---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 1505"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "1505"
heading: "Payment of pension during confinement in penal institutions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/1505"
units:
  - "Part II — General Benefits"
  - "Chapter 15 — Pension for Non-Service-Connected Disability or Death or for Service"
  - "Subchapter I — General"
---

# §1505. Payment of pension during confinement in penal institutions

- (a) No [pension](/usc/38/101.md?p=15) under public or private laws administered by the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall be paid to or for an individual who has been imprisoned in a Federal, [State](/usc/38/101.md?p=20), local, or other penal institution or correctional facility as a result of conviction of a felony or misdemeanor for any part of the period beginning sixty-one days after such individual’s imprisonment begins and ending when such individual’s imprisonment ends.
- (b) Where any [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) is disqualified for [pension](/usc/38/101.md?p=15) for any period solely by reason of [subsection (a)](#a) of this section, the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) may apportion and pay to such [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1)’s [spouse](/usc/38/101.md?p=31) or children the [pension](/usc/38/101.md?p=15) which such [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) would receive for that period but for this section.
- (c) Where any [surviving spouse](/usc/38/101.md?p=3) or [child](/usc/38/1831.md?p=1) of a [veteran](/usc/38/1101.md?p=1) is disqualified for [pension](/usc/38/101.md?p=15) for any period solely by reason of [subsection (a)](#a) of this section, the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) may (1) if the [surviving spouse](/usc/38/101.md?p=3) is so disqualified, pay to the [child](/usc/38/1831.md?p=1), or children, the [pension](/usc/38/101.md?p=15) which would be payable if there were no such [surviving spouse](/usc/38/101.md?p=3) or (2) if a [child](/usc/38/1831.md?p=1) is so disqualified, pay to the [surviving spouse](/usc/38/101.md?p=3) or other children, as applicable, the [pension](/usc/38/101.md?p=15) which would be payable if there were no such [child](/usc/38/1831.md?p=1).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1134, § 505; Pub. L. 94–169, title I, § 106(9)–(11), Dec. 23, 1975, 89 Stat. 1017; renumbered § 1505 and amended Pub. L. 102–83, §§ 4(a)(1), (b)(1), (2)(E), 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 403–406; Pub. L. 109–461, title X, § 1002(a), Dec. 22, 2006, 120 Stat. 3464.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Prior section 1505 was renumbered section 3105 of this title.

Another prior section 1505, Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1172; Pub. L. 94–502, title I, § 104(5), Oct. 15, 1976, 90 Stat. 2384, related to leaves of absence to veterans pursuing a course of vocational rehabilitation training under chapter 31 of this title, prior to the general revision of chapter 31 of this title by Pub. L. 96–466. Section 802(a)(3) of Pub. L. 96–466, set out as an Effective Date note under section 3100 of this title, provided that this prior section 1505 continue in effect until Mar. 31, 1981. See section 3110 of this title.

### Amendments

2006—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–461 substituted “local, or other penal institution or correctional facility” for “or local penal institution”.

1991—Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), renumbered section 505 of this title as this section.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(a)(1), substituted “administered by the Secretary” for “administered by the Veterans’ Administration”.

Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”.

1975—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–169, § 106(9), substituted “such individual’s” for “his” wherever appearing.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 94–169, § 106(10), substituted “such veteran’s spouse” for “his wife”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 94–169, § 106(11), substituted “surviving spouse” for “widow” wherever appearing.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1975 Amendment

Pub. L. 94–169, title I, § 106, Dec. 23, 1975, 89 Stat. 1017, provided that the amendment made by that section is effective Jan. 1, 1976.