(a) A court order directed at a refund of employee contributions is not a court order acceptable for processing unless the court order provides sufficient instructions and information so that OPM can compute the amount of the former spouse's share of the refund of employee contributions using only the express language of the court order, subparts A, D, and F of this part, and information from normal OPM files.
(b) To provide sufficient instructions and information that OPM can compute the amount of the former spouse's share of the refund of employee contributions as required by paragraph (a) of this section requires that the court order state the former spouse's share as—
(1) A fixed amount;
(2) A percentage or a fraction of the refund of employee contributions; or
(3) A formula that does not contain any variables whose values are not readily ascertainable from the face of the court order or normal OPM files.
(c) A court order directed at a refund of employee contributions is not a court order acceptable for processing if OPM would have to examine a State statute or court decision (on a different case) to understand, establish, or evaluate the formula for computing the former spouse's share of the refund of employee contributions.
authority: 5 U.S.C. 8347(a) and 8461(g). Subparts B, C, D, E, J, and K also issued under
5 U.S.C. 8345(j)(2) and 8467(b). Sections 838.221, 838.422, and 838.721 also issued under
5 U.S.C. 8347(b)
source: 57 FR 33574, July 29, 1992, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 5 CFR 838.504