Don't Forget Your Beneficiaries 

When was the last time you updated your beneficiaries?

Insurance: we all hope to not need it, but wouldn’t want to be without it when we do. Car insurance, health insurance, life insurance, home insurance… you and your spouse probably  have most – if not all – of these policies and pay for them on a regular basis. But paying for them isn’t the end of your responsibility when it comes to insurance. You also have to make sure your named beneficiaries and policy owners are up to date. This step is critical because if they’re not, the wrong people may receive a windfall if something happened to you.

It’s a great idea to set an annual date to review all your accounts with named beneficiaries. This may even go beyond insurance, as some retirement accounts have beneficiaries also.

Here’s a list of some life events that may signal you to sit down and review what you have and your plans for them:

• Marriage or divorce
• Birth of a child
• Death in the family or inheritance
• Job loss
• New job or significant salary increase
• Financial windfall
• New estate plan documents or trust establishment
• If your job takes you out of the country, leaving for a new assignment or other foreign travel

Any of these triggers should act as a reminder to look at your policies, accounts and beneficiaries and make sure they still correctly reflect your wishes. As always, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.