(a) Order of precedence where owner not survived by beneficiary. If the registered owner of a Retirement Plan Bond dies before it has been presented and surrendered for payment, and there is no beneficiary shown thereon, or if the designated beneficiary predeceased the owner, the bond shall be paid in the following order of precedence:

(1) To the duly appointed executor or administrator of the estate of the owner, who should sign the request for payment on the back of the bond in his representative capacity before an authorized certifying officer, such request to be supported by a court certificate or a certified copy of his letters of appointment, under seal of the court, which should show that the appointment is in full force and effect, and be dated within six months of its presentation;

(2) If no legal representative of the deceased registered owner's estate has been or will be appointed, to the widow or widower of the owner;

(3) If none of the above, to the child or children of the owner and the descendants of deceased children by representation;

(4) If none of the above, to the parents of the owner, or the survivor of them;

(5) In none of the above, to other next-of-kin of the owner, as determined by the laws of the domicile of such owner at the time of his death. In any case coming under the provisions of this paragraph, a duly certified copy of the registered owner's death certificate will ordinarily be required. Proof of death of the beneficiary, if any, will be required where he predeceased the owner. Payment of bonds under paragraph (a)(1) of this section will be made by a Federal Reserve Bank or Branch or by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Securities Transactions Branch, Washington, DC 20226, or Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Division of Transactions and Rulings, Parkersburg, WV 26101. Payment of bonds under paragraphs (a)(2) to (5) of this section will be made upon receipt of applications on Form PD 3565, together with the bonds and supporting evidence, by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service.

(b) Order of precedence where beneficiary survived owner. If the registered owner of a Retirement Plan Bond dies before it has been presented and surrendered for payment, and the beneficiary shown thereon survived the owner, the bond shall be paid in the following order of precedence:

(1) To the designated beneficiary upon his presentation and surrender of the bond with the request for payment signed and duly certified, such payment to be made to the exclusion of any other person who may have been named beneficiary by the registered owner in a bond purchase plan, or under a pension or profit-sharing plan;

(2) If the designated beneficiary survived the registered owner but failed to present the bond for payment during his own lifetime, payment will be made in the order of precedence specified in paragraphs (a) (1) to (5) of this section to the legal representative, surviving spouse, children, parents, or next-of-kin of such beneficiary, and in the manner provided therein.

(c) Ownership of redemption proceeds. The orders of precedence set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, except in case where redemption is made for the account of a registered owner, are for the Department's convenience in discharging its obligation on a Retirement Plan Bond. The discharge of the obligation in accordance therewith shall be final so far as the Department is concerned, but those provisions do not otherwise purport to determine ownership of the redemption proceeds of a bond.