Title 33—Navigation and Navigable Waters--Volume 1
PART 49—PAYMENT OF AMOUNTS DUE MENTALLY INCOMPETENT COAST GUARD PERSONNEL
§ 49.01-1   Applicability.
The Commandant of the Coast Guard is hereby designated and is authorized to appoint, in his discretion, the person or persons who may receive active-duty pay and allowances, amounts due for accumulated or accrued leave, or any retired or retainer pay, otherwise payable to personnel on the active or retired list of the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reserve, entitled to Federal pay either on the active or any retired list of said service, who, in the opinion of competent medical authority, have been determined to be mentally incapable of managing their own affairs, and for whom no legal committee, guardian, or other representative has been appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction.
§ 49.01-5   Requests for appointment of trustee.
Requests for the appointment of a person or persons to receive moneys due personnel believed to be mentally incapable of managing their own affairs shall be submitted to the Commandant of the Coast Guard:
(a) By any person or persons who believe, because of relationship, they should be appointed to receive payments on behalf of the alleged incompetent;
(b) By the Commanding Officer of the alleged incompetent if the latter is on active duty;
(c) By the Commanding Officer of any Armed Forces hospital in which the mentally incompetent is undergoing treatment;
(d) By the head of any veterans' hospital, or other public or private institution in which the alleged incompetent is undergoing treatment;
(e) By any other person or organization acting for and in the best interests of the alleged mentally incompetent.
§ 49.01-10   Determination of incompetency.
After examining the legitimacy, substance, and sufficiency of the application, the Commandant shall either (a) direct the Commanding Officer of the alleged mentally incompetent, (b) the Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard unit to which such incompetent may be conveniently referred, or (c) request the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service to convene or appoint, at the Public Health Hospital or facility, where the alleged incompetent is receiving treatment or to which his case may be conveniently referred, a board of not less than three qualified medical officers, one of whom shall be specially qualified in the treatment of mental disorders, to determine whether the alleged incompetent is capable of managing his own affairs. The record of proceedings, and the findings of the board shall, after action by the Convening or Appointive Authority thereon, be forwarded to the Commandant.
§ 49.05-1   Appointment of trustee.
Upon receipt of a finding by a board convened or appointed in accordance with § 49.01-10, that the alleged incompetent is mentally incapable of managing his own affairs, the Commandant may appoint a suitable person or persons, not under legal disability so to act, as trustee or trustees to receive in behalf of the incompetent all amounts due the incompetent from such sources set forth in § 49.01-1, and to use said funds in the best interests of the incompetent.
§ 49.05-5   Bonding of trustee.
The trustee or trustees appointed to receive moneys in behalf of incompetent personnel shall furnish a bond in all cases when the amounts to be received may be expected to exceed $1,000, and in such other cases when deemed appropriate by the Commandant. The bond so required and furnished shall have as surety a company approved by the Federal Government, and shall be in such amount as is required by the Commandant. Such bonds shall be continued in effect for the life of trusteeship and expenses in connection with the furnishing and renewal of such bonds may be paid out of sums due the incompetent.
§ 49.05-10   Affidavits required.
The trustee or trustees appointed to receive moneys due incompetent personnel shall, prior to the payment of any such moneys, execute and file with the Commandant an affidavit or affidavits saying and deposing that any moneys henceforth received by virtue of such appointment shall be applied solely to the use and benefit of the incompetent and that no fee, commission, or charge shall be demanded, or in any manner accepted, for any service or services rendered in connection with such appointment as trustee or trustees.
§ 49.10-1   Reports required.
The trustee or trustees so appointed shall submit reports annually, or at such other times as the Commandant may designate. The report shall show a statement of the conditions of the trust account at the time of the submission of the report, including all funds received on behalf of the incompetent; all expenditures made in behalf of the incompetent, accompanied by receipts or vouchers covering such expenditures; and a receipt indicating that the surety bond required by § 49.05-5 has been renewed. When the trustee is the spouse or adult dependent of the incompetent, receipts or vouchers need not be filed for expenditures made for living expenses. If the trustee or trustees fail to report promptly and properly at the end of any annual period or at such other times as the Commandant desires, the Commandant may, in his discretion, cause payment to such trustee or trustees to cease, and may, if deemed advisable, appoint another person or persons not under legal disability so to act, to receive future payments of moneys due the incompetent for the use and benefit of the incompetent.
§ 49.10-5   Payment of moneys due.
Upon the appointment of a trustee or trustees to receive moneys due an incompetent, the authorized certifying officer having custody of that person's pay record shall be advised. After such notification, payments of moneys due the incompetent may be made by the appropriate officer in accordance with procedure prescribed by the Commandant. All such payments so made, however, shall be made to the designated trustee or trustees.
§ 49.10-10   Cessation of payments.
(a) Payments of amounts due incompetent personnel shall cease to be paid to the trustee or trustees upon receipt of notification by the authorized certifying officer of the occurrence of any of the following:
(1) Death of the incompetent;
(2) Death or disability of the trustee or trustees appointed;
(3) Receipt of notice that a committee, guardian, or other legal representative has been appointed for the incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction;
(4) Failure of the trustee or trustees to render the reports required by § 49.10-1;
(5) That there is probable cause to believe that moneys received on behalf of the incompetent have been, or are being, improperly used;
(6) A finding by a board of medical officers that the heretofore incompetent is mentally capable of managing his own affairs;
(7) That the Commandant deems it to be in the best interest of the incompetent.
(b) In the event of termination of payments under paragraphs (a)(2), (4), (5), or (7) of this section, the Commandant may, if deemed appropriate, appoint a successor trustee or trustees. The successor trustee or trustees, so appointed, shall comply with the provisions of the regulations and instructions in this part issued thereunder, and do all acts in the manner required of the original trustee or trustees.
§ 49.10-15   Final accounting by trustee.
The trustee or trustees, when payments, hereunder are terminated, shall file a final account with the said Commandant. Thereupon, the trustee or trustees will be discharged and the surety released. In event of death or disability of the trustee, the final accounting will be filed by his legal representative.
§ 49.15-1   Implementing instructions.
The Commandant is hereby authorized to issue such instructions not in conflict with the regulations in this part as may be necessary from time to time to give full force and effect thereto.