Payment will be made only to the person or persons on behalf of whom the award is made, except in the following circumstances:
(a) If such person is incompetent, payment will be made to his guardian, committee, or other equivalent legal representative. The law of the residence of the incompetent will determine whether the legal representative must be court appointed. If court appointment is required, the legal representative shall submit a certificate of the clerk of the appointing court, under its seal, dated within 6 months of the date of the voucher application for payment, showing that his appointment is in full force and effect. If court appointment is not required, the legal representative shall submit a notarized statement showing:
(1) His relationship to the incompetent;
(2) The name and address of the person having care and custody of the incompetent;
(3) That any money received will be applied to the use and benefit of the incompetent, and
(4) That there was no appointment of a guardian or committee.
(b) If such person is deceased, payment will be made to his legal representative.
(1) If any payment to be made is not over $1,000 and there is no qualified executor or administrator, the legal representative will be the person found by the Comptroller General to be entitled thereto, without the necessity of compliance with the requirements of law with respect to the administration of estates, upon execution and submission of Standard Form No. 1055 to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service for transmittal to the Comptroller General. That form is available from the Credit Accounting Branch.
(2) In all other cases, the term legal representative shall include court-appointed or statutory administrators or executors, and successors in interest of the decedent, e.g., his legatees or heirs as determined by an appropriate court or by the law of his residence. If administration of the decedent's estate is closed, the legal representative shall submit a copy of the appropriate court's final order of distribution or other pertinent order, identifying the distributees and their addresses. If administration continues and the legal representative is court-appointed, he shall submit a certificate of the clerk of the appointing court, under its seal, dated within 6 months of the date of the voucher application for payment, showing that such appointment is in full force and effect. If the legal representative is not court-appointed, he shall submit evidence sufficient to prove his interest and authority to apply for payment. If that evidence is a copy of the decedent's will, it shall show on its face or by attachments thereto that it has been offered for probate, and that the appropriate court has affixed its seal and attached its certification of authenticity that the will is in fact the decedent's last will and testament.
(c)-(d) [Reserved]
(e) In the case of a partnership or corporation, the existence of which has been terminated, if a receiver or trustee has been duly appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction in the United States and has not been discharged prior to the date of payment, payment will be made to such receiver or trustee in accordance with the order of the court. In the event a receiver or trustee duly appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction in the United States makes an assignment of the claim or any part thereof with respect to which an award is made, or makes an assignment of such award or any part thereof, payment will be made to the assignee as his interest may appear. In the latter circumstance, certified copies of the court orders showing the authority of the receiver or trustee to make the assignment shall be submitted with the assignment. No particular form of assignment is prescribed, but the original assignment must be submitted to, and will be retained by the Treasury Department.
(f) In the case of a partnership or corporation, the existence of which has been terminated, if no receiver or trustee has been duly appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction in the United States, or if such a receiver or trustee has been discharged prior to the date of payment without having made an assignment, payment may be made to the person or persons found by the Comptroller General of the United States to be entitled thereto. In this circumstance, the person or persons claiming payment shall submit to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Treasury Department, Hyattsville, MD 20782, such documentary evidence as is appropriate to show his or their right to the payment.
(g) In the case of an assignment of an award or any part thereof which is made in writing and duly acknowledged and filed after such award is certified to the Secretary of the Treasury, payment may in the discretion of the Secretary of the Treasury be made to the assignee as his interest may appear. No particular form of assignment is prescribed, but the original assignment must be submitted to, and will be retained by the Treasury Department.
[31 FR 9418, July 9, 1966, as amended at 34 FR 1897, Feb. 8, 1969; 49 FR 47001, Nov. 30, 1984; 58 FR 4578, Jan. 15, 1993]