Title 10 — Armed Forces
Part IV · Chapter 165 — Accountability and Responsibility
§ 2771. Final settlement of accounts: deceased members
Statutory text
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:
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.
Surviving spouse.
Children and their descendants, by representation.
Father and mother in equal parts or, if either is dead, the survivor.
Legal representative.
Person entitled under the law of the domicile of the deceased member.
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.
Payments under subsection (a) shall be made by the Secretary of Defense.
A payment under this section bars recovery by any other person of the amount paid.
Legislative history
Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.
Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 155 · 70A Stat. 155
Enacted · 10 U.S.C. § 2771
Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 155
Source evidence
Code source credit
Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 155Pub. L. 85–861 § 1(56) · 72 Stat. 1437
Amended · 10 U.S.C. § 2771(a)
Pub. L. 85–861 amended subsec. (a) generally to restrict application of section to members of the armed forces who die after Dec. 31, 1955, and to permit payment to the designated beneficiaries, surviving spouse, children and their descendants, and to parents before payment to the legal representative
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 85–861 amended subsec. (a) generally to restrict application of section to members of the armed forces who die after Dec. 31, 1955, and to permit payment to the designated beneficiaries, surviving spouse, children and their descendants, and to parents before payment to the legal representative.Enacted provision · exact public law section
(1) Section 101 is amended by inserting the following new clause after clause (24): “(25) ‘Active status’ means the status of a reserve commissioned officer, other than a commissioned warrant officer, who is not in the inactive Army National Guard or inactive Air National Guard, on an inactive status list, or in the Retired Reserve.”Pub. L. 85–861 § 1(56) · 72 Stat. 1437
Substituted · 10 U.S.C. § 2771(b)
Pub. L. 85–861 substituted provisions relating to designations and changes of designation of beneficiaries for provisions which authorized reimbursement of funeral expenses
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 85–861 substituted provisions relating to designations and changes of designation of beneficiaries for provisions which authorized reimbursement of funeral expenses.Enacted provision · exact public law section
(1) Section 101 is amended by inserting the following new clause after clause (24): “(25) ‘Active status’ means the status of a reserve commissioned officer, other than a commissioned warrant officer, who is not in the inactive Army National Guard or inactive Air National Guard, on an inactive status list, or in the Retired Reserve.”Pub. L. 85–861 § 1(56) · 72 Stat. 1437
Added · 10 U.S.C. § 2771(c); 10 U.S.C. § 2771(d)
Pub. L. 85–861 added subsecs. (c) and (d)
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 85–861 added subsecs. (c) and (d).Enacted provision · exact public law section
(1) Section 101 is amended by inserting the following new clause after clause (24): “(25) ‘Active status’ means the status of a reserve commissioned officer, other than a commissioned warrant officer, who is not in the inactive Army National Guard or inactive Air National Guard, on an inactive status list, or in the Retired Reserve.”Pub. L. 86–641 · 74 Stat. 473
Substituted · 10 U.S.C. § 2771(c)
Pub. L. 86–641 substituted provisions requiring payment under clause (6) of subsection (a) to be made upon settlement by the General Accounting Office or as otherwise authorized by the Comptroller General for provisions which permitted payments under clauses (2) to (6) of subsection (a) to be made only after settlement by the General Accounting Office
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 86–641 substituted provisions requiring payment under clause (6) of subsection (a) to be made upon settlement by the General Accounting Office or as otherwise authorized by the Comptroller General for provisions which permitted payments under clauses (2) to (6) of subsection (a) to be made only after settlement by the General Accounting Office.Pub. L. 89–718 § 8(a) · 80 Stat. 1113
Substituted · 10 U.S.C. § 2771(b)
Pub. L. 89–718 substituted “Environmental Science Services Administration” for “Coast and Geodetic Survey”
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 89–718 substituted “Environmental Science Services Administration” for “Coast and Geodetic Survey”.Enacted provision · exact public law section
(a) Sections 802(8), 1072(1), 1073, 1208(a)(2)(B), 1213, 1444(a), 2733(f), 2771(b), 4537, 7204(a)(1)(D), 7205(a)(4), 7211 (a)(4), 7218(b). 7571(a)(3), 7572(a)(3), 7576(a)(3), and 9537 of title 10, United States Code, are each amended by striking out “Coast and Geodetic Survey” and inserting in place thereof “Environmental Science Services Administration”.Defense Officer Personnel Management Act
Pub. L. 96–513 § 511(97)(A) · 94 Stat. 2835
Substituted · 10 U.S.C. § 2771(b)
Pub. L. 96–513, § 511(97)(A), substituted “National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration” for “Environmental Science Services Administration”
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–513, § 511(97)(A), substituted “National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration” for “Environmental Science Services Administration”.Enacted provision · exact public law section
(A) in subsection (b), by striking out “Environmental Science Services Administration” and inserting in lieu thereof “National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration”; andEffective date note
Amendment by Pub. L. 96–513 effective Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701(b)(3) of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.Defense Officer Personnel Management Act
Pub. L. 96–513 § 511(97)(B) · 94 Stat. 2835
Substituted · 10 U.S.C. § 2771(c)
Pub. L. 96–513, § 511(97)(B), substituted “Department of Transportation” for “Department of the Treasury”
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 96–513, § 511(97)(B), substituted “Department of Transportation” for “Department of the Treasury”.Enacted provision · exact public law section
(B) in subsection (c), by striking out “Department of the Treasury” and inserting in lieu thereof “Department of Transportation”.Effective date note
Amendment by Pub. L. 96–513 effective Dec. 12, 1980, see section 701(b)(3) of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.Pub. L. 103–160 § 1182(a)(11)(A) · 107 Stat. 1547
Struck · 10 U.S.C. § 2771(a)
Pub. L. 103–160, § 1182(a)(11)(A), struck out “who dies after December 31, 1955” after “armed forces” in introductory provisions
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–160, § 1182(a)(11)(A), struck out “who dies after December 31, 1955” after “armed forces” in introductory provisions.Enacted provision · exact public law section
(A) in subsection (a), by striking out “who dies after December 31, 1955”; andPub. L. 103–160 § 1182(a)(11)(B) · 107 Stat. 1547
Substituted · 10 U.S.C. § 2771(b)
Pub. L. 103–160, § 1182(a)(11)(B), substituted “for the uniformed services” for “for the armed forces, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Public Health Service”
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–160, § 1182(a)(11)(B), substituted “for the uniformed services” for “for the armed forces, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Public Health Service”.Enacted provision · exact public law section
(B) in subsection (b), by striking out “for the” in the second sentence and all that follows through the period and inserting in lieu thereof “for the uniformed services.”General Accounting Office Act of 1996
Pub. L. 104–316 title II § 202(f) · 110 Stat. 3826
Amended · 10 U.S.C. § 2771(c)
Pub. L. 104–316 amended subsec. (c) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (c) read as follows: “Under such regulations as the Comptroller General may prescribe, payments under subsection (a) shall be made by the military department concerned or the Department of Transportation, as the case may be. Payment under clause (6) of subsection (a) shall be made—
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–316 amended subsec. (c) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (c) read as follows: “Under such regulations as the Comptroller General may prescribe, payments under subsection (a) shall be made by the military department concerned or the Department of Transportation, as the case may be. Payment under clause (6) of subsection (a) shall be made—“(1) upon settlement by the General Accounting Office; or “(2) as otherwise authorized by the Comptroller General.”
Enacted provision · exact public law section
(f) Settlement of Accounts of Deceased Members.— Section 2771(c) of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: “(c) Payments under subsection (a) shall be made by the Secretary of Defense.”.
9 of 11 references resolved to an enrolled provision · 2 partial
Notes
historicalAndRevision
| Historical and Revision Notes | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1956 Act | ||
| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 2771(a) 2771(b) | 10:868 (less proviso).34:941a (less proviso).10:868 (proviso).34:941a (proviso). | June 30, 1906, ch. 3914, § 1 (last par. under “State or Territorial Homes for Disabled Soldiers and Sailors”); restated Dec. 7, 1944, ch. 519; restated Feb. 25, 1946, ch. 35, § 4, 60 Stat. 30. |
| Feb. 25, 1946, ch. 35, § 1, 60 Stat. 30; Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, § 18, 63 Stat. 560. | ||
In subsections (a) and (b), the words “General Accounting Office” are substituted for the words “accounting officers”, for clarity.
In subsection (a), the word “member” is substituted for the words “officers or enlisted persons”, in 10:868 and 34:941a. The words “his legal representative” are substituted for the words “a duly appointed legal representative of the estate”, since an estate, being property and not an entity, has no representative. The words “duly appointed” are omitted as surplusage. The words “highest on the following list” are substituted for the words “following order of precedence”, in 10:868 and 34:941a. Clauses (1)–(4) are substituted for the words between the first and second colons of 10:868 and 34:941a. The words “Surviving spouse” are substituted for the words “widow or widower” after the words “First, to”.
In subsection (b), the words “That this section shall not be so construed as to prevent”, “or persons”, and “actually”, in 10:868 and 34:941a, are omitted as surplusage.
historicalAndRevision
| 1958 Act | ||
|---|---|---|
| Revised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 2771(a) 2771(b) | 37:361.37:362.37:365.37:364 (less proviso). | July 12, 1955, ch. 328, §§ 1–3, 4 (less proviso), 5 (first sentence), 69 Stat. 295, 296. |
| 2771(c) 2771(d) | 37:363 (less last sentence).37:363 (last sentence). | |
In subsection (a), the definition of the term “Department”, in 37:361, is omitted as unnecessary, since the particular departments referred to are spelled out in the revised text. The definition of the term “uniformed services”, in 37:361, is omitted as covered by the word “member” in this revised section and by sections 3 and 4 of the Act enacting this revised section. Clauses (1)–(6) are substituted for the last 5 clauses of 37:362. The words “regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary concerned” are substituted for the words “regulations of the Department concerned”, since the “Department”, as such, cannot issue regulations.
In subsection (a)(2), the words “surviving spouse” are substituted for the words “widow or widower”. As defined in section 101(32), “spouse” includes a widower.
In subsection (b), the words “are subject to” are substituted for the words “shall be made under”.
In subsection (c), the word “Under” is substituted for the words “Subject to”. The words “rules and” are omitted as surplusage.
Editorial Notes
Amendments1958–1996 · 6 rounds
1996
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–316 amended subsec. (c) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (c) read as follows: “Under such regulations as the Comptroller General may prescribe, payments under subsection (a) shall be made by the military department concerned or the Department of Transportation, as the case may be. Payment under clause (6) of subsection (a) shall be made—
“(1) upon settlement by the General Accounting Office; or
“(2) as otherwise authorized by the Comptroller General.”
1993
Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–160, § 1182(a)(11)(A), struck out “who dies after ” after “armed forces” in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–160, § 1182(a)(11)(B), substituted “for the uniformed services” for “for the armed forces, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Public Health Service”.
1980
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–513, § 511(97)(A), substituted “National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration” for “Environmental Science Services Administration”.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 96–513, § 511(97)(B), substituted “Department of Transportation” for “Department of the Treasury”.
1966
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 89–718 substituted “Environmental Science Services Administration” for “Coast and Geodetic Survey”.
1960
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 86–641 substituted provisions requiring payment under clause (6) of subsection (a) to be made upon settlement by the General Accounting Office or as otherwise authorized by the Comptroller General for provisions which permitted payments under clauses (2) to (6) of subsection (a) to be made only after settlement by the General Accounting Office.
1958
Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 85–861 amended subsec. (a) generally to restrict application of section to members of the armed forces who die after , and to permit payment to the designated beneficiaries, surviving spouse, children and their descendants, and to parents before payment to the legal representative.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 85–861 substituted provisions relating to designations and changes of designation of beneficiaries for provisions which authorized reimbursement of funeral expenses.
Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 85–861 added subsecs. (c) and (d).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1980 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 96–513 effective , see section 701(b)(3) of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.
Repeals
The directory language of, but not the amendment made by, Pub. L. 89–718, § 8(a), , 80 Stat. 1117, cited as a credit to this section, was repealed by Pub. L. 97–295, § 6(b), , 96 Stat. 1314.
Final Settlement of Accounts of Members Who Died Before January 1, 1960
Pub. L. 85–861, § 29, , 72 Stat. 1563, authorized the General Accounting Office, in the settlement of the accounts of a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps who died before , to allow any amount due to the person highest on a list of persons living on the date of settlement and to provide reimbursement for funeral expenses from the amount due the decedent’s estate.
Designation of Beneficiary Made Before January 1, 1956
Pub. L. 85–861, § 31, , 72 Stat. 1563, provided that: “The designation of a beneficiary made for the purposes of any six months’ death gratuity, including the designation of a person whose right to the gratuity does not depend upon that designation, and received in the military department concerned, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Commerce, or the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, as the case may be, before , is considered as the designation of a beneficiary for the purposes of section 2771 of title 10, United States Code [this section], section 714 of title 32, United States Code, and sections 3 and 4 of this Act [amending section 857a of Title 33, and section 213a of Title 42], in the absence of a designation under one of those sections, unless the member making the designation was missing, missing in action, in the hands of a hostile force, or interned in a foreign country any time after , and before .”
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
For transfer of functions of Public Health Service, see note set out under section 802 of this title.
Credits
1956–1996 · 7 acts
- 1956Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 155
- 1958Pub. L. 85–861, § 1(56), , 72 Stat. 1461
- 1960Pub. L. 86–641, , 74 Stat. 473
- 1966Pub. L. 89–718, § 8(a), , 80 Stat. 1117
- 1980Pub. L. 96–513, title V, § 511(97), , 94 Stat. 2928
- 1993Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title XI, § 1182(a)(11), , 107 Stat. 1771
- 1996Pub. L. 104–316, title II, § 202(f), , 110 Stat. 3842.
Show as published
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 155; Pub. L. 85–861, § 1(56), , 72 Stat. 1461; Pub. L. 86–641, , 74 Stat. 473; Pub. L. 89–718, § 8(a), , 80 Stat. 1117; Pub. L. 96–513, title V, § 511(97), , 94 Stat. 2928; Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title XI, § 1182(a)(11), , 107 Stat. 1771; Pub. L. 104–316, title II, § 202(f), , 110 Stat. 3842.)