§4069b — Title 22 Foreign Relations and Intercourse | U.S. Code

Summary

Former spouses who were married to a Foreign Service participant on February 14, 1981 can get a survivor annuity, but only if Congress puts money aside for it. The annuity is 55% of the larger of two amounts: the participant’s full annuity as calculated under the rules, or what that annuity would have been if no lump-sum withdrawal had been taken. If an election was made under sections 4159 or 4046(f), the annuity is reduced by the amount of that election. A former spouse cannot get the annuity if they remarried before age 55 or if they were not married to the participant for at least 10 years of creditable service, with at least 5 of those years while the participant was in the Foreign Service. Payments start either on December 22, 1987 or when the participant dies, whichever is later (for those not already deceased by December 22, 1987), and stop the month before the former spouse dies or remarries before 55. A written application with any required documents had to be filed within 30 months after December 22, 1987 (the Secretary can waive that deadline). The Secretary had to issue rules within 60 days after December 22, 1987 and try to notify eligible former spouses. The participant’s own annuity rights are not reduced. Special rules let certain former spouses of employees of USIA or AID who retired under CSRS qualify if their marriage included at least five years overseas.

Title 22, §4069b

Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)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(2)the full amount of what such annuity as so computed would be if the participant or former participant had not withdrawn a lump-sum portion of contributions made with respect to such annuity.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)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)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)(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)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)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)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.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Another section 831 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 was enacted by Pub. L. 100–238 and is classified to section 4069a–1 of this title.

Amendments

1990—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 101–246 added subsec. (g).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

United States Information Agency (other than Broadcasting Board of Governors and International Broadcasting Bureau) abolished and functions transferred to Secretary of State, see section 6531 and 6532 of this title.

§4069b Survivor Benefits for Certain Former Spouses