beneficiary form

Divorced? Update Your Retirement Plan Beneficiaries

Tuesday, July 17, 2012
We've all heard that half the marriages in the United States end in divorce. An accurate rate of divorce is difficult to get because those statistics are gathered by different groups and are not comprehensive. Regardless, divorce is certainly common. Individuals who have retirement plans almost always will name a beneficiary to receive the funds upon death.
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Using Your IRA to Take Care of Your Pet After You Die

Tuesday, June 12, 2012
The law allows you to leave money and property to a beneficiary after your death. Generally, the beneficiary must be a person or legal entity capable of accepting the property. Individuals almost always name a beneficiary of their IRA who will inherit the funds after their death. Usually the IRA beneficiary is a person such as a spouse, child, or grandchild. But IRA owners can name a legal entity as their IRA beneficiary, such as a charity, estate, or trust.
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Desperate Housewives Star Passes Away; Leaves Behind Important Retirement Planning Lesson

Wednesday, June 06, 2012
Kathryn Joosten passed away from lung cancer at the age of 72 last Friday. That name may not sound familiar to everyone, but fans of the hit TV show Desperate Housewives will recognize Joosten as the actress who played Karen McCluckey. And fans of retirement accounts will remember Kathryn for a slightly different reason. What in the world could an actress on Desperate Housewives have to do with retirement accounts? Funny “you” should ask.
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Building Your Child’s or Granchild’s IRA

Tuesday, May 08, 2012
We have previously written about a "lack of financial literacy," indicating that many individuals don't know or understand the benefits of IRAs or saving for retirement. Help set up your children and grandchildren for a successful financial future!
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Dead Man’s Outdated Beneficiary Form Proves Costly

Wednesday, March 21, 2012
We have discussed the importance of an IRA beneficiary form at length. You should always know where a copy is for yourself and make sure your financial advisory team has a copy on hand as well. Also, you must make sure the beneficiary form is current to reflect your financial wishes (who is getting what).
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Beneficiary Issues for the Sandwich Generation

Friday, March 09, 2012
The "sandwich" generation is those who are raising their children and also taking care of their parents. They are sandwiched by their care-taking responsibilities. They are likely to have their own 401(k)s or other employer plans and IRAs, and they are likely to be the beneficiaries of their parent’s retirement assets. Again, they are sandwiched – they are owners with beneficiaries and they are also beneficiaries. Here is what these caretakers need to know about both sides of the equation.
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Plan Participant’s Second Marriage Inadvertently Disinherits Children

Friday, June 03, 2011
When does the beneficiary form not trump all? IRA Technical Consultant Jeffrey Levine wrote an article this week for Producer's eSource about a court case (Cajun Industries, LLC vs. Korbert Kidder, et al.) in which a plan participant's second marriage inadvertently disinherited the children from receiving all of the retirement account savings.
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