[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 22, Volume 1] [Revised as of April 1, 2002] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 22CFR72.49] [Page 361] TITLE 22--FOREIGN RELATIONS CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF STATE PART 72--DEATHS AND ESTATES--Table of Contents Sec. 72.49 Disposition of estate upon departure of responsible officer. (a) Responsibility vested in officer, not post. For the purpose of the regulations in this part, the consular officer who actually takes possession and disposes of the personal estate of the deceased, i.e., the officer whose signature appears on the inventory of effects, is considered to be the responsible officer. Consequently, upon his departure from the post, either on transfer or extended leave, provision should be made for the disposition of any estate remaining unsettled at the time of his departure. (b) Procedure when estate held for less than one year. When the personal estate is held less than one year, the personal effects in the departing officer's possession should be turned over to another officer at the post against a receipt therefor, in triplicate, identifying the property and cash on hand by reference to the inventory (Secs. 72.35 and 72.36) and the trust fund records of the post. (c) Procedure when estate held for more than one year. When the estate has been held for more than one year, the personal effects in the departing officer's possession should be forwarded to the Department for transmission to the General Accounting Office in the manner prescribed by Sec. 72.46 and accounted for in accordance with Sec. 72.50 unless circumstances as described in Secs. 72.46 and 72.47 warrant continuing efforts to effect agreement between rival claimants, or to establish an unproved claim. If the estate is not forwarded to the Department, it should be turned over to another officer at the post in the same manner authorized by paragraph (b) of this section.