Life Insurance, Retirement Benefits, Stocks
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Life Insurance, Retirement Benefits, Stocks
My father passed away yesterday. We are finding several life insurance policies, stocks, and pensions from the 70/80’s that were left to my mother who he divorced 21 years ago. Can she legally take care of these? He was remarried 12 years ago and divorced from his 2nd wife 11 days ago. It’s our understanding that she is filing the probate estate so we aren’t sure the best way to handle this.
Asked on July 13, 2019 under Estate Planning, Florida
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 4 years ago | Contributor
The things you describe, such as life insurance policies, retirement benefits, and stocks, go to whomever was designated on them as the beneficiary. A change in marital status will not affect that: if your father left your mother as the beneficiary, rather than changing the beneficiary designation as he could have done, then they will go to your mother.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.