Beneficiary designations override your will — here's why that matters
The forms most people fill out once and forget that quietly control millions.
Your 401(k), IRA, life insurance, and many bank/brokerage accounts pass to whoever is named on the beneficiary form — regardless of what your will says. This is the #1 estate-planning mistake we see.
Audit yours today: pull every retirement account, life insurance policy, and TOD/POD-eligible account. Verify the named beneficiary. Update after every major life event: marriage, divorce, birth, death. Never name a minor child directly — use a trust instead.
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