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38 CFR § 9.4 - Beneficiaries and options.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t38/s9.4"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "38 CFR § 9.4 - Beneficiaries and options."
title_number: 38
title_name: "Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief"
section_number: "9.4"
section_name: "Beneficiaries and options."
chapter_name: "DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS"
part_number: "9"
part_name: "SERVICEMEMBERS' GROUP LIFE INSURANCE AND VETERANS' GROUP LIFE INSURANCE"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "38 U.S.C. 501, 1965-1980A, unless otherwise noted."
regulatory_source: "40 FR 4135, Jan. 28, 1975, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "9"
---

# 9.4 Beneficiaries and options.

Any designation of beneficiary or election of settlement options is subject to the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 1970 and 1977 and the following provisions:

(a) Any designation of beneficiary or settlement option election made by any member insured under Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance for full-time coverage or part-time coverage will remain in effect until properly changed by the member or canceled automatically for any of the following reasons:

(1) The insurance terminates following separation or release from all duty in a uniformed service.

(2) The member enters on duty in another uniformed service.

(3) The member reenters on duty in the same uniformed service more than 1 calendar day after separation or release from all duty in that uniformed service.

(b) A change of beneficiary may be made at any time and without the knowledge or consent of the previous beneficiary.

(c) Until and unless otherwise changed, a beneficiary designation and settlement option election of record on the date a statutory increase in coverage takes effect shall be considered to be a beneficiary and optional settlement election for the increased amount as well, and any beneficiary named therein shall be entitled to the same percentage (%) share of the new total coverage amount as that beneficiary was entitled to prior to the statutory increase in coverage.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501)

[40 FR 4135, Jan. 28, 1975, as amended at 53 FR 17699, May 18, 1988. Redesignated and amended at 61 FR 20135, 20136, May 6, 1996]