of this title shall not apply to any annuity under this subsection, unless authorized under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of State.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1988—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 100–238, § 217(a), which directed the amendment of par. (1) by inserting “if such former spouse was married to the participant for at least 10 years during service of the participant which is creditable under this subchapter with at least 5 of such years occurring while the participant was a member of the Foreign Service and” after “annuity”, was executed by inserting the new language after “annuity” in introductory provisions, as the probable intent of Congress. Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 100–238, § 217(b), substituted “24” for “12”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 100–238, § 217(c)(2), struck out subsec. (d) which read as follows: “section 4046(l) of this title shall not apply— “(1) to any annuity payable under subsection (a) or (b) of this section to any former spouse if the amount of that annuity varies by reason of a spousal agreement or court order under section 4060(b)(1) of this title, or an election under section 4046(b)(1)(B) of this title, from the amount which would be calculated under subsection (a)(1) or (b)(1) of this section, as the case may be, in the absence of such spousal agreement, court order, or election; and “(2) to any annuity payable under subsection (c) of this section.” 1986—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 99–335, § 404(b)(1), inserted provision defining “creditable service” as service creditable under part I or II of this subchapter. Subsec. (a)(3), (5)(A), (6)(A). Pub. L. 99–335, § 402(a)(2), substituted “part” for “subchapter”. Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 99–335, § 404(b)(2), inserted provision defining “creditable service” as service creditable under part I or II of this subchapter. Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 99–335, § 402(a)(3), inserted “under this part” after “payable from the Fund”. Subsec. (c)(3)(D). Pub. L. 99–335, § 402(a)(2), substituted “part” for “subchapter”. 1982—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 97–241 substituted “or the first” for “on the first” in provision preceding subpar. (A).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 1988 Amendment Pub. L. 100–238, title II, § 261, Jan. 8, 1988, 101 Stat. 1776, provided that: “(a) In General.—Except as provided in subsection (b), this title and the
Amendments
made by this title [enacting sections 4069–1 to 4069c–1 of this title, amending this section and sections 4044 to 4046, 4048, 4049, 4051, 4055, 4066, 4071a, 4071c, and 4084 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 4046 of this title] shall take effect 90 days after the date of enactment of this title [Jan. 8, 1988]. “(b) Exceptions.—“(1) The
Amendments
made by section 202 [enacting section 4069–1 of this title] shall apply to any individual who, on or after the date of enactment of this title [Jan. 8, 1988], is married to a participant or former participant. “(2) The amendment made by section 217(a) [amending this section] shall not apply with respect to the former spouse of a participant or former participant who is subject to subchapter I of chapter 8 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 [this part] if, on the date of enactment of this title [Jan. 8, 1988], that former spouse—“(A) was the spouse of that participant or former participant; or “(B) is entitled to an annuity under section 814 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 [this section] pursuant to the divorce or annulment of the marriage to that participant or former participant. “(c) Definitions.—For the purpose of this section, the terms ‘participant’ and ‘former participant’ have the same meaning as such terms in chapter 8 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 [this subchapter].”
Effective Date
of 1986 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 99–335 effective Jan. 1, 1987, see section 702(a) of Pub. L. 99–335, set out as an
Effective Date
note under section 8401 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
22 U.S.C. § 4054
Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110