Beneficiary Designations

One of the easiest ways to make sure your assets go to the people you intend is to list them as beneficiaries. We recommend reviewing all account beneficiaries and contingent beneficiaries. These are important as your will or trust does not necessarily govern how your investment accounts will be distributed.

If you die without naming beneficiaries, it will take time—maybe lots of time—for the funds in your accounts to go where you wanted. Depending on the account and where you live, your state or retirement plan could make key decisions for you—even if you have a will. Your funds could be delayed in the legal probate process, and the person in charge of your estate could face a lot of paperwork.