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 ...

Wondering whether retirement accounts go through probate? In most cases, they don’t — thanks to beneficiary designations.. Retirement accounts like IRAs, 401(k)s and annuities typically bypass probate ...

Standard retirement account beneficiary forms may not be flexible enough to ensure your money passes to family members according to your wishes. Naming a trust as the contingent beneficiary can help ...

For retirement savers, adding a beneficiary to your 401(k) plan should be a top priority. A 401(k) plan beneficiary is the person or entity, such as a charity or trust, who inherits your 401(k) after ...

I’m not looking for an answer for an unlucky investor, but I have a story about how you should be vigilant with your finances. I funded an IRA for many years with my son as beneficiary. Two decades ...

Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers that inheriting a retirement account, such as an IRA or 401(k), could come with new and often unexpected tax obligations. Changes under recent federal rules ...

Maybe you’ve heard of “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning.” It’s a guide to proactively downsizing your stuff while you’re still alive. Doing so spares your heirs the mess of doing it themselves ...