In this subchapter:

(1) Plan.— The term “Plan” means the Survivor Benefit Plan established by this subchapter.

(2) Standard annuity.— The term “standard annuity” means an annuity provided by virtue of eligibility under section 1448(a)(1)(A) of this title.

(3) Reserve-component annuity.— The term “reserve-component annuity” means an annuity provided by virtue of eligibility under section 1448(a)(1)(B) of this title.

(4) Retired pay.— The term “retired pay” includes retainer pay paid under section 8330 of this title.

(5) Reserve-component retired pay.— The term “reserve-component retired pay” means retired pay under chapter 1223 of this title (or under chapter 67 of this title as in effect before the effective date of the Reserve Officer Personnel Management Act).

The term “base amount” means the following:

(A) Full amount under standard annuity.—In the case of a person who dies after becoming entitled to retired pay, such term means the amount of monthly retired pay (determined without regard to any reduction under section 1409(b)(2) or 1415(b)(1)(B) of this title) to which the person— (i) was entitled when he became eligible for that pay; or (ii) later became entitled by being advanced on the retired list, performing active duty, or being transferred from the temporary disability retired list to the permanent disability retired list.

(B) Full amount under reserve-component annuity.—In the case of a person who would have become eligible for reserve-component retired pay but for the fact that he died before becoming 60 years of age, such term means the amount of monthly retired pay for which the person would have been eligible— (i) if he had been 60 years of age on the date of his death, for purposes of an annuity to become effective on the day after his death in accordance with a designation made under section 1448(e) of this title; or (ii) upon becoming 60 years of age (if he had lived to that age), for purposes of an annuity to become effective on the 60th anniversary of his birth in accordance with a designation made under section 1448(e) of this title.

(C) Reduced amount.—Such term means any amount less than the amount otherwise applicable under subparagraph (A) or (B) with respect to an annuity provided under the Plan but which is not less than $300 and which is designated by the person (with the concurrence of the person’s spouse, if required under section 1448(a)(3) of this title) providing the annuity on or before— (i) the first day for which he becomes eligible for retired pay, in the case of a person providing a standard annuity, or (ii) the end of the 90-day period beginning on the date on which he receives the notification required by section 12731(d) of this title that he has completed the years of service required for eligibility for reserve-component retired pay, in the case of a person providing a reserve-component annuity.

The term “widow” means the surviving wife of a person who, if not married to the person at the time he became eligible for retired pay—

(A) was married to him for at least one year immediately before his death; or

(B) is the mother of issue by that marriage.

The term “widower” means the surviving husband of a person who, if not married to the person at the time she became eligible for retired pay—

(A) was married to her for at least one year immediately before her death; or

(B) is the father of issue by that marriage.

(9) Surviving spouse.— The term “surviving spouse” means a widow or widower.

(10) Former spouse.— The term “former spouse” means the surviving former husband or wife of a person who is eligible to participate in the Plan.

The term “dependent child” means a person who—

(A) In general.—The term “dependent child” means a person who— (i) is unmarried; (ii) is (I) under 18 years of age, (II) at least 18, but under 22, years of age and pursuing a full-time course of study or training in a high school, trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or comparable recognized educational institution, or (III) incapable of self support because of a mental or physical incapacity existing before the person’s eighteenth birthday or incurred on or after that birthday, but before the person’s twenty-second birthday, while pursuing such a full-time course of study or training; and (iii) is the child of a person to whom the Plan applies, including (I) an adopted child, and (II) a stepchild, foster child, or recognized natural child who lived with that person in a regular parent-child relationship.

(B) Special rules for college students.— For the purpose of subparagraph (A), a child whose twenty-second birthday occurs before July 1 or after August 31 of a calendar year, and while regularly pursuing such a course of study or training, is considered to have become 22 years of age on the first day of July after that birthday. A child who is a student is considered not to have ceased to be a student during an interim between school years if the interim is not more than 150 days and if the child shows to the satisfaction of the Secretary of Defense that the child has a bona fide intention of continuing to pursue a course of study or training in the same or a different school during the school semester (or other period into which the school year is divided) immediately after the interim.

(C) Foster children.— A foster child, to qualify under this paragraph as the dependent child of a person to whom the Plan applies, must, at the time of the death of that person, also reside with, and receive over one-half of his support from, that person, and not be cared for under a social agency contract. The temporary absence of a foster child from the residence of that person, while a student as described in this paragraph, shall not be considered to affect the residence of such a foster child.

(12) Court.— The term “court” has the meaning given that term by section 1408(a)(1) of this title.

The term “court order” means a court’s final decree of divorce, dissolution, or annulment or a court ordered, ratified, or approved property settlement incident to such a decree (including a final decree modifying the terms of a previously issued decree of divorce, dissolution, annulment, or legal separation, or of a court ordered, ratified, or approved property settlement agreement incident to such previously issued decree).

(A) In general.— The term “court order” means a court’s final decree of divorce, dissolution, or annulment or a court ordered, ratified, or approved property settlement incident to such a decree (including a final decree modifying the terms of a previously issued decree of divorce, dissolution, annulment, or legal separation, or of a court ordered, ratified, or approved property settlement agreement incident to such previously issued decree).

(B) Final decree.— The term “final decree” means a decree from which no appeal may be taken or from which no appeal has been taken within the time allowed for the taking of such appeals under the laws applicable to such appeals, or a decree from which timely appeal has been taken and such appeal has been finally decided under the laws applicable to such appeals.

(C) Regular on its face.— The term “regular on its face”, when used in connection with a court order, means a court order that meets the conditions prescribed in section 1408(b)(2) of this title.

(Added Pub. L. 92–425, § 1(3), Sept. 21, 1972, 86 Stat. 706; amended Pub. L. 94–496, § 1(1), Oct. 14, 1976, 90 Stat. 2375; Pub. L. 95–397, title II, § 201, Sept. 30, 1978, 92 Stat. 843; Pub. L. 96–402, § 2, Oct. 9, 1980, 94 Stat. 1705; Pub. L. 97–252, title X, § 1003(a), Sept. 8, 1982, 96 Stat. 735; Pub. L. 98–94, title IX, § 941(c)(1), Sept. 24, 1983, 97 Stat. 653; Pub. L. 99–145, title VII, §§ 719(1), (2), 721(b), Nov. 8, 1985, 99 Stat. 675, 676; Pub. L. 99–348, title III, § 301(a)(1), July 1, 1986, 100 Stat. 702; Pub. L. 99–661, div. A, title XIII, § 1343(a)(8)(A), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3992; Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title XII, § 1231(17), Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1161; Pub. L. 101–189, div. A, title XIV, § 1407(a)(1)–(3), Nov. 29, 1989, 103 Stat. 1588; Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title XIV, § 1484(l)(4)(C)(i), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1720; Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1671(d), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 3014; Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title VI, § 634, Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2551; Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title VI, § 622(a), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1428; Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 809(a), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1840.)