38 USC § 1954 - Forfeiture

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t38/s1954"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "38 USC § 1954 - Forfeiture"
title_number: 38
title_name: "VETERANS’ BENEFITS"
section_number: "1954"
section_name: "Forfeiture"
chapter_number: 19
chapter_name: "INSURANCE"
subchapter_number: "II"
subchapter_name: "UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT LIFE INSURANCE"
part_number: "II"
part_name: "GENERAL BENEFITS"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1161, § 754; renumbered § 1954, Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 406.)"
---


# § 1954. Forfeiture

No yearly renewable term insurance or United States Government life insurance shall be payable for death inflicted as a lawful punishment for crime or military offense, except when inflicted by the enemy. In such cases the cash surrender value of United States Government life insurance, if any, on the date of such death shall be paid to the designated beneficiary if living, or if there be no designated beneficiary alive at the death of the insured the said value shall be paid to the estate of the insured.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1161, § 754; renumbered § 1954, Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 406.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1991— renumbered  as this section.