PRIA Logo™
Title 38, Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-102

§8501 Vesting of Property Left by Decedents

Title 38 › PART VI — ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION OF PROPERTY › CHAPTER 85 — DISPOSITION OF DECEASED VETERANS’ PERSONAL PROPERTY › SUBCHAPTER I — PROPERTY LEFT ON DEPARTMENT FACILITY › § 8501

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Personal property of someone who dies on a Department facility that is under exclusive U.S. control inside a State or territory must be handled by these rules. If the person left a will proved where they lived or where the facility is, the items on the premises go to the people named in that will. If there is no such will, the items go to the heirs under the law of the person’s home. This does not affect property belonging to the United States unless the United States loses its title. A U.S. officer who has the property may hand it to an executor or administrator properly appointed in either place, or to the home-state or other qualified administrator who asks for it. After delivery, the United States and its employees are not responsible for the property.

Full Legal Text

Title 38, §8501

Veterans' Benefits, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Personal property left by any decedent upon premises used as a Department facility, which premises are subject to the exclusive legislative jurisdiction of the United States and are within the exterior boundaries of any State or dependency of the United States, shall vest and be disposed of as provided in this subchapter, except that—
(1)if such person died leaving a last will and testament probated under the laws of the place of such person’s domicile or under the laws of the State or dependency of the United States within the exterior boundaries of which such premises or a part thereof may be, the personal property of such decedent situated upon such premises shall vest in the person or persons entitled thereto under the provisions of such last will and testament; and
(2)if such person died leaving any such property not disposed of by a last will and testament probated in accord with the provisions of paragraph (1) such property shall vest in the persons entitled to take such property by inheritance under and upon the conditions provided by the law of the decedent’s domicile. This paragraph shall not apply to property to which the United States is entitled except where such title is divested out of the United States.
(b)Any officer or employee of the United States in possession of any such property may deliver same to the executor (or the administrator with will annexed) who shall have qualified in either jurisdiction as provided in subsection (a)(1); or if none such then to the domiciliary administrator or to any other qualified administrator who shall demand such property. When delivery shall have been made to any such executor or administrator in accordance with this subsection, neither the United States nor any officer or employee thereof shall be liable therefor.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1991—Pub. L. 102–40 renumbered section 5201 of this title as this section. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–83 substituted “Department” for “Veterans’ Administration” in introductory provisions. 1986—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 99–576 substituted “such person’s” for “his”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

38 U.S.C. § 8501

Title 38, Veterans' Benefits

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102