Topic
Beneficiary Designation
105 published works
Roberts Disability Law Blog
When an ERISA Beneficiary Change by Phone Call Fails: N.D. Alabama Enforces the Plan’s Written-Designation Requirement and Voids a Bigamous Marriage
In Metropolitan Life Insurance Company v. Williams, No. 4:24-cv-00357-CLM, 2026 WL 2569485 (N.D. Ala. Aug. 31, 2026), an ERISA interpleader case over a General Motors life insurance policy, District Judge…
Roberts Disability Law Blog
When a Phone Call Beats the Plan’s Writing Requirement: A Louisiana Court Applies Substantial Compliance to Uphold a Telephonic ERISA Beneficiary Change
In Adams v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, No. 24-668-SDD-RLB, 2026 WL 1662073 (M.D. La. June 9, 2026), the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, per Chief…
Agricultural Law & Rural Practice | Solo Small Firm & General Practice Section
Beneficiary Designations vs. Your Estate Plan: The Costly Mistake Many High-Earners Make
By Lexern
Beneficiary Designations vs. Your Estate Plan: The Costly Mistake Many High-Earners Make For many successful professionals, estate planning feels like something you complete once and check off your list. You…
Cohen & Buckmann Insights
Beneficiary Designations: Executives Can't Afford to Miss This Estate Planning Detail
By Austin Light
You finalized your divorce, updated your will and asked HR to remove your ex-spouse from your accounts. That must mean your estate plan is in order, right? Not necessarily. In…
Roberts Disability Law Blog
Seventh Circuit Reinstates Ex-Spouse as Beneficiary After Failed Attempt to Update ERISA Plan
In Packaging Corp. of Am. Thrift Plan for Hourly Emps. v. Langdon, No. 25-1859, —F.4th—-. 2026 WL 262954 (7th Cir. Feb. 2, 2026), the Seventh Circuit reversed a district court’s…
Texas Agriculture Law Blog
Check Your Beneficiaries!
The new year is the perfect time to double check that your beneficiary designations are up to date. This is a critical part of the estate planning process that can…
Agricultural Law & Rural Practice | Solo Small Firm & General Practice Section
Navigating Beneficiary Designations: A Guide for Employers
Employers play a pivotal role in guiding employees through their benefits options, including retirement plans and life insurance. However, one crucial aspect often goes overlooked: beneficiary designations. In Wisconsin, these…
Tax Blog
The Hazards of Not Changing Beneficiaries Post-Divorce
By Stuart Scott
A recent case by the Tennessee Court of Appeals highlights the importance of changing one’s insurance and retirement policy beneficiaries after divorce. This is true no matter what the divorce…
Roberts Disability Law Blog
Fifth Circuit Affirms Insured Substantially Complied with Life Insurance Policy’s Change-of-Beneficiary Requirements
In Morgan, et al. v. Barrera, et al., No. 21-20497, 2025 WL 1157549 (5th Cir. Apr. 21, 2025), a dispute over life insurance benefits under an ERISA-governed plan, the Fifth…
Stratus Financial Partners Blog
Life Insurance and Divorce
One of the most overlooked aspects of getting divorced is life insurance. Whether you’re going through a standard divorce or a gray divorce, it’s important to understand what to do…