Purpose and scope

(a) This subpart regulates the meaning of terms necessary to award a former spouse survivor annuity in a court order, and for OPM to determine whether a court order awarding a former spouse survivor annuity is a court order acceptable for processing and the amount of the former spouse survivor annuity.

(b)(1) This subpart establishes a uniform meaning to be used for terms and phrases frequently used in awarding a former spouse survivor annuity.

(2) This subpart informs the legal community about the definition to be applied to terms used in court orders, to permit the resulting orders to be more carefully drafted, using the proper language to accomplish the aims of the court.

(c)(1) To assist attorneys and courts in preparing court orders that OPM can honor in the manner that the court intends, appendix A of this subpart contains model language to accomplish many of the more common objectives associated with the award of a former spouse survivor annuity.

(2) By using the language in appendix A of this subpart, the court, attorneys, and parties will know that the court order will be acceptable for processing and that OPM will treat the terminology used in the court order in the manner stated in the appendix.