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B-235978 1 (1990-10-26)

handle is hein.gao/gaobadnuz0001 and id is 1 raw text is: I ~'IsIV~i~tIV


Comptroller General
of the United States
Washington, D.C. 2O48
Decision



Matter of: Katherine J. Allan - Surviving Spouse - Claim

             for Real Estate Expenses and Attorney Fees

File:        B-235978

Date:        October 26, 1990


DIGEST

A transferred employee who had contracted to sell his
residence at his old duty station and to purchase a residence
at his new duty station died unexpectedly before either
transaction was completed. His widow incurred expenses of
$20,500 to obtain releases from the contracts of sale and
purchase, plus an attorney's fee. She may be reimbursed her
expenses, including a reasonable attorney's fee, not to exceed
the amount that would have been reimbursed had she completed
the relocation to her deceased husband's new duty station.


DECISION

The Director of the Defense Investigative Service (DIS) asks
whether Mrs. Katherine J. Allan may be reimbursed the legal
and other expenses she incurred in obtaining releases from
her contractual real estate obligations following the death
of her husband, Mr. Thomas R. Allan, a DIS employee who had
recently been transferred to a new duty station. For the
following reasons, Mrs. Allan may be reimbursed her expenses,
not to exceed the amount she would have been reimbursed had
she completed the relocation to her deceased husband's new
duty station.

BACKGROUND

Mr. Allan was transferred by his agency from Cherry Hill, New
Jersey, to Baltimore, Maryland, on November 27, 1988. He was
authorized reimbursement of relocation expenses, including
reimbursement of the expenses for the sale of a residence and
purchase of a new one. On December 28, 1988, Mr. and
Mrs. Allan contracted to sell their residence in New Jersey.
On January 1, 1989, Mr. and Mrs. Allan made a $5,000 deposit
as part of a contract to purchase a residence in Maryland.

On April 2, 1989, Mr. Allan unexpectedly died of a heart
attack, leaving a widow and three minor children. At that
time, he had completed neither the sale of his old residence

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