20 C.F.R. § 30.500
What special statutory definitions apply to survivors under EEOICPA?
(a) For the purposes of paying compensation to survivors under both Parts B and E of EEOICPA, OWCP will use the following definitions:
(1) Surviving spouse means the wife or husband of a deceased covered Part B employee or deceased covered Part E employee who was married to that individual for the 365 consecutive days immediately prior to the death of that individual.
(2) Child of a deceased covered Part B employee or deceased covered Part E employee means only a biological child, a stepchild or an adopted child of that individual.
(b) For the purposes of paying compensation to survivors only under Part B of EEOICPA, OWCP will use the following additional definitions:
(1) Parent includes fathers and mothers of a deceased covered Part B employee through adoption.
(2) Grandchild means a child of a child of a deceased covered Part B employee.
(3) Grandparent means a parent of a parent of a deceased covered Part B employee.
(c) For the purposes of paying compensation to survivors under Part E of EEOICPA, OWCP will use the following additional definitions:
(1) Covered child means a child that is, as of the date of the deceased covered Part E employee's death, either under the age of 18 years, or under the age of 23 years and a full-time student who was continuously enrolled in one or more educational institutions since attaining the age of 18 years, or any age and incapable of self-support. A child's marital status or dependency on the covered employee for support is irrelevant to his or her eligibility for benefits as a covered child under Part E.
(2) Incapable of self-support means that the child must have been physically and/or mentally incapable of self-support at the time of the covered employee's death.