(a) General. Payments being made directly to a beneficiary who is or may be incompetent will not be routinely suspended pending certification of a fiduciary (or a recommendation that payments should be paid directly to the beneficiary) by the Veterans Service Center Manager or development of the issue of incompetency.
(b) Application. This policy applies to all cases including (but not limited to) the following:
(1) Notice or evidence is received that a guardian has been appointed for the beneficiary.
(2) Notice or evidence is received that the beneficiary has been committed to a hospital.
(3) The beneficiary has been rated incompetent by the Department of Veterans Affairs. [42 FR 2069, Jan. 10, 1977]