22 U.S.C. § 4060 — Assignment and attachment of moneys

(a) Annuities and severance benefits. (1) A person entitled to a Fund annuity may allot or assign amounts from it for purposes the Secretary of State, in the Secretary's sole discretion, considers appropriate. (2) Despite section 3727 of title 31 and other laws, a Service member entitled to section 4009(b)(1) benefits may assign all or part of them to anyone. The assignment must use a Treasury-approved form, and the member must deposit a copy with the Treasury Secretary.

(b) Participants or annuitants with former spouses. (1)(A) For a participant or annuitant with a former spouse covered by a court order or party to a spousal agreement, the former spouse's right to, and amount of, a retirement or disability annuity under section 4054(a), a survivor annuity under section 4054(b) or (c), or a lump-sum-credit payment under section 4055(a) or (b), must be decided under the agreement or order to the extent its terms expressly provide. (B) This rule does not apply to an agreement or order that, as the Secretary determines, would provide a survivor annuity without an annuity reduction, salary reduction, or section 4054(c)(3) payment, or that otherwise conflicts with this part. (2) Except for obligations between participants and former spouses, the State Secretary must pay another person all or part of payments otherwise payable to a participant or annuitant based on service when an order, legal-separation decree, or court order or approved property-settlement agreement expressly requires it. (3) Paragraphs (1) and (2) apply only to payments for periods beginning after the Secretary receives written notice of the decree, order, or agreement and any required information and documents. (4) Payment to one person bars recovery by another. (5) The 10-year requirement in section 4044(b)(6), or another provision of this part, does not affect rights a spouse or former spouse has under State or District of Columbia law concerning a participant's or annuitant's annuity.

(c) Other law and remedies. Except under subsection (a) or (b), money covered by this part cannot be assigned in law or equity and cannot be reached through execution, levy, attachment, garnishment, or other legal process, unless Federal law provides otherwise.