Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Missouri

Trust Beneficiary Designations

When setting up beneficiary designations for such things as

life insurance and company benefits plans, in a Trust,

I know it is advisable to place one's spouse as the ''primary'' beneficiary. As second beneficiary, would it be better to name the Trust itself, or could a person name the children as second beneficiaries (each with an equal share), and then name the Trust as 3rd contingent beneficiary?


Asked on 1/28/03, 8:23 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Anthony Smith LawSmith

Re: Trust Beneficiary Designations

There are many variables tht make the decision as to how to rank benficaries. Too many to give you a efinitive answer. However, if the life insurance and whatever other investment/savings plans are already in teh name of the trust, than you may run into tax problems with naming the trust as beneficary. You may even lose teh tax advantages of having teh trust in teh firts place. If you are merely asking about whether teh individuals you opt for would get the money, than I think either way you described will do that. It's amatter of how much of teh money they could get. But, again, it would require much more information to advise any further. You need to ask your question of a tax attorney or CPA, as you are primarily asking a tax question.

Good Luck,

Tony Smith

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Answered on 1/29/03, 3:00 pm


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