(a) A representative payee shall, subject to review by the agency and subject to such requirements as it may periodically prescribe, apply the payments made on behalf of the annuitant only for the use and benefit of such annuitant, and in a manner or purpose that is in the best interest of the annuitant.

(b) A representative payee shall notify the agency of any event that will affect the amount of benefits the annuitant receives or the right of the annuitant to receive benefits.

(c) A representative payee shall notify the agency of any change in circumstances that would affect performance of the payee's responsibilities.

(d) A representative payee shall keep the annuity paid to him or her on behalf of the annuitant separate from his or her own money in an account that shows that the annuitant is still the owner of the funds. The applicant must show proof of this account when applying to be the representative payee and use this account for direct deposit. Exceptions to this paragraph (d) are joint accounts for spouses, when one spouse applies to be representative payee for the other spouse and they already have an existing joint account.

(e) Any interest earned on the annuity will be the annuitant's property.

(f) A representative payee shall respond to requests, regarding the use of annuity payments, from OPM within a specified period of time.

(a) Current maintenance. Payments certified to a representative payee on behalf of an annuitant shall be considered as having been applied for the use and benefit of the annuitant when they are used for the annuitant's current maintenance. Current maintenance includes costs incurred in obtaining food, shelter, clothing, medical care, and personal comfort items.

(b) Institutional care. If an annuitant is receiving care in a Federal, state, or private institution because of mental or physical incapacity, current maintenance includes the customary charges made by the institution in providing care and maintenance, as well as expenditures for those items which will aid in the annuitant's recovery or release from the institution or expenses for personal needs which will improve the annuitant's conditions while in the institution.

(c) Support of legal dependents. If the current maintenance needs of the annuitant are met, the representative payee may use part of the payments for the support of the annuitant's legally dependent spouse, child, and/or parent.

(d) Claims of creditors. A representative payee may satisfy debts to creditors out of present benefit payments only if the current and reasonably foreseeable needs of the annuitant are met.

(e) Conservation and investment. After the representative payee has used the annuity payments consistent with the rules in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section, any remaining annuity shall be conserved or invested on behalf of the annuitant. Any investment must show clearly that the representative payee holds the property in trust for the annuitant.

(a) An individual, or institution, to whom payments are made as representative payee on behalf of an annuitant is accountable for the use of the payments and shall submit a written report in such form and at such times as the agency may require, accounting for the payments certified to him or her on behalf of the annuitant.

(b) If, however, such payee is a court-appointed fiduciary and, as such, is required to make an annual accounting to the court, a true copy of each such account filed with the court may be submitted in lieu of the accounting form prescribed by the agency.

(c) If any representative payee fails to submit the required accounting within the specified period of time after it is requested, no further payments shall be made to the representative payee on behalf of the annuitant unless for good cause shown, the default of the representative payee is excused by the agency and the required accounting is thereafter submitted.

(d) At any time after the agency has selected a representative payee, the agency may ask such payee to submit information showing a continuing relationship to the annuitant and a continuing responsibility for the care of the annuitant. If the representative payee does not give the agency the requested information within the specified period of time, the agency may stop paying such payee unless the agency determines that the payee had a good reason for not complying with the request, and the agency receives the information requested.