New CRS reports on spouses’ federal retirement benefits

Retirement and Survivor Annuities for Former Spouses of Federal Employees
April 03, 2008
Open CRS (User submitted)

Aformer spouse of a federal employee may be entitled to a share of theemployee’s retirement annuity under the Civil Service Retirement System(CSRS) or the Federal Employees’ Retirement System (FERS) if this hasbeen authorized by a state court decree of divorce, annulment, or legalseparation. An employee also may voluntarily elect a survivor annuityfor a former spouse. A state court can award a former spouse a share ofthe employee’s retirement annuity, a survivor annuity, or both. A courtalso can award a former spouse of a federal employee a portion of theemployee’s Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) account balance as part of adivorce settlement. This report will be updated as legislativedevelopments warrant.