---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 5509"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "5509"
heading: "Authority to require fiduciary to receive payments at regional offices of the Department when failing to provide required accounting"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/5509"
units:
  - "Part IV — General Administrative Provisions"
  - "Chapter 55 — Minors, Incompetents, and Other Wards"
---

# §5509. Authority to require fiduciary to receive payments at regional offices of the Department when failing to provide required accounting

- (a) **Required Reports and Accountings.—** The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) may require a fiduciary to file a report or accounting pursuant to regulations prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1).
- (b) **Actions Upon Failure To File.—** In any case in which a fiduciary fails to submit a report or accounting required by the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) under [subsection (a)](#a), the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) may, after furnishing [notice](/usc/38/5100.md?p=2) to such fiduciary and the beneficiary entitled to such payment of benefits, require that such fiduciary appear in person at a regional office of the [Department](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) serving the area in which the beneficiary resides in order to receive such payments.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 108–454, title V, § 504(a)(1), Dec. 10, 2004, 118 Stat. 3621.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective on the first day of the seventh month beginning after Dec. 10, 2004, see section 507(a) of Pub. L. 108–454, set out as an Effective Date of 2004 Amendment note under section 5312 of this title.