38 C.F.R. §§ 12.0–12.12

As used in respect to the disposition of property of veterans dying at Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers or other field facilities, or who are discharged or who elope, or are absent without leave therefrom, and in respect to property found thereat, the term funds means all types of United States currency and coin, checks payable to the decedent except checks drawn on the Treasurer of the United States which have never been negotiated, and includes deposits to the credit of the veteran in the account “Personal Funds of Patients,” and each competent veteran will be so advised. The term effects means and embraces all other property of every description, including insurance policies, certificates of stock, bonds and notes the obligation of the United States or of others, and all other papers of every character except checks drawn on the Treasurer of the United States, as well as clothing, jewelry and other forms of property, or evidences of interest therein. Checks drawn on the Treasurer of the United States which have never been negotiated will be returned to the issuing office for disposition.

Field facilities— as used in §§ 12.1 to 12.13 includes hospitals, centers, domiciliary activities, supply depots, and other offices over which the Department of Veterans Affairs has direct and exclusive administrative jurisdiction, and excludes State, county, city, private, and contract hospitals and hospitals or other institutions operated by the United States through agencies other than the Department of Veterans Affairs. At institutions other than field facilities as herein defined funds or effects as defined in paragraph (a) of this section, except for funds derived from VA benefits and deposited by the Department of Veterans Affairs in the account Personal Funds of Patients for incompetent veterans, will be disposed of under the laws governing such institutions. In any case where the veteran died intestate without heirs or next of kin his or her personal property vests in the United States. Disposition of the property will be made in accordance with the provisions of §§ 12.19 to 12.23.

Delivery of funds and effects. The delivery of the veteran's funds or effects to the designee is only a delivery of possession. Such delivery of possession does not affect in any manner:

Veteran becomes incompetent. If a veteran is determined to be incompetent pursuant to an order of a state court or is determined to be unable to manage monetary VA benefits by a VA clinician after the veteran is admitted to a VA field facility, the VA field facility staff will contact the Veterans Benefits Administration for the application of 38 CFR 3.353, regarding an incompetency rating as to whether the veteran is able to manage monetary VA benefits, and, if appropriate, 38 CFR 13.55, regarding VA fiduciary appointments. If the Veterans Benefits Administration determines that a veteran is incompetent to manage monetary VA benefits, any designation by the veteran under paragraph (a) of this section will cease with respect to VA benefits that are deposited by VA into the Personal Funds of Patients. The veteran's designation will not change with respect to disposition of funds and personal effects derived from non-VA sources, unless a court-appointed guardian or conservator changes or revokes the existing designation.

Retention of funds and effects by a veteran. Upon admission to a VA field facility, VA will encourage a competent veteran to:

An incompetent veteran will not be informed concerning the designation of a person to receive funds or effects; but if he or she has a guardian the guardian will be requested to make such designation of himself or herself or another person to receive possession of the funds and effects (other than funds deposited by VA in Personal Funds of Patients that were derived from VA benefits) upon the incompetent's death. The guardian will sign the letter designating himself or herself or another person with the veteran's name “By __________, guardian of his or her estate”.

No effort will be made to obtain a designation by or on behalf of an incompetent veteran who has no guardian.

Immediately upon the death or the absence without leave of any beneficiary at a field facility, as defined in § 12.0(b), a survey and inventory of the funds and effects of such beneficiary will be taken in the following manner:

Upon completion of the survey and inventory, the effects will be turned over to the designated employee for safekeeping. Any funds found in excess of $100 which apparently were the property of the deceased will be turned over to the details clerk and delivered immediately to the agent cashier, who shall deposit same in the account “Personal Funds of Patients”. Unendorsed checks other than Treasury checks and funds not in excess of $100 will be considered personal effects and not funds and will be handled accordingly.

Upon authorization by the facility head or his or her designated representative, all funds, as defined in § 12.0 (except funds deposited by VA in Personal Funds of Patients that were derived from VA benefits where the veteran was incompetent at time of death), and effects will be delivered or sent to the designee of the deceased veteran if request therefor be made after death and within 90 days following the mailing of notice to such designee (see § 12.9(a)), unless:

When authorized by the facility head or his or her designated representative, the effects will be delivered or shipped to the designee. If shipped at Government expense, the shipment shall be made in the most economical manner but in no case at a cost in excess of $25. If such expenses will exceed $25, the excess amount shall be paid by the consignee to the facility head in advance. There will be no obligation on the Government, initially or otherwise, to pay such expenses in excess of $25.

When possession of funds or effects is transferred to a designee, the attention of the designee will again be directed to the fact that possession only has been transferred to him or her and that such transfer does not of itself affect title thereto and that such designee will be accountable to the owner of said funds and effects under applicable laws.

Upon receipt from the proper Chief Attorney of an appropriate certification that the guardianship was in full force and effect at the time of the veteran's death and that the guardian's bond is adequate, funds (other than funds deposited by VA in Personal Funds of Patients that were derived from VA benefits) and effects of an incompetent veteran may be immediately delivered or sent to such guardian, inasmuch as the guardian had a right to possession, and he or she will be accountable therefor to the party entitled to receive the decedent's estate. If, however, it appears probable that decedent died without a valid will and left no person surviving entitled to inherit, the funds will not be paid to the former guardian but will be disposed of as provided in § 12.19(a). The effects will be sold, used, or destroyed, at the discretion of the facility head or his designated representative.

If there exists no designee at the time of death at a hospital, domiciliary, or regional office of a veteran admitted as competent, or the designee fails or refuses to claim the funds and effects as defined in § 12.0(a) within 90 days following the mailing of notice to such designee, the facility head will take appropriate action to dispose of the effects to the person or persons legally entitled thereto, i.e., the executor or administrator of the decedent, or, if no notice of such an appointment has been received, to the decedent's widow, child, grandchild, mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, brother, or sister, in the order named. Subject to the applicable provisions of §§ 12.3 and 12.4, such delivery may be made at any time before the sale contemplated by § 12.9 to the designee or other person entitled under the facts of the case. Delivery will be made to the person entitled to priority as prescribed in this paragraph, unless such person waives right to possession, in which event delivery will be to the person, if any, in whose favor such prior entitled person waives right to possession. If the waiver is not in favor of a particular person or class, delivery will be to the person or persons next in order of priority under this paragraph. If in any case there be more than one person in the class entitled to priority, initially or by reason of waiver, delivery will be made only to their joint designated agent (who may, but need not, be one of the class), or to one of such class in his or her own behalf upon written waiver of all others of the class entitled thereto. The guardian of a minor or incompetent may waive his or her ward's prior right to possession.

Except where delivery is made to a designee, executor, or administrator, funds of veterans who were competent at time of death will be released to the person or persons who would ultimately be entitled to distribution under the laws of the State of the decedent's domicile. The person or persons entitled may waive in writing his or her right to the funds in favor of another heir or next of kin.

Funds of veterans who were incompetent at time of death occurring after November 30, 1959, if derived from sources other than funds deposited by VA in Personal Funds of Patients that were derived from VA benefits, will be disposed of in the same manner as for competent veterans.

Funds deposited by the Department of Veterans Affairs in Personal Funds of Patients, at any office, for veterans who were incompetent at time of death occurring after November 30, 1959 and which were derived from VA benefits, will be paid upon receipt of proper application to the following persons living at the time of settlement, and in the order named: the surviving spouse, the children (without regard to age or marital status) in equal parts, and the dependent parents of such veteran, in equal parts. Any funds derived from VA benefits not disposed of in accordance with this paragraph shall be deposited to the credit of the applicable current appropriation; except that there may be paid only so much of such funds as may be necessary to reimburse a person (other than a political subdivision of the United States) who bore the expenses of last sickness or burial of the veteran for such expenses.

No payment shall be made under paragraph (d) of this section unless claim therefor is filed with the Department of Veterans Affairs within 5 years after the death of the veteran, except that, if any person so entitled under such regulation is under legal disability at the time of death of the veteran, such 5-year period of limitation shall run from the termination or removal of the legal disability.

Except as provided in § 12.8, effects of veterans absent without leave or who have been discharged or have eloped (and who are not to be returned to the field facility) will be disposed of as follows:

Funds of veterans absent without leave or who have been discharged or have eloped (and who are not to be returned to the station) will be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of current Department of Veterans Affairs procedures.

In the case of any property of a veteran who was in receipt of hospital or domiciliary care, heretofore or hereafter left at a Department of Veterans Affairs field facility, the owner of which is discharged or absent without leave or who has eloped and is not to be returned to a Department of Veterans Affairs field facility, or has died after departure therefrom, or in case the whereabouts or identity of any owner of any property thereat be unknown, such property, unless it shall be disposed of under the provisions of §§ 12.4 and 12.6 shall be sold, used, destroyed or otherwise disposed of as the manager or his or her designated representative shall determine the circumstances in the case may warrant. Any sale of such property shall be conditioned upon the 90-day notice provided in section 6 of the Act of June 25, 1938 (38 U.S.C. 5-16e).

If the circumstances are such that retention of any property as is mentioned in paragraph (a) of this section, or of any property of unknown ownership found on the premises would endanger the health or life of patients or others on the premises (by reason of contagion, infection, or otherwise) such property shall be forthwith destroyed on order of the manager or his or her designated representative, and proper record of the action taken will be made.

If there be no known claimant of any such property and if it may be used at the field facility for the benefit of the members or patients for such purposes as the General Post Fund is intended to serve, and if the value is inconsequential, the manager or his or her designated representative may authorize the retention and use of such property at the field facility.

Any such property which is not destroyed or used as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section shall be sold in the manner provided in §§ 12.9 and 12.10, after notice as therein provided unless, prior to sale, claim be made for any such property by someone legally entitled thereto.

Upon death of a veteran admitted as such to a field facility, the Manager or his or her designated representative will cause notice (parts I and V of VA Form 10-1171) to be sent to the designate: Provided, however, That if the Manager or his or her designated representative has information of the death of the primary designate, notice shall be sent to the alternate designate and all of the provisions of the regulations in this part respecting the designate will be deemed to apply to the alternate. If the designate is a minor or a person known to be incompetent, delivery of the funds or effects will be made only to the designate's guardian or custodian upon qualification. The right of the designate to receive possession ceases when he or she refuses to accept delivery or if he or she fails to respond within 90 days after VA Form 10-1171 was mailed. When the right of a designate ceases, VA Form 10-1171 will be forwarded immediately to the alternate designate, whose rights then become identical with those forfeited by the first designate, and the rights of the alternate designate shall terminate at the expiration of 90 days after VA Form 10-1171 was mailed to him or her. Delivery will not be made to a designate until he or she submits a signed statement to the effect that he or she understands that the delivery of such funds and effects constitutes a delivery of possession only and that such delivery is not intended to affect in any manner the title thereto. Such notice shall fully identify the decedent and state the fact that he or she designated the addressee to receive possession of such property; that the right to receive possession thereof does not affect the ownership but that the designate will be responsible for the ultimate disposition thereof to those who, under applicable law, are entitled to the decedent's property; and will request prompt advice as to whether the designate will accept such property and that, if he or she will, he or she furnish shipping instructions, upon receipt of which the property will be shipped at the expense of the Government. However, prior to dispatching such notice, it will be definitely determined that the shipping expense will not exceed $25. If such expense will exceed $25, the excess cost will be ascertained, and the notice will include a statement of the amount of such excess shipping cost with request that the amount thereof be remitted at the time shipping instructions are furnished. In estimating the shipping expense, it will be assumed that shipment to the designate will be to the same address as that to which the notice is sent. Each notice, however, shall contain a statement that in no event will the Government pay shipping expense in excess of $25. The notice will include a copy of the inventory of the property which it is proposed to deliver to the designate.

Upon receipt of appropriate shipping instructions the property will be shipped, transportation charges prepaid, by mail, express, or freight as may be appropriate under the circumstances and most economical to the Government. The expense of such shipment, chargeable to the Government, in no case to exceed $25.00, is payable the same as other administrative expenses of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The living owner of any property left or found at a field facility will be promptly notified thereof. Except as provided in § 12.6(a), transportation charges on property shipped to a living veteran will not be paid by the Government. In such cases, shipment shall be made as requested by the owner of the property (or his or her guardian) upon receipt of necessary transportation charges, which will be prepaid, unless the owner requests shipment with charges collect and the carrier will accept such shipment without liability for such charges, contingent or otherwise, upon the Government.

If the designate refuses or, upon the lapse of 90 days, has failed to take possession or request shipment of decedent's property (paragraph (a) of this section), or if 90 days have elapsed after the finding of any property and the owner (known or unknown) has failed to request same, the manager or his or her designated representative will authorize destruction, use or sale.

If sale of the property is authorized the manager will take necessary action to ascertain the names and addresses, of the owners; or, in the event of the owner's decease, of his or her executor or administrator, widow, child, grandchild, mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, brother, or sister.

When in possession of the necessary information the manager will cause proper notice of sale (Form 4-1171) to be mailed. Such notice in all cases shall disclose the identity, if known, of the decedent whose property is to be sold and contain a copy of the inventory of such property. A copy of such notice (Form 4-1171), after parts I, IV, and V thereof are completed, shall be mailed to the owner, if known, or if deceased to the decedent's executor or administrator, if known, and also to the widow (or widower), child, grandchild, mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, brother and sister, if known. If more than one relative of the degree named is known, copy will be mailed to each. If the owner is living, parts IV and V only of Form 4-1171 will be completed.

Copy of such notice (Form 4-1171, parts IV and V) will also be posted by a responsible employee more than 21 years of age at:

In addition to showing the name of the owner, if known (alive or deceased), and the inventory of the property to be sold, such notice shall state the hour and day when and the precise place where the sale will occur and that the same will be at public auction for cash upon delivery without warranty, express or implied, and that such sale is pursuant to the act of June 25, 1938 (38 U.S.C. 16-16j); and shall also state that any person legally entitled to said property may claim the same at any time prior to sale thereof and in the event of such claim by a proper person the property will not be sold but will be delivered to the person lawfully entitled thereto. Said notice shall also contain a statement substantially to the effect that if sold the net proceeds of sale may be claimed by the person who is legally entitled at any time within 5 years after the date of notice; or in case of property the ownership of which was not originally known, within 5 years after its finding; otherwise such proceeds will be retained in the General Post Fund, subject to disbursement for the purposes of such fund.

The person (or persons) posting said notice of sale (Form 4-1171) shall make appropriate affidavit on a copy thereof as to his or her action in that respect and the manager or his or her designated representative will also certify on the same copy as to the persons to whom copies of such notice were mailed and the mailing dates. The copy on which appear the affidavit and certificate as to service of the notice will be retained in the facility file pertaining to the disposition of such property.