[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 38, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 38CFR12.19]

[Page 557]
 
            TITLE 38--PENSIONS, BONUSES, AND VETERANS' RELIEF
 
                CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
 
PART 12_DISPOSITION OF VETERAN'S PERSONAL FUNDS AND 
 
Sec. 12.19  Provisions of Pub. L. 382 (38 U.S.C. 17-17j).

    (a) Whenever any veteran (admitted as a veteran) shall die in any 
Department of Veterans Affairs hospital, center, or domiciliary activity 
or in any Federal, State, or private hospital or other institution, 
while being furnished care or treatment therein by the Department of 
Veterans Affairs, without leaving a will and without leaving any spouse, 
heirs, or next of kin entitled to his or her personal property, all such 
property, except funds on deposit in Personal Funds of Patients to the 
credit of an incompetent beneficiary, derived from payments of 
compensation, automatic or term insurance, emergency officers' 
retirement pay or pension, shall immediately vest in and become the 
property of the United States as trustee for the sole use and benefit of 
the General Post Fund, subject to claim as elsewhere provided. Funds to 
the credit of an incompetent beneficiary derived from payments of 
compensation, automatic or term insurance, emergency officers' 
retirement pay or pension will be deposited to the credit of the current 
appropriations provided for the payment of compensation, insurance or 
pension.
    (b) Personal property as used in this section shall include cash, 
funds on deposit in Personal Funds of Patients, bank accounts, 
certificates of stock, bonds, and notes, the obligation of the United 
States or of others, money orders, checks, insurance policies the 
proceeds of which are payable to the veteran or his or her estate, 
postal savings certificates, money and choses in action, and all other 
papers of every character; also clothing, jewelry, and all other forms 
of personalty, or evidences of interest therein.

[19 FR 9330, Dec. 30, 1954]