# § 771. Definitions
In this subchapter—
**(1)** “dependent child” means an unmarried dependent child (including a stepchild or adopted child) who is—
**(A)** under 18 years of age;
**(B)** incapable of self-support because of physical or mental disability; or
**(C)** between 18 and 22 years of age and is a student regularly pursuing a full-time course of study or training in residence in a high school, trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or comparable recognized educational institution. For the purposes of this subchapter, a child whose 22nd birthday occurs before July 1 or after August 31 of a calendar year, and while such child is regularly pursuing such a course of study or training, is deemed to have become 22 years of age on the first day of July after that birthday. A child who is a student is deemed not to have ceased to be a student during an interim period between school years if the interim period is not more than 5 months and if such child shows to the satisfaction of the General Counsel of the Government Accountability Office that such child has a bona fide intention of continuing in the same or a different school during the school semester (or other period into which the school year is divided) immediately after the interim period.
**(2)** “surviving spouse” means a surviving spouse of an individual who was a Comptroller General or retired Comptroller General and the spouse—
**(A)** was married to the individual for at least 1 year immediately before the individual died; or
**(B)** has not remarried before age 55 and is the parent of issue by the marriage.
**(3)** service as a Comptroller General equals the number of years and complete months an individual is Comptroller General.
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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 97–258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 902; Pub. L. 100–426, title II, § 202, Sept. 9, 1988, 102 Stat. 1600; Pub. L. 108–271, § 8(b), July 7, 2004, 118 Stat. 814.)
| Revised Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 771(1), (2) | 31:43b(g). | June 10, 1921, ch. 18, 42 Stat. 20, § 319(g), (p); added July 13, 1959, Pub. L. 86–87, 73 Stat. 198, 200. |
| 771(3) | 31:43b(p). | |
In this subchapter, the words “surviving spouse”, “spouse”, “surviving spouse’s”, and “parent” are substituted for “widow”, “wife”, “surviving widow’s”, and “mother”, respectively, because of 5:7202(c).
In clause (3), the words “or retired Comptroller General” are omitted as executed because a retired Comptroller General could elect survivor benefits and include retirement service only if the Comptroller General had retired by . The word “total” is omitted as surplus. The words “complete months” are substituted for “twelfth parts thereof, excluding from the aggregate the fractional part of a month, if any” to eliminate unnecessary words. The words “an individual is Comptroller General” are added for clarity.
## Editorial Notes
### Amendments
2004—Par. (1)(C). substituted “Government Accountability Office” for “General Accounting Office”.
1988—Par. (1)(C). , added subpar. (C).
Par. (2)(A). , substituted “1 year” for “2 years”.
Par. (2)(B). , inserted “before age 55” after “remarried”.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date of 1988 Amendment
Amendment by effective after end of 60-day period beginning , with certain exceptions, see , set out as a note under .