(a) All correspondence and all checks for benefits payable to claimants under laws administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs shall be directed to the address specified by the claimant. The Department of Veterans Affairs will honor for this purpose any address of the claimant in care of another person or organization or in care of general delivery at a United States post office. In no event will a claim or payment of benefits be denied because the claimant provides no mailing address.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 5103; 5120)

(b) To ensure prompt delivery of benefit payments and correspondence, claimants who seek personal assistance from Veterans Benefits Counselors when filing their claims shall be counseled as to the importance of providing his or her current mailing address and, if no address is provided, the procedures for delivery described in paragraph (d) of this section.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 5103; 5120)

(c) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall prepare and distribute to organizations specially serving the needs of veterans and the homeless, including but not limited to shelters, kitchens and private outreach facilities, information encouraging such organizations to counsel individuals on the importance of providing mailing addresses to the Department of Veterans Affairs and advising them of this regulation.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 5103; 5120)

(d) If a claimant fails or refuses to provide a current mailing address to the Department of Veterans Affairs, all correspondence and any checks for benefits to which the claimant is entitled will be delivered to the Agent Cashier of the regional office which adjudicated or is adjudicating the claim in the case of compensation, pension or survivors' benefits, to the Agent Cashier of the Department of Veterans Affairs facility closest to the educational institution or training establishment attended by a claimant in the case of education benefits, or to the Agent Cashier of any other Department of Veterans Affairs facility deemed by the Agency to be appropriate under the circumstances of the particular case. The claimant, within 30 days after issuance, may obtain delivery of any check or correspondence held by an Agent Cashier upon presentation of proper identification. Checks unclaimed after 30 days will be returned to the Department of the Treasury and the correspondence to the regional office or facility of jurisdiction. Thereafter, the claimant must request the reissuance of any such check or item of correspondence by written notice to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 5103; 5120)

[53 FR 22654, June 17, 1988]