(a) Except as hereinafter provided in this paragraph, a National Service Life Insurance policy shall participate in and receive such dividends from gains and savings as may be determined by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Dividends becoming payable after January 1, 1952, shall be payable on the date preceding the anniversary of the policy unless the Secretary shall declare them payable on some other date. Dividends are not payable on insurance:

(1) Issued or reinstated under the provisions of section 602(c)(2) of the National Service Life Insurance Act, as amended, where the requirements of good health were waived at the time of such issue or reinstatement;

(2) Issued under sections 620 and 621 of the National Service Life Insurance Act, as amended;

(3) Issued under sections 1904(c), 1922(a), and 1922B of title 38 U.S.C.

(4) Issued on the ordinary life plan under section 1904(d) of title 38 U.S.C., to replace the amount of insurance reduced under a modified life plan policy issued under 38 U.S.C. 1904(c); and

(5) On which premiums are waived, in whole or in part, under the provisions of section 622 of the National Service Life Insurance Act, as amended, and 38 U.S.C. 1924 for the period during which such premium waiver is in effect.

(b) Unless and until VA receives a written request from the insured that National Service Life Insurance dividends be paid in cash, or that they be used to pay an insurance indebtedness, or that they be placed on deposit or be used to pay premiums in advance, or that they be used to pay the premiums on a particular policy or policies, or that they be used to purchase paid-up additions, any such dividends shall be held to the credit of the insured to be applied to pay monthly premiums becoming due and unpaid after the date such dividends are payable on any National Service or United States Government Life Insurance policy or policies held by the insured: Provided, That such dividend credits will be applied as of the due date of any unpaid premium. Dividend credits will earn interest at such rate and in such manner as the Secretary may determine.

(c) In the event premiums on more than one policy having the same premium due date are unpaid and the dividend credit of the insured for application to payment of premiums is not sufficient to keep all policies in force, in the absence of instructions to the contrary by the insured, such dividend credit will be applied to pay premiums in such manner as will provide the maximum amount of insurance protection.

(d) At the expiration of any term period, dividend credit of the insured held for payment of premiums will be applied to pay the required premium for renewal of term insurance unless the insured requests otherwise in writing prior to the expiration of the term period.

(e) A request for payment of dividends in cash or for other disposition will be effective as of the date the request is delivered to the Department of Veterans Affairs: If forwarded by mail, properly addressed, the postmark date will be taken as the date of delivery: If forwarded through military channels by the insured while in military service, the date the request is placed in military channels will be accepted as the date of delivery. Unless otherwise stipulated by the insured, such request will remain in force until revoked in writing signed by the insured and delivered to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(f) Dividend credit of the insured held for payment of premiums may not be used to satisfy any indebtedness due the United States without the insured's consent. If the insured requests payment of such dividend credit, or any unused portion thereof, in cash, or requests that such credit be left to accumulate on deposit, as provided in paragraph (g) of this section, then any indebtedness due the United States, such as described in § 5301 of title 38 U.S.C. will be recovered therefrom.

(g) At the written request of the insured, National Service life insurance dividends may be left to accumulate on deposit at interest which will be credited in such manner and at such rate as the Secretary may determine: Provided, That the policy is in force on a basis other than extended term insurance or level premium term insurance. Dividend credit of the insured held for payment of premiums or dividends left to accumulate on deposit as provided in this paragraph may be applied to the payment of premiums in advance upon written request of the insured made before default in payment of a premium. Dividends on deposit under the provisions of this paragraph will be used in addition to the reserve on the policy for the purpose of computing the period of extended term insurance or the amount of paid-up insurance as provided in §§ 8.14 and 8.15, respectively. Any dividend credit of a person who no longer has insurance in force by payment or waiver of premiums will be paid in cash to such person. If a person has a dividend credit option on a lapsed level premium term policy or a permanent plan policy on which extended term insurance has expired and such person has another policy in force by payment or waiver of premiums, any dividend credit or unpaid dividends on the lapsed policy, in the absence of instructions from the insured to the contrary, will be transferred to the policy which is in force and will be held on such policy as a dividend credit. Such dividend credit will be deemed to have accrued on the policy which is in force. Upon maturity of the policy, any dividend on deposit, any unpaid dividend payable in cash, and any dividend credit accruing from such policy which cannot be used to pay premiums will be paid to the person currently entitled to receive payments under the policy. If the policy is not in force at death, any such unpaid dividends and dividend credits will be paid to the insured's estate.

(h) Any insured receiving an annual dividend in cash may return such dividend check or an equivalent amount of money in order to have the dividend retained under the deposit or credit option. The return of such dividend must be made during the lifetime of the insured and before the end of the calendar year during which the dividend was paid. Dividends returned under this provision are not available for the payment of premiums, receipt of interest, or calculation of cash value prior to the postmark date of the returned check.