§ 843.303 Marriage duration requirements

5 CFR 843.303(a)(a) The current spouse of a retiree, an employee, or a separated employee can qualify for a current spouse annuity or the basic employee death benefit only if—

5 CFR 843.303(a)(1)(1) The current spouse and the retiree, employee, or separated employee had been married for at least 9 months, as explained in paragraph (b) of this section; or

5 CFR 843.303(a)(2)(2) A child was born of the marriage, as explained in paragraph (c) of this section; or

5 CFR 843.303(a)(3)(3) The death of the retiree, employee, or separated employee was accidental as explained in paragraph (d) of this section.

5 CFR 843.303(b)(b) For satisfying the 9-month marriage requirement of paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the aggregate time of all marriages between the spouse applying for a current spouse annuity and the retiree, employee, or separated employee is included.

5 CFR 843.303(c)(c) For satisfying the child-born-of-the-marriage requirement of paragraph (a)(2) of this section, any child, including a posthumous child, born to the spouse and the retiree, employee, or separated employee is included. This includes a child born out of wedlock if the parents later married or of a prior marriage between the same parties.

5 CFR 843.303(d)(1)(d)(1) A death is accidental if it results from homicide or from bodily injuries incurred solely through violent, external, and accidental means. The term “accidental” does not include a death caused by or the result of intentional self-destruction or intentionally self-inflicted injury, while sane or insane.

5 CFR 843.303(d)(2)(2) A State judicial or administrative adjudication of the cause of death for criminal or insurance purposes is conclusive evidence of whether a death is accidental.

5 CFR 843.303(d)(3)(3) A death certificate showing the cause of death as accident or homicide is prima facie evidence that the death was accidental.