PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

Only certain people can be named beneficiaries or get annuity payments a service member chooses. The member’s spouse can be a beneficiary if they are married to the member when the member retires or starts getting retired or retainer pay. If the member already was retired or getting pay on November 1, 1953, the spouse on that date may be the beneficiary. Children can be beneficiaries if all of these are true: they are unmarried; they are under 18, or they became mentally or physically unable to support themselves before turning 18, or they are at least 18 but under 23 and are full‑time students at a recognized school; they are the member’s natural child, adopted child, or a stepchild who depended on the member for support; and they were alive (born on or before) the date the member retired or started getting pay, or on November 1, 1953 if the member already had pay then. A break between school years of up to 150 days still counts as full‑time study if the child shows the Secretary they plan to resume full‑time study right after the break.

Title 10, §1435

Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Only the following persons are eligible to be made the beneficiaries of, or to receive payments under, an annuity elected under this subchapter by a member of the armed forces:

(1)The spouse of the member on the date when the member is retired or becomes entitled to retired or retainer pay or, if the member was already retired or entitled to retired or retainer pay on November 1, 1953, the spouse on that date.

(2)The children of the member who are—

(A)unmarried;

(B)under eighteen years of age, or incapable of supporting themselves because of a mental defect or physical incapacity existing before their eighteenth birthday, or at least eighteen, but under twenty-three, years of age and pursuing a full-time course of study or training in a high school, trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or comparable recognized educational institution;

(C)legitimate or adopted children of, or stepchildren in fact dependent for their support upon, the member;

(D)living on the date when the member is retired or becomes entitled to retired or retainer pay or, if the member was already retired or entitled to retired or retainer pay on November 1, 1953, living on that date; and

(E)born on or before the date prescribed in clause (D).

For the purposes of clause (2)(B), a child is considered to be pursuing a full-time course of study or training during an interval between school years that does not exceed one hundred and fifty days if he has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Secretary concerned that he has a bonafide intention of commencing, resuming, or continuing to pursue a full-time course of study or training in a recognized educational institution immediately after that interval.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 1435(1)1435(2)37:371(e).37:371(f).Aug. 8, 1953, ch. 393, § 2(e), (f), 67 Stat. 501. In clauses (1) and (2), the words “is retired or becomes entitled to retired or retainer pay” are substituted for the words “retired member”, since the words “retired member”, as defined in the source statute, included former members who have been awarded that pay. In clause (1), the words “ ‘widow’ includes a widower” are omitted as covered by the definition of “spouse” in section 101(32) of this title.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1972—Pub. L. 92–425 substituted “subchapter” for “chapter”. 1968—Pub. L. 90–485 inserted provisions in cl. (2)(B) concerning children of the member who are at least 18, but under 23 and pursuing a full-time course of study or training and inserted text following cl. (2)(E) relating to children considered to be pursuing a full-time course of study or training.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1968 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 90–485 effective on first day of third calendar month following Aug. 13, 1968, see section 6 of Pub. L. 90–485, set out as a note under section 1431 of this title.

§1435 Eligible Beneficiaries