Source: https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&mc=true&n=sp5.2.838.a&r=SUBPART&ty=HTML
Timestamp: 2020-03-28 15:34:10
Document Index: 269789916

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 838', '§838', '§838', '§838', '§838', '§838', '§838', '§838', 'art 838', 'art 890', 'art 581', 'arts 294', '§831', 'art 831', 'art 842', 'art 1600', 'art 831', 'art 841', 'art 843', 'art 831', 'art 843', 'arts 870']

Title 5 → Chapter I → Subchapter B → Part 838 → Subpart A
§838.101 Purpose and scope.
§838.102 Regulatory structure.
§838.111 Exemption from legal process except as authorized by Federal law.
§838.121 OPM's responsibilities.
§838.122 State courts' responsibilities.
§838.123 Claimants' responsibilities.
§838.124 Employees' and retirees' responsibilities.
Appendix A to Subpart A of Part 838—Addresses for Serving Court Orders Affecting CSRS or FERS Benefits
(a)(1) This part regulates the Office of Personnel Management's handling of court orders affecting the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), both of which are administered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Generally, OPM must comply with court orders, decrees, or court-approved property settlement agreements in connection with divorces, annulments of marriage, or legal separations of employees, Members, or retirees that award a portion of the former employee's or Member's retirement benefits or a survivor annuity to a former spouse.
(2) In executing court orders under this part, OPM must honor the clear instructions of the court. Instructions must be specific and unambiguous. OPM will not supply missing provisions, interpret ambiguous language, or clarify the court's intent by researching individual State laws. In carrying out the court's instructions, OPM performs purely ministerial actions in accordance with these regulations. Disagreement between the parties concerning the validity or the provisions of any court order must be resolved by the court.
(1) The requirements that a court order must meet to be acceptable for processing under this part;
(2) The procedures that a former spouse or child abuse creditor must follow when applying for benefits based on a court order under sections 8341(h), 8345(j), 8445 or 8467 of title 5, United States Code;
(3) The procedures that OPM will follow in honoring court orders and in making payments to the former spouse or child abuse creditor; and
(4) The effect of certain words and phrases commonly used in court orders affecting retirement benefits.
(c)(1) Subparts A through I of this part apply only to court orders received by OPM on or after January 1, 1993.
(2) Subpart J of this part applies only to court orders received by OPM before January 1, 1993.
(3) Subpart K of this part applies only to court orders received by OPM on or after October 14, 1994.
(d) This part has no application to the Thrift Savings Plan described in subchapter III of chapter 84 of title 5, United States Code.
[57 FR 33574, July 29, 1992, as amended at 59 FR 66637, 66638, Dec. 28, 1994]
(1) Subpart A contains information and rules of general application to all court orders directed at CSRS or FERS retirement benefits.
(2) Subparts B and C of this part contain information about court orders directed at ongoing employee annuity payments.
(3) Subparts D and E of this part contain information about court orders directed at refunds of employee contributions.
(4) Subpart F of this part contains information about the effect of words and phrases commonly used in court orders affecting ongoing employee annuity payments and refunds of employee contributions.
(5) Subparts G, H, and I of this part contain information about court orders awarding former spouse survivor annuities.
(6) Subpart J of this part contains the rules applicable to court orders filed under procedures in effect prior to the implementation of this part. These rules continue to apply to court orders received by OPM before January 1, 1993.
(7) Subpart K of this part contains rules applicable to court orders for the enforcement of judgments rendered against employees or annuitants for physical, sexual, or emotional abuse of a child.
(b) Part 890 of this chapter contains information about coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.
(c) Part 581 of this chapter contains information about garnishment of Government payments including salary and CSRS and FERS retirement benefits.
(d) Parts 294 and 297 of this chapter and §§831.106 and 841.108 contain information about disclosure of information from OPM records.
(e) Subpart V of part 831 of this chapter and subpart G of part 842 of this chapter contain information about how court orders affect eligibility to make an alternative form of annuity election.
(f) Part 1600 of this title contains information about court orders affecting the Federal Employees Thrift Savings Plan.
(g) Subpart F of part 831 of this chapter, subpart F of part 841 of this chapter, and part 843 of this chapter contain information about entitlement to survivor annuities.
(h) Subpart T of part 831 of this chapter and subpart B of part 843 of this chapter contain information about refunds of employee contributions and lump-sum death benefits.
(i) Parts 870, 871, 872, and 873 of this chapter contain information about the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Program.
[57 FR 33574, July 29, 1992, as amended at 59 FR 66637, Dec. 28, 1994]
State courts are responsible for—
(b) Issuing clear, specific, and express instructions consistent with the statutory provisions authorizing OPM to provide benefits to former spouses or child abuse creditors and the requirements of this part for awarding such benefits;
(e) Settling all disputes between the employee or retiree and the former spouse or child abuse creditor.
Claimants are responsible for—
(a) Filing a certified copy of court orders and all other required supporting information with OPM;
(b) Keeping OPM advised of their current mailing addresses;
(c) Notifying OPM of any changes in circumstances that could affect their entitlement to benefits; and
Employees and retirees are responsible for—
(a) The mailing address for delivery of court orders affecting CSRS or FERS benefits by the United States Postal Service is—
Office of Personnel Management, Retirement and Insurance Group, P.O. Box 17, Washington, DC 20044-0017
(b) The address for delivery of court orders affecting CSRS or FERS benefits by process servers, express carriers, or other forms of handcarried delivery is—
Court-ordered Benefits Section, Allotments Branch, Retirement and Insurance Group, Office of Personnel Management, 1900 E Street, NW., Washington, DC