United States Code

10 U.S.C. § 2771

Final settlement of accounts: deceased members

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Bills that would change it 7

S 1588 Respect for Grieving Military Families Act Amends · introduced · 118th Congress
HR 3232 Respect for Grieving Military Families Act Amends · introduced · 118th Congress
S 1669 Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act Amends · introduced · 117th Congress
HR 2214 Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act Amends · introduced · 117th Congress
HR 463 Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act Amends · introduced · 116th Congress
HR 3011 Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act Amends · introduced · 115th Congress
HR 613 Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act Amends · introduced · 111th Congress

The law today

From the official United States Code, current through Public Law 119-121.

(a) In the settlement of the accounts of a deceased member of the armed forces, an amount due from the armed force of which he was a member shall be paid to the person highest on the following list living on the date of death: (1) Beneficiary designated by him in writing to receive such an amount, if the designation is received, before the deceased member’s death, at the place named in regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary concerned. (2) Surviving spouse. (3) Children and their descendants, by representation. (4) Father and mother in equal parts or, if either is dead, the survivor. (5) Legal representative. (6) Person entitled under the law of the domicile of the deceased member. (b) Designations and changes of designation of beneficiaries under subsection (a)(1) are subject to regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary concerned. So far as practicable, these regulations shall be uniform for the uniformed services. (c) Payments under subsection (a) shall be made by the Secretary of Defense. (d) A payment under this section bars recovery by any other person of the amount paid.

Official text at uscode.house.gov ↗