Katharine Paljug is a financial writer and editor with over a decade of industry experience. Her writing has covered nearly every aspect of the financial world, from investing in forex to paying for ...

Understanding the difference between per stirpes and per capita can determine whether your grandchildren receive an inheritance or are unintentionally left out.

Beneficiary designations are often overlooked and neglected during the estate planning process. A client may execute a will or create a trust and simply assume that their retirement accounts will pass ...

Most parties know the importance of saving original wills. They are executed with great formality, notarized, and regarded as the final work in distribution of property. What many, if not most, people ...

A beneficiary designation is a document — usually a simple form — that tells a financial institution or insurance company who ...

A variety of financial accounts, including retirement plans and life insurance, allow individuals to designate beneficiaries. Whoever is named on a beneficiary designation form will receive those ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Bob Carlson researches all facets of retirement finances. Beneficiary designations are one of the major gaps in many retirement ...

A recent federal court case, Proctor & Gamble U.S. Business Services Company v. Estate of Rolison, No. 3:17-CV-00762 (M.D. Pa. April 29, 2024) ("Rolison"), serves as an important reminder of the need ...

It's easy to assume your will has the final say over who inherits your money, but that's not always true. Just one bank account beneficiary form can quietly override written estate plans and redirect ...

Thu, October 3, 2024 at 8:06 PM UTC When setting up a life insurance policy, you have the ability to decide who will receive the payout — known as the death benefit — if something happens to you. But ...