(a) The spousal rights described in this section apply to total post-employment distributions when the married participant's vested TSP account balance exceeds $3,500, to partial post-employment distributions without regard to the amount of the participant's account balance, and to any change in the amount or frequency of an existing installment payment series, including a change from payments calculated based on life expectancy to payments based on a fixed-dollar amount.

(b) Unless the participant was granted an exception under this subpart to the spousal notification requirement within 90 days of the date the distribution request is processed by the TSP record keeper, the spouse of a CSRS participant is entitled to notice when the participant applies for a post-employment distribution or makes a change to the amount or frequency of an existing installment payment series. The participant must provide the TSP record keeper with the spouse's correct email or physical address to which to send the required notice.

(c) The spouse of a FERS or uniformed services participant has a right to a joint and survivor annuity with a 50 percent survivor benefit, level payments, and no cash refund based on the participant's entire account balance when the participant elects a total post-employment distribution.

(1) The participant may make a different total post-employment distribution election only if his or her spouse consents to that election and waives the right to this annuity.

(2) A participant's spouse must consent to any partial post-employment distribution election (other than an election to purchase this type of an annuity with such amount) and waive his or her right to this annuity with respect the amount distributed.

(3) A spouse must consent to any change in the amount or frequency of an existing installment payment series and waive his or her right to this annuity with respect to the applicable amount. Spousal consent is not required to stop installment payments.

(4) Unless the participant was granted an exception under this subpart to the spousal consent requirement within 90 days of the date the distribution request is processed by the TSP record keeper, to show that the spouse has consented to a different total or partial post-employment distribution election or installment payment change and waived the right to this annuity with respect to the applicable amount, the participant must submit to the TSP record keeper a properly completed distribution request, signed by his or her spouse.

(5) The spouse's consent and waiver is irrevocable for the applicable distribution or installment payment change once the TSP record keeper has received it.

[84 FR 46422, Sept. 4, 2019, as amended by 85 FR 21312, Apr. 17, 2020; 85 FR 59174, Sept. 21, 2020; 87 FR 31684, May 24, 2022]

(a) The spousal rights described in this section apply to all in-service withdrawals and do not depend on the amount of the participant's vested account balance or the amount requested for withdrawal.

(b) Unless the participant was granted an exception under this subpart to the spousal notification requirement within 90 days of the date on which the withdrawal request is processed by the TSP record keeper, the spouse of a CSRS participant is entitled to notice when the participant applies for an in-service withdrawal. The participant must provide the TSP record keeper with the spouse's correct email or physical address to which to send the required notice.

(c) Unless the participant was granted an exception under this subpart to the spousal consent requirement within 90 days of the date the withdrawal request is processed by the TSP record keeper, before obtaining an in-service withdrawal, a participant who is covered by FERS or who is a member of the uniformed services must obtain the consent of his or her spouse and waiver of the spouse's right to a joint and survivor annuity described in § 1650.61(c) with respect to the applicable amount. To show the spouse's consent and waiver, a participant must submit to the TSP record keeper a properly completed withdrawal request, signed by his or her spouse. Once a request containing the spouse's consent and waiver has been submitted to the TSP record keeper, the spouse's consent is irrevocable for that withdrawal.

[68 FR 35503, June 13, 2003, as amended at 69 FR 29851, May 26, 2004; 84 Fr 46423, Sept. 4, 2019; 85 FR 21312, Apr. 17, 2020; 85 FR 50174, Sept. 21, 2020; 87 FR 31684, May 24, 2022]

(a) Whenever this subpart requires the Executive Director to give notice of an action to the spouse of a CSRS participant, an exception to this requirement may be granted if the participant establishes to the satisfaction of the Executive Director that the spouse's whereabouts cannot be determined. A request for such an exception must be submitted to the TSP record keeper in the form and manner prescribed by the TSP record keeper, accompanied by the following:

(1) A court order stating that the spouse's whereabouts cannot be determined;

(2) A police or governmental agency determination, signed by the appropriate department or division head, which states that the spouse's whereabouts cannot be determined; or

(3) Statements by the participant and two other persons, which meet the following requirements:

(i) The participant's statement must give the full name of the spouse, declare the participant's inability to locate the spouse, state the last time the spouse's location was known, explain why the spouse's location is not known currently, and describe the good faith efforts the participant has made to locate the spouse in the 90 days before the request for an exception was received by the TSP record keeper. Examples of attempting to locate the spouse include, but are not limited to, checking with relatives and mutual friends or using telephone directories and directory assistance for the city of the spouse's last known address. Negative statements, such as, “I have not seen nor heard from him,” or “I have not had contact with her,” are not sufficient.

(ii) The statements from two other persons must support the participant's statement that he or she does not know the spouse's whereabouts, and substantiate the participant's description of the efforts he or she made to locate the spouse, including the dates the participant made those efforts.

(iii) All statements must be signed and dated and must include the following certification: “I understand that a false statement or willful misrepresentation is punishable under Federal law (18 U.S.C. 1001) by a fine or imprisonment or both.”.

(b) A TSP withdrawal election will be processed within 90 days of an approved exception so long as the spouse named on the TSP withdrawal request is the spouse for whom the exception has been approved.

(c) The TSP and/or its record keeper may require a participant to provide additional information before granting a waiver. The TSP and/or its record keeper may use any of the information provided to conduct its own search for the spouse.

[68 FR 35503, June 13, 2003, as amended at 70 FR 32215, June 1, 2005; 87 FR 31684, May 24, 2022]

(a) Whenever this subpart requires the consent of a spouse of a FERS or uniformed services participant to a loan or TSP withdrawal or a waiver of the right to a survivor annuity, an exception to this requirement may be granted if the participant establishes to the satisfaction of the Executive Director that:

(1) The spouse's whereabouts cannot be determined in accordance with the provisions of this subpart; or

(2) Due to exceptional circumstances, requiring the spouse's signature would be inappropriate.

(i) An exception to the requirement for a spouse's signature may be granted based on exceptional circumstances only when the participant presents a court order or government agency determination that contains a finding or a recitation of exceptional circumstances regarding the spouse which would warrant an exception to the signature requirement.

(ii) Exceptional circumstances are narrowly construed, but are exemplified by a court order or government agency determination that:

(A) Indicates that the spouse and the participant have been maintaining separate residences with no financial relationship for three or more years;

(B) Indicates that the spouse abandoned the participant, but for religious or similarly compelling reasons, the parties chose not to divorce; or

(C) Expressly states that the participant may obtain a loan from his or her TSP account or make a TSP withdrawal notwithstanding the absence of the spouse's signature.

(b) A post-employment distribution election or an in-service withdrawal request processed within 90 days of an approved exception will be accepted by the TSP record keeper so long as the spouse named on the request is the spouse for whom the exception has been approved.

[68 FR 35503, June 13, 2003, as amended at 69 FR 29851, May 26, 2004; 87 FR 31685, May 24, 2022]