---
kind: "section"
citation: "22 U.S.C. § 4071j"
title: "22"
title_heading: "Foreign Relations and Intercourse"
number: "4071j"
heading: "Former spouses"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/22/4071j"
units:
  - "Chapter 52 — Foreign Service"
  - "Subchapter VIII — Foreign Service Retirement and Disability"
  - "Part II — Foreign Service Pension System"
---

# §4071j. Former spouses

- (a) **Entitlement to share in benefits; conditions; remarriage; payments as income to former spouse; disability annuitants; election regarding method of payment; maximum amount payable—**
  - (1)
    - (A) Unless otherwise expressly provided by any [spousal agreement](/usc/22/4044.md?p=11) or [court order](/usc/22/4044.md?p=4) governing disposition of benefits under this part, a [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) of a [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) or former [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) is entitled, during the period described in [subparagraph (B)](#a-1-B), to a share (determined under [paragraph (2)](#a-2)) of all benefits otherwise payable to such [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) under this part if such [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) was married to the [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) for at least 10 years during service of the [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) which is creditable under this subchapter with at least 5 of such years occurring while the [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) was a member of the Foreign Service.
    - (B) The period referred to in [subparagraph (A)](#a-1-A) is the period which begins on the first day of the month following the month in which the divorce or annulment becomes final and ends on the last day of the month before the [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) dies or remarries before 55 years of age.
  - (2) The share referred to in [paragraph (1)](#a-1) equals—
    - (A) 50 percent, if such [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) was married to the [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) throughout the actual years of service of the [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) which are creditable under this subchapter; or
    - (B) a [pro rata share](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=6) of 50 percent, if such [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) was not married to the [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) throughout such creditable service.
  - (3) A [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) shall not be qualified for any benefit under this subsection if, before the commencement of any benefit, the [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) remarries before becoming 55 years of age.
  - (4)
    - (A) For purposes of [title 26](/usc/26.md), payments to a [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) under this section shall be treated as income to the [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) and not to the [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5).
    - (B) Any reduction in payments to a [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) or former [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) as a result of payments to a [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) under this subsection shall be disregarded in calculating—
      - (i) the survivor annuity for any spouse, [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6), or other survivor under this part, and
      - (ii) any reduction in the annuity of the [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) to provide survivor benefits under this part.
  - (5) Notwithstanding [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1), in the case of any [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) of a disability [annuitant](/usc/22/4044.md?p=1)—
    - (A) the annuity of the [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) shall commence on the date the [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) would qualify, on the basis of his or her creditable service, for an annuity under this subchapter (other than a disability annuity) or the date the disability annuity begins, whichever is later, and
    - (B) the amount of the annuity of the [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) shall be calculated on the basis of the annuity for which the [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) would otherwise so qualify.
  - (6)
    - (A) Except as provided in [subparagraph (B)](#a-6-B), any [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) who becomes entitled to receive any benefit under this part which would otherwise be payable to a [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) or former [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) shall be entitled to make any election regarding method of payment to such [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) that such [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) would have otherwise been entitled to elect, and the [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) may elect an alternate method for the remaining share of such benefits. Such elections shall not increase the actuarial present value of benefits expected to be paid under this part.
    - (B) A [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) may not elect a method of payment under subchapter II, [chapter 84](/usc/5/chptIII/sptG/ch84.md) of title 5, providing for payment of a survivor annuity to any survivor of the [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6).
  - (7) The maximum amount payable to any [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) pursuant to this subsection shall be the difference, if any, between 50 percent of the total benefits authorized to be paid to a former [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) by this part, disregarding any apportionment of these benefits to others, and the aggregate amount payable to all others at any one time.
- (b) **Entitlement to survivor benefits; determination of share; disqualification upon remarriage—**
  - (1) Unless otherwise expressly provided for by any [spousal agreement](/usc/22/4044.md?p=11) or [court order](/usc/22/4044.md?p=4) governing survivorship benefits under this part to a [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) married to a [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) or former [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) for the periods specified in [subsection (a)(1)(A)](#a-1-A), such [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) is entitled to a share, determined under [subsection (b)(2)](#b-2), of all survivor benefits that would otherwise be payable under this part to an eligible [surviving spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=13) of the [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5).
  - (2) The share referred to in [subsection (b)(1)](#b-1) equals—
    - (A) 100 percent if such [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) was married to the [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) throughout the entire period of service of the [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) which is creditable under this subchapter; or
    - (B) a [pro rata share](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=6) of 100 percent if such [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) was not married to the [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) throughout such creditable service.
  - (3) A [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) shall not be qualified for any benefit under this subsection if, before the commencement of any benefit, the [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) remarries before becoming 55 years of age.
- (c) **Diminution of entitlement of former spouse prohibited—** A [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) or former [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) may not make any election or modification of election under section [8417](/usc/5/8417.md), [8418](/usc/5/8418.md), or [8433](/usc/5/8433.md) of title 5 or other section relating to the [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5)’s account in the Thrift Savings Plan or annuity under the basic plan that would diminish the entitlement of a [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) to any benefit granted to the [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) by this section or in a current [spousal agreement](/usc/22/4044.md?p=11).
- (d) **Transfer of participant from Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System; determination of benefit share—** If a member becomes a [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) under this part after qualifying for benefits under part I and, at the time of transfer, has a [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6) entitled to benefits under part I which are determined under section [4054](/usc/22/4054.md) or [4055](/usc/22/4055.md) of this title (as determined by the Secretary of State) and are similar in amount to a [pro rata share](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=6) division under section [4054](/usc/22/4054.md) or [4055](/usc/22/4055.md) of this title and the service of the member as a [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) under this part is not recognized in determining that [pro rata share](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=6), then subsections [(a)](#a) and [(b)](#b) of this section shall not apply to such [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6). Otherwise, subsections [(a)](#a) and [(b)](#b) of this section shall apply.
- (e) **Death of participant entitled to deferred annuity; spousal agreement; payment of survivor annuity—** If a [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) dies after completing at least 18 months of service or a former [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) dies entitled to a deferred annuity, but before becoming eligible to receive the annuity, and such [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) or former [participant](/usc/22/4071a.md?p=5) has left with the Secretary of State a [spousal agreement](/usc/22/4044.md?p=11) promising a share of a survivor annuity under subchapter IV, [chapter 84](/usc/22/chch84.md), [title 5](/usc/5.md), to a [former spouse](/usc/22/4044.md?p=6), such survivor annuity shall be paid under the terms of this part as if the survivor annuity had been ordered by a [court](/usc/22/4044.md?p=3).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 861, as added Pub. L. 99–335, title IV, § 415, June 6, 1986, 100 Stat. 619; amended Pub. L. 99–514, § 2, Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2095; Pub. L. 99–556, title IV, § 407, Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3139.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1986—Subsec. (a)(4)(A). Pub. L. 99–514 substituted “Internal Revenue Code of 1986” for “Internal Revenue Code of 1954”, which for purposes of codification was translated as “title 26” thus requiring no change in text.

Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 99–556 added par. (3).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1986 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 99–556 effective Jan. 1, 1987, see section 408 of Pub. L. 99–556, set out as a note under section 4046 of this title.