# 5 CFR § 1653.12: Qualifying legal processes

> Federal · Regulations · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-5-1653.12

## Section

- **Citation:** 5 CFR § 1653.12
- **Heading:** Qualifying legal processes
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Regulations
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** September 22, 2026
- **Source:** Publisher's official text
- **Location:** Title 5—Administrative Personnel > CHAPTER VI—FEDERAL RETIREMENT THRIFT INVESTMENT BOARD > PART 1653—COURT ORDERS AND LEGAL PROCESSES AFFECTING THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN ACCOUNTS > Subpart B—Legal Process for the Enforcement of a Participant's Legal Obligations To Pay Child Support or Alimony Currently

## Text

(a) The TSP record keeper will only honor the terms of a legal process that is qualifying under paragraph (b) of this section.
(b) A legal process must meet each of the following requirements to be considered qualifying:
(1) A competent authority must have issued the legal process;
(2) The legal process must expressly relate to the Thrift Savings Plan account of a TSP participant, as described in § 1653.2(a)(1);
(3) The legal process must require the TSP to:
(i) Pay a stated dollar amount from a participant's TSP account; or
(ii) Freeze the participant's account in anticipation of an order to pay from the account.
(c) The following legal processes are not qualifying:
(1) A legal process relating to a TSP account that has been closed;
(2) A legal process relating to a TSP account that contains only nonvested money;
(3) A legal process requiring the return to the TSP of money that was properly paid pursuant to an earlier legal process;
(4) A legal process requiring the TSP to make a payment in the future; and
(5) A legal process requiring a series of payments.
(6) A legal process that designates the specific TSP core fund, source of contributions, or balance from which the payment or portions of the payment shall be made.
[68 FR 35510, June 13, 2003, as amended at 77 FR 26429, May 4, 2012; 87 FR 31690, May 24, 2022]

## Nearby sections

- [5 CFR § 1653.1 § 1653.1 Definitions.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-5-1653.1.md)
- [5 CFR § 1653.2 § 1653.2 Qualifying retirement benefits court orders.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-5-1653.2.md)
- [5 CFR § 1653.3 § 1653.3 Processing retirement benefits court orders.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-5-1653.3.md)
- [5 CFR § 1653.4 § 1653.4 Calculating entitlements.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-5-1653.4.md)
- [5 CFR § 1653.5 § 1653.5 Payment.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-5-1653.5.md)
- [5 CFR § 1653.6 § 1653.6 Fees.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-5-1653.6.md)
- [5 CFR § 1653.11 § 1653.11 Definitions.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-5-1653.11.md)
- [5 CFR § 1653.12 § 1653.12 Qualifying legal processes.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-5-1653.12.md)
- [5 CFR § 1653.13 § 1653.13 Processing legal processes.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-5-1653.13.md)
- [5 CFR § 1653.14 § 1653.14 Calculating entitlements.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-5-1653.14.md)
- [5 CFR § 1653.15 § 1653.15 Payment.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-5-1653.15.md)
- [5 CFR § 1653.16 § 1653.16 Fees.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-5-1653.16.md)
- [5 CFR § 1653.21 § 1653.21 Definitions.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-5-1653.21.md)
- [5 CFR § 1653.22 § 1653.22 Purpose.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-5-1653.22.md)

---

Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-5-1653.12. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.