§ 3.850 - General.

§ 3.850 General.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 83 FR 32738, July 13, 2018.

(a) Payment of benefits to a duly recognized fiduciary may be made on behalf of a person who is mentally incompetent or who is a minor; or, payment may be made directly to the beneficiary or to a relative or other person for the use of the beneficiary, regardless of legal disability, when it is determined to be in the best interest of the beneficiary by the Veterans Service Center Manager.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 5502)

(1) Unless otherwise contraindicated by evidence of record payment will be made direct to the following classes of minors without any referral to the Veterans Service Center Manager:

(i) Those who are serving in or have been discharged from the military forces of the United States; and

(ii) Those who qualify for survivors benefits as a surviving spouse.

(2) Unless otherwise contraindicated by evidence of record, immediate payment of benefits may be made to the spouse of an incompetent veteran having no guardian for the use of the veteran and his or her dependents prior to referral to the Veterans Service Center Manager. (Sec. 13.57 of this chapter.)

(b) When payments have been discontinued or withheld from a fiduciary, benefits may be temporarily paid to the person having custody of the minor or incompetent.

(c) Where a child is in the custody of a natural, adoptive or stepparent, benefits payable on behalf of such child may be paid to the parent as custodian of the child.

(d) Benefits due a minor or incompetent adult Indian who is a recognized ward of the Government, for whom no fiduciary has been appointed, may be paid to the proper officer of the Indian Service designated by the Secretary of the Interior to receive funds for said person.

[26 FR 1606, Feb. 24, 1961, as amended at 27 FR 5431, June 8, 1962; 38 FR 29076, Oct. 19, 1973; 39 FR 34532, Sept. 26, 1974; 40 FR 36329, Aug. 20, 1975; 41 FR 12656, Mar. 26, 1976; 45 FR 27436, Apr. 23, 1980; 67 FR 46868, July 17, 2002]