5 CFR § 1651.7 - Parent or parents.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t5/s1651.7"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "5 CFR § 1651.7 - Parent or parents."
title_number: 5
title_name: "Administrative Personnel"
section_number: "1651.7"
section_name: "Parent or parents."
chapter_name: "FEDERAL RETIREMENT THRIFT INVESTMENT BOARD"
part_number: "1651"
part_name: "DEATH BENEFITS"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "5 U.S.C. 8424(d), 8432d, 8432(j), 8433(e), 8435(c)(2), 8474(b)(5) and 8474(c)(1)."
regulatory_source: "62 FR 32429, June 13, 1997, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "1651"
---


# 1651.7 Parent or parents.

If the account is to be paid to the participant's parent or parents under § 1651.2(a)(4), the following rules apply:

(a) *Amount.* If both parents are alive at the time of the participant's death, each parent will be separately paid fifty percent of the account. If only one parent is alive at the time of the participant's death, he or she will receive the entire account balance.

(b) *Step-parent.* A step-parent is not considered a parent unless the step-parent adopted the participant.