# 20 CFR § 725.204: Determination of relationship; spouse

> Federal · Regulations · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-20-725.204

## Section

- **Citation:** 20 CFR § 725.204
- **Heading:** Determination of relationship; spouse
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Regulations
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** September 22, 2026
- **Source:** Publisher's official text
- **Location:** Title 20—Employees' Benefits > CHAPTER VI—OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR > SUBCHAPTER B—FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, AS AMENDED > PART 725—CLAIMS FOR BENEFITS UNDER PART C OF TITLE IV OF THE FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT, AS AMENDED > Subpart B—Persons Entitled to Benefits, Conditions, and Duration of Entitlement > Conditions and Duration of Entitlement: Miner's Dependents (Augmented Benefits)

## Text

(a) For the purpose of augmenting benefits, an individual will be considered to be the spouse of a miner if:
(1) The courts of the State in which the miner is domiciled would find that such individual and the miner validly married; or
(2) The courts of the State in which the miner is domiciled would find, under the law they would apply in determining the devolution of the miner's intestate personal property, that the individual is the miner's spouse; or
(3) Under State law, such individual would have the right of a spouse to share in the miner's intestate personal property; or
(4) Such individual went through a marriage ceremony with the miner resulting in a purported marriage between them and which, but for a legal impediment, would have been a valid marriage, unless the individual entered into the purported marriage with knowledge that it was not a valid marriage, or if such individual and the miner were not living in the same household in the month in which a request is filed that the miner's benefits be augmented because such individual qualifies as the miner's spouse.
(b) The qualification of an individual for augmentation purposes under this section shall end with the month before the month in which:
(1) The individual dies, or
(2) The individual who previously qualified as a spouse for purposes of § 725.520(c), entered into a valid marriage without regard to this section, with a person other than the miner.

## Nearby sections

- [20 CFR § 725.202 § 725.202 Miner defined; condition of entitlement, miner.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-20-725.202.md)
- [20 CFR § 725.203 § 725.203 Duration and cessation of entitlement; miner.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-20-725.203.md)
- [20 CFR § 725.204 § 725.204 Determination of relationship; spouse.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-20-725.204.md)
- [20 CFR § 725.205 § 725.205 Determination of dependency; spouse.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-20-725.205.md)
- [20 CFR § 725.206 § 725.206 Determination of relationship; divorced spouse.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-20-725.206.md)
- [20 CFR § 725.207 § 725.207 Determination of dependency; divorced spouse.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-20-725.207.md)
- [20 CFR § 725.208 § 725.208 Determination of relationship; child.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-20-725.208.md)
- [20 CFR § 725.209 § 725.209 Determination of dependency; child.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-20-725.209.md)
- [20 CFR § 725.210 § 725.210 Duration of augmented benefits.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-20-725.210.md)
- [20 CFR § 725.211 § 725.211 Time of determination of relationship and dependency of spouse or child for purposes of augmentation of benefits.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-20-725.211.md)
- [20 CFR § 725.212 § 725.212 Conditions of entitlement; surviving spouse or surviving divorced spouse.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-20-725.212.md)
- [20 CFR § 725.213 § 725.213 Duration of entitlement; surviving spouse or surviving divorced spouse.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-20-725.213.md)
- [20 CFR § 725.214 § 725.214 Determination of relationship; surviving spouse.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-20-725.214.md)
- [20 CFR § 725.215 § 725.215 Determination of dependency; surviving spouse.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-20-725.215.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-20-725.204. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.