Coulson Elder Law is now Dent-Coulson Elder Law
Learn More

Estate Planning and Elder Law Attorney | Dent Coulson Elder Law

Get Help Right Away

Call Today: 618-632-7000 or 217-330-5500

or Send us an email

  • Home
  • Our Services
    • Alzheimer’s Planning
    • Asset Preservation Planning
    • Estate Planning
    • Medicaid Eligibility
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust and Estate Administration
    • VA Benefits Planning
  • News & Videos
    • Video Series
      • Coronavirus Preparedness
      • Asset Preservation Planning
      • Common Estate Planning Mistakes
      • Dealing With Alzheimer’s
      • Financial Exploitation of Elders
      • Handling Difficult Conversations with Seniors
      • Married Couples and Medicaid
      • Medicaid Application Process
      • Medicaid Look-Back Rule and Transfer Penalties
      • Nursing Home Admission and Care
      • Veterans Pension Benefits
      • What You Can and Can’t Keep with Medicaid
    • Weekly Newsletter
    • The Elder Law Minute
  • Alzheimer’s Guide
  • Presentations
    • Health Care Power of Attorney
    • Free Workshops
  • Hear From Our Clients
    • Testimonials
    • Share Your Experience
  • About
    • About Us
    • Meet Our Staff
    • Partners & Resources
    • About Our Fees
    • COVID-19 Policies
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Email Us
    • Find Our Offices
    • Refer a Friend

Common Estate Planning Mistake #19: Failing to change beneficiary designations after death of spouse

After the death of a spouse, or even after a divorce, it’s important to look at and update, if necessary, any beneficiary designations you may have. Too often we see people lulled into a false sense of security by thinking their Will, which may very well cover what happens when each spouse dies first or second, will take care of everything. While this may be true for things that are passed under the Will, this isn’t true for things that have beneficiary designations, such as IRAs and insurance policies.

In this Estate Planning Minute, Wes Coulson, Illinois Elder Law attorney, discusses another Common Estate Planning Mistake and explains the importance of changing your beneficiary designations after the death of a spouse or a divorce.

Common Estate Planning Mistake #19: Failing to change beneficiary designations after death of spouse

Transcript:

Hi, I’m Wes Coulson and this is your Estate Planning Minute. This is another in our series on Common Estate Planning Mistakes. The one I want to talk about now is the failure that we see quite often to change beneficiary designations after the death of a spouse or after a divorce.

In a lot of cases people have Wills that say: If I die first I leave everything to my spouse and if I’m the one who dies second then I leave everything to my children. And that can lull you into the false sense of security that: Well, we’ve already planned for that and that when one of us dies first, everything is taken care of.

Well, that’s true as to things that pass under a Will, but it’s not true as to things that have beneficiary designations. It’s not uncommon that we see insurance or IRA beneficiary designations that have named a spouse and have not named a successor.

So, when a spouse dies, you need to look at those beneficiary designations. Talk to your IRA plan administrator, talk to the insurance companies, to see it those need to be updated. Probably goes without saying that the same thing applies, maybe with a bit of a different attitude, in the event of a divorce. Thanks.

For more Common Estate Planning Mistakes, visit these articles:

  • Common Estate Planning Mistake #8: Failing to address the possibility of a second spouse disinheriting children from a first marriage
  • Common Estate Planning Mistake #3: Trying to plan an Estate around specific assets
  • Common Estate Planning Mistake #6: Trying to ‘Do it Yourself’

“Your Trusted Advisor on the Elder Care Journey”

Dent-Coulson Elder Law is dedicated to providing families in the St. Louis area with their Elder Law needs. Our practice areas include Asset Preservation Planning, Veterans Benefits, Medicaid Eligibility, Alzheimer’s Planning, Special Needs Planning, Estate Planning and more. We understand the financial challenges you may face as you and your loved ones grow older. At Dent-Coulson Elder Law, our clients’ well-being is our number one priority. For immediate help, call (877)995-6876 or Contact Us and we will get in touch as soon as possible.

Veterans Benefits O'Fallon ILFor Immediate Help

If you or a loved one needs immediate help with a planning matter or legal issue, please contact us, and we will get back to you promptly.

Office Hours
Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Call Us
618-632-7000
217-330-5500
314-567-9292

Connect with Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Join us for a FREE Workshop

 

Free WorkshopsIf you have reached age 65, there's about a 45% chance that you will eventually need long-term care.

Join us for one of our highly informative and FREE workshops and find out how you can protect your family's hard-earned life savings.

Visit Free Workshops for more information.

Newsletter

Subscribe to our free weekly Newsletter and receive the latest news, updates and videos straight to your inbox!

Recent Posts

  • What an Illinois Medicaid Applicant Can and Cannot Keep: Motor Vehicles
  • What an Illinois Medicaid Applicant Can and Cannot Keep: Personal Residence
  • What an Illinois Medicaid Applicant Can and Cannot Keep: Household Goods & Personal Effects
  • What an Illinois Medicaid Applicant Can and Cannot Keep: Life Estates
  • What an Illinois Medicaid Applicant Can and Cannot Keep: Money & Other Assets Held in Trusts

More News & Videos

  • Alzheimer's Planning (85)
  • Asset Preservation Planning (150)
  • Coronavirus Preparedness Series (9)
  • Coulson Elder Law (11)
  • Elder Law Minute Video (385)
  • Estate Planning (132)
  • Health Care Planning/Medicare (79)
  • Medicaid Eligibility (141)
  • News & Videos (429)
  • Special Needs Planning (48)
  • Trust Administration (14)
  • Veterans Benefits (51)

774 Sunset Blvd Suite 200
O'Fallon, IL 62269
IL: (618) 632-7000
MO: (314) 567-9292

415 W. Virginia Ave.
Effingham, IL 62401
(217) 330-5500

Fax: (618) 632-7333
Send us an email

Front office building of Coulson Elder Law

Front office building of Coulson Elder Law

  • Directions to our office locations

774 Sunset Blvd Suite 200
O'Fallon, IL 62269
IL: (618) 632-7000
MO: (314) 567-9292

415 W. Virginia Ave.
Effingham, IL 62401
(217) 330-5500

Fax: (618) 632-7333
Send us an email

  • About Us
  • News and Videos
  • Weekly Newsletter
  • Brochures
  • Presentations
  • Hear From Our Clients
  • Partners & Resources
  • Legal Disclaimer

Copyright © 2023 · Wesley J. Coulson | Dent Coulson Elder Law, LLC