For more information, please contact The Ahearne Law Firm, PLLC for a free initial consultation and case evaluation. Call nationwide at (845) 763-4100.
In order to make sure your assets are allocated according to your intent,
it is imperative to have a will executed, recorded, and safely stored
to be valid after your death. Seeking the advice of a legal profession
will ensure that the contents of the will are clear, and will fully encompass
the assets sought to be distributed. An advising lawyer can also help
make sure that assets with beneficiary designation forms, which supersede
even properly executed wills, remain current with a client’s most
current wishes.
These assets include retirement accounts, 401(k) plans and life insurance.
Often times, beneficiary designation forms are filled out and left unaltered
years later when situations change. The most problematic scenario is when
an ex-spouse is listed on one of these forms even years after a divorce.
If the decedent has not altered these forms before their death, these
assets will still go to the person listed as the beneficiary, i.e. the
ex-spouse, and will only be distributed according to intestate rules if
the beneficiary legally disclaims his or her rights to the assets.