Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c), each annuity payable under this subchapter accrues as of the first day of the month in which the person upon whose pay the annuity is based dies. Payments shall be made in equal installments and not later than the fifteenth day of each month following that month. However, no annuity accrues for the month in which entitlement thereto ends. The monthly amount of an annuity payable under this subchapter, if not a multiple of $1, shall be rounded to the next lower multiple of $1.

Each annuity payable to or on behalf of an eligible child (other than a child who is incapable of supporting himself because of a mental defect or physical incapacity existing before his eighteenth birthday) as defined in section 1435(2)(B) of this title who is at least eighteen years of age and pursuing a full-time course of study or training at a recognized educational institution, accrues—

(1) as of the first day of the month in which the member upon whose pay the annuity is based dies, if the eligible child’s eighteenth birthday occurs in the same or a preceding month.

(2) as of the first day of the month in which the eighteenth birthday of an eligible child occurs, if the member upon whose pay the annuity is based died in a preceding month.

(3) as of the first day of the month in which a child first becomes or again becomes eligible, if that eligible child’s eighteenth birthday and the death of the member upon whose pay the annuity is based both occurred in a preceding month or months.

Upon application of the beneficiary of a member entitled to retired or retainer pay whose retired or retainer pay has been suspended because the member has been determined to be missing, the Secretary concerned may determine for purposes of this subchapter that the member is presumed dead. Any such determination shall be made in accordance with regulations prescribed under section 1444(a) of this title. The Secretary concerned may not make a determination for purposes of this subchapter that a member is presumed dead unless he finds—

Upon application of the beneficiary of a member entitled to retired or retainer pay whose retired or retainer pay has been suspended because the member has been determined to be missing, the Secretary concerned may determine for purposes of this subchapter that the member is presumed dead. Any such determination shall be made in accordance with regulations prescribed under section 1444(a) of this title. The Secretary concerned may not make a determination for purposes of this subchapter that a member is presumed dead unless he finds—

(A) that the member has been missing for at least 30 days; and

(B) that the circumstances under which the member is missing would lead a reasonably prudent person to conclude that the member is dead.

(2) Upon a determination under paragraph (1) with respect to a member, an annuity otherwise payable under this subchapter shall be paid as if the member died on the date as of which the retired or retainer pay of the member was suspended.

If, after a determination under paragraph (1), the Secretary concerned determines that the member is alive, any annuity being paid under this subchapter by reason of this subsection shall be promptly terminated and the total amount of any annuity payments made by reason of this subsection shall constitute a debt to the United States which may be collected or offset—

(A) If, after a determination under paragraph (1), the Secretary concerned determines that the member is alive, any annuity being paid under this subchapter by reason of this subsection shall be promptly terminated and the total amount of any annuity payments made by reason of this subsection shall constitute a debt to the United States which may be collected or offset— (i) from any retired or retainer pay otherwise payable to the member; (ii) if the member is entitled to compensation under chapter 11 of title 38, from that compensation; or (iii) if the member is entitled to any other payment from the United States, from that payment.

(B) If the member dies before the full recovery of the amount of annuity payments described in subparagraph (A) has been made by the United States, the remaining amount of such annuity payments may be collected from the member’s beneficiary under this subchapter if that beneficiary was the recipient of the annuity payments made by reason of this subsection.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 110; Pub. L. 90–485, § 1(7), Aug. 13, 1968, 82 Stat. 753; Pub. L. 92–425, § 1(2)(A), Sept. 21, 1972, 86 Stat. 706; Pub. L. 96–513, title V, § 511(57), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2925; Pub. L. 98–94, title IX, § 922(a)(14)(A), Sept. 24, 1983, 97 Stat. 642; Pub. L. 98–525, title VI, § 642(a)(1), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2545; Pub. L. 99–145, title XIII, § 1303(a)(9), Nov. 8, 1985, 99 Stat. 739.)