republic-os/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-84/section-8424.md

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LegalText	5 U.S.C. § 8424	Lump-sum benefits; designation of beneficiary; order of precedence	us	united_states_code	code_section	5	GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION AND EMPLOYEES	84	FEDERAL EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM	8424	5 U.S.C. § 8424	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc05@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t5/s8424	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-05/usc05.xml	e4cd17436b7b178ca22715cf74588dd4813d6f1ee62b6dc7596f03f4ac7292e1	719fdb18e7085aede50e1e97c1c129fa6058e2c5c12b3d77a9b9044b1769e540	aa284e78d14121f985dff095dc35d27f809df2eb4aaa4887855d3892ebf96fd1	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

5 U.S.C. § 8424 - Lump-sum benefits; designation of beneficiary; order of precedence

Text

(a) Subject to subsection (b), an employee or Member who—

(1) (A) is separated from the service for at least 31 consecutive days; or

(B) is transferred to a position in which the individual is not subject to this chapter and remains in such a position for at least 31 consecutive days;

(2) files an application with the Office for payment of the lump-sum credit;

(3) is not reemployed in a position in which the individual is subject to this chapter at the time of filing the application; and

(4) will not become eligible to receive an annuity within 31 days after filing the application;

is entitled to be paid the lump-sum credit. Except as provided in section 8420a, payment of the lump-sum credit to an employee or Member voids all annuity rights under this subchapter, and subchapters IV and V of this chapter, based on the service on which the lump-sum credit is based, until the employee or Member is reemployed in the service subject to this chapter.

(b) (1) (A) Payment of the lump-sum credit under subsection (a) may be made only if the spouse, if any, and any former spouse of the employee or Member are notified of the employee or Member’s application.

(B) The Office shall prescribe regulations under which the lump-sum credit shall not be paid without the consent of a spouse or former spouse of the employee or Member where the Office has received such additional information or documentation as the Office may require that—

(i) a court order bars payment of the lump-sum credit in order to preserve the court’s ability to award an annuity under section 8445 or 8467; or

(ii) payment of the lump-sum credit would extinguish the entitlement of the spouse or former spouse, under a court order on file with the Office, to a survivor annuity under section 8445 or to any portion of an annuity under section 8467.

(2) (A) Notification of a spouse or former spouse under this subsection shall be made in accordance with such requirements as the Office shall by regulation prescribe.

(B) Under the regulations, the Office may provide that paragraph (1)(A) may be waived with respect to a spouse or former spouse if the employee or Member establishes to the satisfaction of the Office that the whereabouts of such spouse or former spouse cannot be determined.

(3) The Office shall prescribe regulations under which this subsection shall be applied in any case in which the Office receives two or more orders or decrees referred to in paragraph (1)(B)(i).

(c) Under regulations prescribed by the Office, an employee or Member, or a former employee or Member, may designate one or more beneficiaries under this section.

(d) Lump-sum benefits authorized by subsections (e) through (g) shall be paid to the individual or individuals surviving the employee or Member and alive at the date title to the payment arises in the following order of precedence, and the payment bars recovery by any other individual:First, to the beneficiary or beneficiaries designated by the employee or Member in a signed and witnessed writing received in the Office before the death of such employee or Member. For this purpose, a designation, change, or cancellation of beneficiary in a will or other document not so executed and filed has no force or effect. Second, if there is no designated beneficiary, to the widow or widower of the employee or Member. Third, if none of the above, to the child or children of the employee or Member and descendants of deceased children by representation. Fourth, if none of the above, to the parents of the employee or Member or the survivor of them. Fifth, if none of the above, to the duly appointed executor or administrator of the estate of the employee or Member. Sixth, if none of the above, to such other next of kin of the employee or Member as the Office determines to be entitled under the laws of the domicile of the employee or Member at the date of death of the employee or Member. For the purpose of this subsection, “child” includes a natural child and an adopted child, but does not include a stepchild.

(e) If an employee or Member, or former employee or Member, dies—

(1) without a survivor, or

(2) with a survivor or survivors and the right of all survivors under subchapter IV terminates before a claim for survivor annuity under such subchapter is filed,

the lump-sum credit shall be paid.

(f) If all annuity rights under this chapter (other than under subchapter III of this chapter) based on the service of a deceased employee or Member terminate before the total annuity paid equals the lump-sum credit, the difference shall be paid.

(g) If an annuitant dies, annuity accrued and unpaid shall be paid.

(h) Annuity accrued and unpaid on the termination, except by death, of the annuity of an annuitant or survivor shall be paid to that individual. Annuity accrued and unpaid on the death of a survivor shall be paid in the following order of precedence, and the payment bars recovery by any other person:First, to the duly appointed executor or administrator of the estate of the survivor. Second, if there is no executor or administrator, payment may be made, after 30 days from the date of death of the survivor, to such next of kin of the survivor as the Office determines to be entitled under the laws of the domicile of the survivor at the date of death.

(Added Pub. L. 99–335, title I, § 101(a), June 6, 1986, 100 Stat. 539; amended Pub. L. 106–361, § 3(b), Oct. 27, 2000, 114 Stat. 1402; Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title XIX, § 1904(b)(4), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2617.)

Notes

Editorial Notes

Amendments2009—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111–84 substituted “based, until the employee or Member is reemployed in the service subject to this chapter.” for “based.” in concluding provisions. 2000—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 106–361 amended par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (1) read as follows: “Payment of the lump-sum credit under subsection (a)— “(A) may be made only if any current spouse and any former spouse of the employee or Member are notified of the application by the employee or Member; and “(B) in any case in which there is a former spouse, shall be subject to the terms of a court decree of divorce, annulment, or legal separation issued with respect to such former spouse if— “(i) the decree expressly relates to any portion of the lump-sum credit involved; and “(ii) payment of the lump-sum credit would affect any right or interest of the former spouse with respect to a survivor annuity under section 8445, or to any portion of an annuity under section 8467.”