Retirement benefits court order

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• Panel 1 – Introduction

  How to Divide a TSP Account in Divorce

  The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a defined contribution retirement savings and investment plan for federal civilian employees and members of the uniformed services. A TSP account can be divided by means of a court order in an action for divorce, annulment, or legal separation. This type of court order is called a “retirement benefits court order” (RBCO) by the TSP. This wizard was developed as a practical aid to help you or your attorney draft an RBCO for the TSP.

  The online wizard cannot be used to draft an RBCO awarding funds to a child or dependent.

  Certain TSP account information is available to spouses (and their attorneys) to assist in developing an RBCO. To request this information, please use the Request for Participant Account Information.

  Do not use this online court order wizard if you are drafting a court order related to Federal Employees’ Retirement System (FERS) or Civilian Service Retirement System (CSRS) annuity benefits. Court orders related to the FERS and CSRS annuity programs, which are administered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), should be submitted to the Court Ordered Benefits branch of OPM at the following address: U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Court Ordered Benefits Branch, P.O. Box 17, Washington, DC 20044.

  To be honored by the TSP as a qualifying retirement benefits court order (RBCO), a court order must meet the requirements found in 5 United States Code (U.S.C.) § 8435(c) and 5 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) part 1653, subpart A. The rules for qualified domestic relations orders (QDROs) that apply to private sector plans do not apply to the TSP. The provisions of the Federal Employees’ Retirement System Act (FERSA), not the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), govern court orders that divide a TSP account. The TSP cannot represent or warrant that this order will meet the requirements of your local jurisdiction. The parties’ attorneys should review local court rules to ensure this court order is sufficient.

  Before getting started, you should gather the following necessary information:

  • Participant’s name, current mailing address, and TSP account number
  • Payee’s name, current mailing address, and Social Security Number (SSN)
  • Account details (e.g., balance, outstanding loan amounts, etc.) needed to calculate the award amount
  • Necessary court information (e.g., case number, judge’s name, etc.)

  For more information, please read the TSP publication Court Orders and Powers of Attorney.

  Get started No thanks, just download Form TSP-92, TSP Retirement Benefits Court Order Division Package.
• Panel 2 – Scenario

  Case details

  Select scenario

  Are both parties TSP participants? This question is required.

  • Yes
  • No

  Are both parties TSP participants? > No

  Select scenario

  What is the payee's relationship to the TSP participant? Indicate the payee–participant relationship.

  • Current or former spouse
  • Child or dependent
  • Other

  Are both parties TSP participants? > No > Current or former spouse

  Participant’s name: Enter the name of the person whose account will be divided pursuant to this court order.

  Payee’s name: Enter the name of the person who is the intended recipient of the court order award.

  Are both parties TSP participants? > No > Child or dependent

  The online wizard cannot be used to draft a court order awarding funds to a child or dependent. For more information on RBCOs, please review the TSP publication, Court Orders and Powers of Attorney.

  Are both parties TSP participants? > No > Other

  A court order can require a payment only to the participant’s current or former spouse or to the participant’s dependents. For more information on RBCOs, please review the TSP publication, Court Orders and Powers of Attorney.

  Are both parties TSP participants? > Yes

  Select scenario

  Select the parties’ relationship to one another Indicate the payee–participant relationship.

  • Current or former spouse
  • Child or dependent
  • Other

  Are both parties TSP participants? > Yes > Current or former spouse

  Select scenario

  Are both parties’ accounts being divided as a result of this court order? This question is required.

  • Yes
  • No

  Are both parties TSP participants? > Yes > Current or former spouse > Are both parties' accounts being divided...? > Yes

  You have indicated that both parties are TSP participants and that both will receive awards pursuant to this court order. Please provide the following information:

  Party 1 name: Enter the name of the person whose account will be divided pursuant to this court order.

  Party 2 name: Enter the name of the person who is the intended recipient of the court order award.

  Are both parties TSP participants? > Yes > Current or former spouse > Are both parties' accounts being divided...? > No

  You have indicated that both parties are TSP participants but that only one will receive an award pursuant to this court order. Please provide the following information:

  Participant’s name: Enter the name of the person whose account will be divided pursuant to this court order.

  Payee’s name: Enter the name of the person who is the intended recipient of the court order award.
• Panel 3 – Participant or Party 1

  Contact information for {Participant or Party 1}

  • Explain this

    Before submitting the court order to the TSP, you must provide a current mailing address.

    If this information does not appear in the body of the court order, it must be submitted to the TSP by the individual or either party's attorney. Failure to provide this information with your submission may delay processing of the order.

    Please note, the mailing address provided will be used to mail you a copy of any notices related to this court order but will not update your address of record (AOR) with the TSP.

  This is a foreign address:

  Street address: City: State: -Select- Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas Armed Forces America Armed Forces Europe Armed Forces Pacific California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District Of Columbia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Marshall Islands Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Micronesia Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Palau Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas U.S. Minor Outlying Islands Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Phone number: Zip code:

  Street address: City: Postal code: Country:

  Or select one from the list below

  Country drop-down list: Afghanistan Aland Islands Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, Democratic Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard and McDonald Islands Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Dem Peoples Republic Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Dem. Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia, form Yugoslav Rep Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia, Federated States Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin (French part) Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia So Georgia and Sandwich Isles Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu U.S. Minor Outlying Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican City State Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Phone number:

  TSP Account Type

  • Explain this
    If you are not sure what type of Thrift Savings Plan account the participant has, please contact the ThriftLine at 1-TSP-YOU-FRST (1-877-968-3778). Release of any information by the ThriftLine is subject to the Privacy Act. An incorrect selection may lead to a delay, incorrect payment or the rejection of your court order.

  Account types to be divided

  • Civilian (CSRS or FERS)
  • Account number [only appears if checkbox is checked, obvi]

  • Uniformed Services (Ready Reserve or Active Duty)
  • Account number
    If you have both a civilian and uniformed services account, the account numbers are the same.

  • Beneficiary Participant
  • Account number Account numbers are exactly 13 digits. Account number is required.

  Select at least one account type.
• Panel 4 – Payee

  Information for {payee}

  Social Security or Tax Identification Number:

  • Explain this

    The payee's Social Security Number (SSN) is required to process the RBCO.

    If this information does not appear in the body of the court order, it must be submitted to the TSP by the individual or either party's attorney of record. Failure to provide this information with your submission may delay processing of the order.

  Contact information

  • Explain this

    Before submitting the court order to the TSP, you must provide a current mailing address.

    If this information does not appear in the body of the court order, it must be submitted to the TSP by the individual or either party's attorney. Failure to provide this information with your submission may delay processing of the order.

    Please note, the mailing address provided will be used to mail you a copy of any notices related to this court order but will not update your address of record (AOR) with the TSP.

  This is a foreign address:

  Street address: City: State: -Select- Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas Armed Forces America Armed Forces Europe Armed Forces Pacific California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District Of Columbia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Marshall Islands Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Micronesia Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Palau Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas U.S. Minor Outlying Islands Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Phone number: Zip code:

  Street address: City: Postal code: Country:

  Or select one from the list below

  Country drop-down list: Afghanistan Aland Islands Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, Democratic Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard and McDonald Islands Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Dem Peoples Republic Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Dem. Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia, form Yugoslav Rep Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia, Federated States Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin (French part) Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia So Georgia and Sandwich Isles Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu U.S. Minor Outlying Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican City State Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Phone number:

  TSP Account Type

  • Explain this
    If you are not sure what type of Thrift Savings Plan account the participant has, please contact the ThriftLine at 1-TSP-YOU-FRST (1-877-968-3778). Release of any information by the ThriftLine is subject to the Privacy Act. An incorrect selection may lead to a delay, incorrect payment or the rejection of your court order.

  Account types to be divided

  • Civilian (CSRS or FERS)
  • Account number [only appears if checkbox is checked, obvi]

  • Uniformed Services (Ready Reserve or Active Duty)
  • Account number
    If you have both a civilian and uniformed services account, the account numbers are the same.

  • Beneficiary Participant
  • Account number Account numbers are exactly 13 digits. Account number is required.

  Select at least one account type.
• Panel 4 – Party 2

  Same inputs as “Panel 3 – Participant or Party 1”

• Panel 5 – Attorney

  Attorney information for {Participant or Party 1}

  Attorney information for participant or party 1

  Is the participant represented by an attorney? This question is required.

  • Yes
  • No

  Attorney's name: Law firm name: Jurisdiction: Bar License number: Street address: City: State: -Select- Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas Armed Forces America Armed Forces Europe Armed Forces Pacific California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District Of Columbia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Marshall Islands Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Micronesia Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Palau Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas U.S. Minor Outlying Islands Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Zip code: Phone number: Fax number:

  Attorney information for {Payee or Party 2}

  Attorney information for Payee or Party 1

  Is the Payee/Participant 1 represented by an attorney? This question is required.

  • Yes
  • No

  Retirement Benefits Specialist (RBS) Information

  Retirement Benefits Specialist retained?

  Has a Retirement Benefits Specialist been retained? This question is required.

  • Yes
  • No

  • Explain this

    An RBS (sometimes called a “pension specialist” or a “QDRO specialist” in the private sector) is an individual who has been retained to assist you in preparing your court order for submission to the TSP.

    Under TSP rules, we require authorization from the individual TSP participant and/or payee to release information relating to TSP records to these individuals. If you or your attorney have retained an RBS and would like to authorize that individual to submit and receive information on your behalf, you should fill out this section of the form and include it with your submission to the TSP.

  Which party retained the Retirement Benefits Specialist? Select One John Doe retained RBS Jane Doe retained RBS Both retained RBS Street address: City: State: -Select- Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas Armed Forces America Armed Forces Europe Armed Forces Pacific California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District Of Columbia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Marshall Islands Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Micronesia Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Palau Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas U.S. Minor Outlying Islands Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Zip code: Phone number: Fax number:

  Retirement Benefits Specialist retained?

  Is the Retirement Benefits Specialist a licensed attorney? This question is required.

  • Yes
  • No

  Jurisdiction: Bar License number:
• Panel 6 – Case

  Case information

  Petitioner: Select a petitioner from the drop-down list. Select One John Doe is Petitioner Jane Doe is Petitioner

  Court name: State/Jurisdiction: Case number: Judge's name and court room:
• Panel 7 – Awards

  Award builder

  Petitioner: Fully Redact All Personal Information Partially Redact All Personal Information Allow All Personal Information

  • Explain this
    Most court files may be viewed by the public. Some jurisdictions require that certain personal information be protected from public disclosure. This can be done by redacting, either fully or partially, the personal information in the court order and providing the information in Form TSP-92C, TSP Personal Information Form.

  • Award (1 of x) in progress
    Jane Doe is awarded ??? from the [xxx] TSP account of John Doe.

    Select account to which this award applies: You must select an account from the drop-down list. Select One John Doe, Civ xxxxxxxxx0123 Jane Doe, Civ xxxxxxxxx0123

    Type of award:

    • Fixed dollar amount
    • Percentage of account balance

    Fixed dollar amount: Enter a fixed dollar amount.

    Annual percentage rate: Percentage is required.

    Specify the adjustment calculation for the award:

    Indicate how the earnings are to be calculated.

    • No earnings
    • Earnings (show options)

    Earnings options

    • Earnings and Losses
    • Earnings at annual percentage rate
    • Earnings at per diem dollar rate

    Specify the entitlement date:

    • As of the effective date of the court order
    • As of the following specified date:

    Entitlement date Entitlement date is required.

    Annual percentage rate: Annual percentage rate is required. per annum

    Per diem dollar rate: Enter a dollar amount greater than $0.01. per day

    • Delete award

  • Award (2 of x) Complete
    Jane Doe is awarded $25,000.00 from the Civilian TSP account of John Doe.

    • Delete award
• Panel 8 – Summary

  Review the input below. Click “Change” to alter your selections. Click the “Generate PDF” button to create the court order.

  • Adjust your results

    Court order details Change

    Are both parties TSP participants?:	No
    Relationship:	Payee is spouse

    Participant information Change

    Name:	John Doe
    Account number:	xxxxxxxxx1023

    Payee information Change

    Name:	Jane Doe
    Account number:	This row should not appear if blank.

    Attorney information Change

    Participant attorney:	Jack Doe, Esq. Law Firm: Doe and Associates LLC Bar License Number: DC 123456789 Address: 77 K Street NE WASHINGTON DC 20002 202-942-1464 (T)
    Payee attorney:	No payee attorney indicated

    Retirement Benefits Specialist (RBS) Change

    RBS retained:	No

    Case/Account information Change

    Petitioner:	John Doe
    Court:	DC Superior Court
    Jurisdiction:	DC
    Case number:	3210987654321
    Judge name:	Honorable John Smith, Room 1201

    Awards Change

    Jane Doe is awarded $25,000.00 from the Civilian TSP account of John Doe.

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