Courts can issue orders that award benefits to legally separated spouses, former spouses, and children of current employees, former employees, and retirees under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). The Department of the Navy cannot advise an employee, an employee's spouse, or an attorney on how to draft a court order to award CSRS or FERS benefits. This is the task of the attorneys involved.
The CBC cannot provide estimates that would require speculation about future promotions, program changes, or any other non-factual information and does not prepare estimates for employees who are not close to retirement. Official computations are made by OPM only at the time benefits become payable.
Attorneys may want to review "A Handbook for Attorneys on Court-ordered Retirement, Health Benefits, and Life Insurance Under the Civil Service Retirement System, Federal Employees Retirement System, Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, and Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Program". In addition to the printed text of the law and regulations, the Handbook includes extensive model paragraphs that can be used to draft orders that will meet OPM's requirements.
If you are involved in a divorce, legal separation, or annulment you should provide the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) with a copy of your court order to expedite the processing of your retirement in the future.