38 CFR §13.200
Verified against eCFR.gov as of June 20, 2026View official text on eCFR.gov ↗
Except as prescribed in paragraph (b) of this section, any fiduciary appointed by VA to receive payments on behalf of a beneficiary must deposit the beneficiary's VA benefits in a fiduciary account that meets the requirements prescribed in paragraph (a) of this section.
- (a)Separate accounts. Except as prescribed in paragraph (b) of this section, a fiduciary must establish and maintain a separate financial institution account for each VA beneficiary that the fiduciary serves. The fiduciary must not commingle a beneficiary's funds with the fiduciary's funds or any other beneficiary's funds, either upon or after receipt. The account must be:
- (1)Established for direct deposit of VA benefits,
- (2)Established in a Federally-insured financial institution, and in Federally-insured accounts when funds qualify for such deposit insurance, and
- (3)Titled in the beneficiary's and fiduciary's names and note the existence of the fiduciary relationship.
- (b)Exceptions. The general rule prescribed in paragraph (a) of this section regarding establishment and maintenance of separate accounts does not apply to the following fiduciaries:
- (1)The beneficiary's spouse;
- (2)State or local Government entities;
- (3)Institutions, such as public or private medical care facilities, nursing homes, or other residential care facilities, when an annual accounting is not required. See § 13.280 regarding accounting requirements; or
- (4)A trust company or a bank with trust powers organized under the laws of the United States or a state.