{"data":{"id":"us/31-u.s.c.-771","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"31 U.S.C. § 771","heading":"Definitions","body":"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.","path":["Title 31—MONEY AND FINANCE","CHAPTER 7—GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE"],"source_url":"https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/103/xml_usc31@119-103.zip","current_through":"Public Law 119-103 (09/02/2026)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-10T05:59:03Z","sha256":"6344f337f99b2f83d8bae5ca6458d6af06ffa60fecdcc287a861a712781d9bc9","source_id":"us","stale":false,"prev":"us/31-u.s.c.-755","next":"us/31-u.s.c.-772"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}