(a) A court order directing or barring payment of a pension to a former spouse under § 19.9 may not be given effect by the Department if it is issued more than 12 months after the divorce becomes final. A court order adjusting the amount of a regular or additional survivor annuity to a former spouse under § 19.11-2 or § 19.10-5 may not be given effect by the Department if it is issued after the death of the principal.

(b) A court order issued within 12 months after a divorce becomes final directing payment of a pension to a former spouse in an amount other than provided in § 19.9 may be made retroactively effective to the first of the month in which the divorce becomes final if so specified by the court. In such event, the Department will adjust any future payments that may become due to an annuitant and a former spouse by increasing one and correspondingly reducing the other in order to give effect to the order of the court. However, if future payments to one party are not due, as for example if a court orders that no payments be made to a former spouse, or that 100 percent of an annuity be paid as pension to a former spouse, the Department will not give retroactive effect to a court order by collecting overpayments from one party in order to pay them to the other party and will not make overpayments from the Fund.

(c) A court order under this chapter involving any payment other than a pension to a former spouse under § 19.9 may not be given retroactive effect and shall not be effective until it is determined to be a qualifying order under § 19.6-5.