Assignments — Us Code Code § 1918

Us Code Code § 1918 — Assignments. Reproduced from the official United States Code, with a citation summary, verification link, and related provisions.

§ 1918. Assignments

(a) Assignments of all or any part of the beneficiary's interest may be made by a designated beneficiary to a widow, widower, child, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, brother, or sister of the insured, when the designated contingent beneficiary, if any, joins the beneficiary in the assignment, and if the assignment is delivered to the Secretary before any payments of the insurance shall have been made to the beneficiary. However, an interest in an annuity, when assigned, shall be payable in equal monthly installments in such multiple of twelve as most nearly equals the number of installments certain under such annuity, or in two hundred and forty installments, whichever is the lesser. The provisions of this subsection shall not be applicable to insurance maturing after July 26, 1962.

(b) Except as to insurance granted under the provisions of section 1922(b) of this title, any person to whom insurance maturing after July 26, 1962, is payable may assign all or any portion of such person's interest in such insurance to a widow, widower, child, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, brother, or sister of the insured when the designated contingent beneficiary, if any, joins the beneficiary in the assignment. Such joinder shall not be required in any case in which the insurance proceeds are payable in a lump sum.

(Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1153, §718; Pub. L. 87–557, §1, July 27, 1962, 76 Stat. 245; Pub. L. 96–128, title III, §304, Nov. 28, 1979, 93 Stat. 986; Pub. L. 97–295, §4(24), Oct. 12, 1982, 96 Stat. 1306; renumbered §1918 and amended Pub. L. 102–83, §§4(a)(2)(A)(iii)(III), 5(a), (c)(1), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 403, 406.)


Editorial Notes

Amendments

1991—Pub. L. 102–83, §5(a), renumbered section 718 of this title as this section.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–83, §4(a)(2)(A)(iii)(III), substituted "Secretary" for "Veterans' Administration".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–83, §5(c)(1), substituted "1922(b)" for "722(b)".

1982—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97–295 substituted "after July 26, 1962" for "on or after the date of enactment of this sentence".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 97–295 substituted "after July 26, 1982," for "on or after the date of enactment of this sentence".

1979—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–128 substituted "such person's" for "his".

1962—Pub. L. 87–557 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted sentence making subsection inapplicable to insurance maturing on or after "the date of enactment of this sentence [July 27, 1962]", and added subsec. (b).


Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1979 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 96–128 effective Nov. 28, 1979, see section 601(b) of Pub. L. 96–128, set out as a note under section 1114 of this title.

About This Section

38 U.S.C. § 1918 is part of Title 38 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.

This section may be cited in legal writing as 38 U.S.C. § 1918. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.

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Sources

Source: official Us Code text · Last verified 2026-08-27

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It addresses "Assignments". Read the section together with the surrounding provisions listed under "Nearby provisions" for the full picture.

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