(a)
Each annuity is stated as an annual amount, one-twelfth of which, rounded to the next lowest dollar, constitutes the monthly rate payable on the first business day of the month after the month or other period for which it has accrued.
(b)
(1) Except as otherwise provided—
(B)
any other annuity payable from the Fund commences on the first day of the month after the occurrence of the event on which payment thereof is based.
(d)
An individual entitled to annuity from the Fund may decline to accept all or any part of the annuity by a waiver signed and filed with the Office of Personnel Management. The waiver may be revoked in writing at any time. Payment of the annuity waived may not be made for the period during which the waiver was in effect.
(e)
(1)
Payment due a minor, or an individual mentally incompetent or under other legal disability, may be made to the person (including an organization) who is constituted guardian or other fiduciary by the law of the State of residence of the claimant or is otherwise legally vested with the care of the claimant or his estate. If a guardian or other fiduciary of the individual under legal disability has not been appointed under the law of the State of residence of the claimant, payment may be made to any person (including an organization) who, in the judgment of the Office, is responsible for the care of the claimant and may appropriately receive such payments on behalf of the claimant, and the payment bars recovery by any other person.
(2)
If the Office determines that direct payment of a benefit to an individual mentally incompetent or under other legal disability would cause substantial harm to the individual, the Office may defer or suspend direct payment of the benefit until such time as the appointment of a representative payee is made. The Office shall resume payment as soon as practicable, including all amounts due.
(f) The Office may not authorize a person to receive payments on behalf of a minor or individual of legal disability under subsection (e) if that person has been convicted of a violation of—
(g)
The Office shall prescribe regulations to provide that the amount of any monthly annuity payable under this section accruing for any month and which is computed with regard to service that includes any service referred to in section 8332(b)(6) performed by an individual prior to January 1, 1969, shall be reduced by the portion of any benefits under any State retirement system to which such individual is entitled (or on proper application would be entitled) for such month which is attributable to such service performed by such individual before such date.
(h)
An individual entitled to an annuity from the Fund may make allotments or assignments of amounts from his annuity for such purposes as the Office of Personnel Management in its sole discretion considers appropriate.
(i)
(2)
Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, after the death of an employee, Member, or annuitant, no benefit based on his service shall be paid from the Fund unless an application therefor is received in the Office of Personnel Management within 30 years after the death or other event which gives rise to title to the benefit.
(j)
(1) Payments under this subchapter which would otherwise be made to an employee, Member, or annuitant based on service of that individual shall be paid (in whole or in part) by the Office to another person if and to the extent expressly provided for in the terms of—
(B)
any court order or other similar process in the nature of garnishment for the enforcement of a judgment rendered against such employee, Member, or annuitant, for physically, sexually, or emotionally abusing a child.
In the event that the Office is served with more than 1 decree, order, or other legal process with respect to the same moneys due or payable to any individual, such moneys shall be available to satisfy such processes on a first-come, first-served basis, with any such process being satisfied out of such moneys as remain after the satisfaction of all such processes which have been previously served.
(2)
Paragraph (1) shall only apply to payments made by the Office under this subchapter after the date of receipt in the Office of written notice of such decree, order, other legal process, or agreement, and such additional information and documentation as the Office may prescribe.
(3) For the purpose of this subsection—
(B)
the term “judgment rendered for physically, sexually, or emotionally abusing a child” means any legal claim perfected through a final enforceable judgment, which claim is based in whole or in part upon the physical, sexual, or emotional abuse of a child, whether or not that abuse is accompanied by other actionable wrongdoing, such as sexual exploitation or gross negligence; and
(k)
(1)
The Office shall, in accordance with this subsection, enter into an agreement with any State within 120 days of a request for agreement from the proper State official. The agreement shall provide that the Office shall withhold State income tax in the case of the monthly annuity of any annuitant who voluntarily requests, in writing, such withholding. The amounts withheld during any calendar quarter shall be held in the Fund and disbursed to the States during the month following that calendar quarter.
(3)
Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, an annuitant may change the State designated by that annuitant for purposes of having withholdings made, and may request that the withholdings be remitted in accordance with such change. An annuitant also may revoke any request of that annuitant for withholding. Any change in the State designated or revocation is effective on the first day of the month after the month in which the request or the revocation is processed by the Office, but in no event later than on the first day of the second month beginning after the day on which such request or revocation is received by the Office.
(4)
This subsection does not give the consent of the United States to the application of a statute which imposes more burdensome requirements on the United States than on employers generally, or which subjects the United States or any annuitant to a penalty or liability because of this subsection. The Office may not accept pay from a State for services performed in withholding State income taxes from annuities. Any amount erroneously withheld from an annuity and paid to a State by the Office shall be repaid by the State in accordance with regulations issued by the Office.
(l)
Transfers of contributions and deposits authorized by section 408(a)(3) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 shall be deemed to be a complete and final payment of benefits under this chapter.
(Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 582; Pub. L. 93–273, § 1, Apr. 26, 1974, 88 Stat. 93; Pub. L. 94–126, § 1(c), Nov. 12, 1975, 89 Stat. 679; Pub. L. 94–166, § 1, Dec. 23, 1975, 89 Stat. 1002; Pub. L. 94–183, § 1, Dec. 31, 1975, 89 Stat. 1057; Pub. L. 95–366, § 1(a), Sept. 15, 1978, 92 Stat. 600; Pub. L. 95–454, title IX, § 906(a)(2), (3), Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1224; Pub. L. 97–35, title XVII, § 1705(a), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 758; Pub. L. 97–253, title III, §§ 304(b), 305(a), Sept. 8, 1982, 96 Stat. 795; Pub. L. 98–615, § 2(6), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3202; Pub. L. 99–251, title III, § 305(a), Feb. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 26; Pub. L. 101–246, title I, § 141(b), Feb. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 35; Pub. L. 103–358, § 2(a), Oct. 14, 1994, 108 Stat. 3420; Pub. L. 116–126, § 2(c)(1), (d)(1), Mar. 18, 2020, 134 Stat. 175, 176.)