The Federal employees FERS pension plan is divided in a divorce or legal separation with a COAP (Court Order Acceptable for Processing). We don’t use a QDRO because the FERS plan is not a qualified retirement plan. Instead, it is a government plan.
Unlike Colorado PERA participants, FERS participants do pay into social security. Years ago the Federal pension was the Civil Service pension where the Participants did NOT pay into social security. I believe that the reason the FERS pension replaced the Civil Service pension is because of the unfairness of not participating in the social security system.
FERS does provide the option of either a 25% survivor benefit or a 50% survivor benefit. The cost is either a 5% or a 10% reduction in the monthly payments.
A lump sum withdrawal is also available to FERS participants.