[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 5, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 5CFR831.631]

[Page 112-114]
 
                    TITLE 5--ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL
 
          CHAPTER I--OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED)
 
PART 831_RETIREMENT--Table of Contents
 
                      Subpart F_Survivor Annuities
 
Sec. 831.631  Post-retirement election of fully reduced annuity or 
partially reduced annuity to provide a current spouse annuity.

    (a) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, in cases of 
retirees who retired before May 7, 1985, and married after retirement 
but before February 27, 1986:
    (1) A retiree who was unmarried at the time of retirement may elect, 
within 1 year after a post-retirement marriage, a fully reduced annuity 
or a partially reduced annuity to provide a current spouse annuity.
    (2) A retiree who was married and elected a fully reduced annuity or 
a partially reduced annuity at the time

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of retirement may elect, within 1 year after a postretirement marriage, 
to provide a current spouse annuity. If a retiree elects a fully reduced 
annuity or a partially reduced annuity under this paragraph, the 
election must equal the election made at the time of retirement.
    (3) The reduction under paragraphs (a)(1) or (a)(2) of this section 
commences on the first day of the month beginning 1 year after the date 
of the post-retirement marriage.
    (b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, in cases 
involving retirees who retired on or after May 7, 1985, or married on or 
after February 27, 1986--
    (1) A retiree who was unmarried at the time of retirement may elect, 
within 2 years after a post-retirement marriage, a fully reduced annuity 
or a partially reduced annuity to provide a current spouse annuity.
    (2) A retiree who was married at the time of retirement may elect, 
within 2 years after a post-retirement marriage--
    (i) A fully reduced annuity or a partially reduced annuity to 
provide a current spouse annuity if--
    (A) The retiree was awarded a fully reduced annuity under Sec. 
831.611 at the time of retirement; or
    (B) The election at the time of retirement was made with a waiver of 
spousal consent in accordance with Sec. 831.618; or
    (C) The marriage at the time of retirement was to a person other 
than the spouse who would receive a current spouse annuity based on the 
post-retirement election; or
    (ii) A partially reduced annuity to provide a current spouse annuity 
no greater than the current spouse annuity elected for the current 
spouse at retirement if--
    (A) The retiree elected a partially reduced annuity under Sec. 
831.614 at the time of retirement;
    (B) The election at the time of retirement was made with spousal 
consent in accordance with Sec. 831.614; and
    (C) The marriage at the time of retirement was to the same person 
who would receive a current spouse annuity based on the post-retirement 
election.
    (3)(i) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(3)(ii) or (b)(4) of this 
section, a retiree making an election under this section must deposit an 
amount equal to the difference between the amount of annuity actually 
paid to the retiree and the amount of annuity that would have been paid 
if the reduction elected under paragraphs (b)(1) or (b)(2) of this 
section had been in effect continuously since the time of retirement, 
plus 6 percent annual interest, computed under Sec. 831.105, from the 
date when each difference occurred.
    (ii) An election under this section may be made without deposit, if 
that election prospectively voids an election of an insurable interest 
annuity.
    (4)(i) An election under this section is irrevocable when received 
by OPM.
    (ii) An election under this section is effective when the marriage 
duration requirements of Sec. 831.642 are satisfied.
    (iii) If an election under paragraph (b)(1) or (b)(2) of this 
section does not become effective, no deposit under paragraph (b)(3) of 
this section is required.
    (iv) If payment of the deposit under paragraph (b)(3) of this 
section is not required because the election never became effective and 
if some or all of the deposit has been paid, the amount paid will be 
returned to the retiree, or, if the retiree has died, to the person who 
would be entitled to any lump-sum benefits under the order of precedence 
in section 8342 of title 5, United States Code.
    (5) Any reduction in an annuity to provide a current spouse annuity 
will terminate effective on the first day of the month after the 
marriage to the current spouse ends, unless--
    (i) The retiree elects, within 2 years after a divorce terminates 
the marriage, to continue the reduction to provide for a former spouse 
annuity; or
    (ii) A qualifying court order requires the retiree to provide a 
former spouse annuity.
    (c)(1) Qualifying court orders prevent payment of current spouse 
annuities to the extent necessary to comply with the court order and 
Sec. 831.641.
    (2) If an election under this section causes the total of all 
current and former spouse annuities provided by a qualifying court order 
or elected under

[[Page 114]]

Sec. 831.612, Sec. 831.632, or this section to exceed the maximum 
survivor annuity permitted under Sec. 831.641, OPM will accept the 
election but will pay the portion in excess of the maximum only when 
permitted by Sec. 831.641(c).
    (d) The amount of the reduction to provide a current spouse annuity 
under this section equals 2\1/2\ percent of the first $3600 of the 
designated survivor base plus 10 percent of the portion of the 
designated survivor base which exceeds $3600.

[55 FR 9101, Mar. 12, 1990, as amended at 56 FR 16263, Apr. 22, 1991; 58 
FR 52881, Oct. 13, 1993. Redesignated at 58 FR 52882, Oct. 13, 1993]