William Kennedy had a DuPont savings plan. His divorce papers said she gave it up. He never changed the form's name. When he died, she got the money. The Supreme Court agreed, 9 to 0.
A partner shared their map with you. Make yours with the checkup below.
The Beneficiary Checkup
The beneficiary form overrules your will.
Every account pays the person its own form names. Not always the person your will names.
William Litner, FCASActuary for 15 years. Dad of one.
Sample: where the money goes
Work 401(k) → My partnerLooks current
Old job 401(k) → An ex-partnerCheck this one
IRA → My kidsLooks current
Bank account → My partnerNo backup named
Free. About 3 minutes. Nothing saved or sent. You keep the map.
Before you start.Your answers run on this page only. I never see them. Nothing is sent. Nothing is stored. No email. No signup. The map is free. The map is yours.
Why the form decides
The form wins first
Each account pays the name on its form. The will covers the rest.
Forms go stale
Life changes fast. Forms do not change on their own. An old job holds an old name.
| Account or asset | The form decides | The will decides |
|---|---|---|
| 401(k), IRA, and other retirement accounts | ✓ | ✗ |
| Life insurance, at work or your own | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bank accounts with a pay-on-death name | ✓ | ✗ |
| Money and things no form covers | ✗ | ✓ |
True story: his ex got the money
The map is yours. Print it or save it from your result.
The beneficiary form overrules your will.