Divorce, Retirement and the Federal Employee

Studies have shown that one of the top five things that can wreck your retirement is divorce or a legal separation just prior to retirement and that is especially true for the federal employee.

Whether you are CSRS or FERS, your retirement is property subject to division and can be cut by more than half, your TSP decimated, and survivor elections for any subsequent spouse limited or extremely expensive if you and your divorce lawyer don't understand how federal benefits can be awarded in a divorce. Federal benefits are not subject to ERISA, the law used to divide private sector retirements. Rather, the Office of Personnel Management OPM governs how benefits may be awarded and requires certain orders or wording in a decree.

via News Articles: Divorce, Retirement and the Federal Employee.