Opinion ID: 1040711
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Change in Position for the Worse

Text: Kathryn has demonstrated that receipt of the overpayment was detrimental because, without a finding of waiver, Kathryn would be in a worse financial position than if she had never accepted the survivor annuity funds. The record bears out her net loss: • From May 2004 until late February 2007, OPM paid Kathryn $41,939.13 in survivor an- nuity funds. • Pursuant to a court decree and settlement agreement requiring Kathryn to transfer to Diana any annuity funds or return them to OPM, Kathryn paid Diana $33,563.94 of the $41,939.13. • OPM now seeks to recover the full $41,939.13 from Kathryn without taking into account the funds she remitted to Diana. If Kathryn were required to return the full amount of survivor annuity funds to OPM, she would suffer a net loss of $33,563.94. The record on this point is undisputed. Because returning the annuity funds to OPM would ultimately place Kathryn in a worse financial position than if she had never received the funds, the first element of detrimental reliance is supported by substantial evidence.