[Legality of Deceased Service Member's Designation of Annuitant in Will]

The Navy requested an advance decision concerning whether it should pay a deceased member's annuity to the administrators of his will or continue payment to the deceased member's divorced spouse as the custodial parent of their child. GAO held that, since federal annuity funds were not assets of the member's estate, they were not payable in any manner other than applicable federal statutes specified. Accordingly, the Navy should pay the annuity to the custodial parent.