It may seem like an afterthought, but naming a beneficiary to your retirement account is critical. Here's why.

Nobody likes thinking of the inevitable — death, the end of the road, or the big sleep. Yet estate planning, especially having clear beneficiaries listed for every account, is a crucial part of any ...

Naming beneficiaries on your bank and investment accounts does not, by itself, protect those assets from Medicaid rules, according to elder law attorney Harry Margolis, author of "Get Your Ducks in a ...

A beneficiary is a person or entity you designate to receive the benefits of a particular account or policy after your death. Designating, reviewing and updating beneficiaries are basic tasks of ...

When planning your estate rarely will you experience difficulty naming your initial beneficiary or beneficiaries for your will, IRA’s or life insurance. This observation is almost certain when it ...

Naming a beneficiary is an essential step in estate planning that allows individuals to determine how their assets will be distributed in the event of their death. By understanding the different types ...

Readers of my column know I emphasize the importance of naming beneficiaries for every IRA account. Many ask under what circumstances they should consider naming a trust as an IRA beneficiary. In a ...

When Priscilla Presley challenged her late daughter’s will recently, it raised the prospect of a family rift and a messy legal battle over who would guide Elvis’ big estate. But legal experts say ...

You might not have thought much about beneficiary designations - but they can play a big role in your estate planning. When you purchase insurance policies and open investment accounts, such as your ...