Banks and other financial institutions don’t automatically ask account holders to designate a beneficiary, so it can be easy to forget or postpone adding a beneficiary until it’s more convenient. But ...

Question: My mother is the trustee of her revocable living trust, with me as the sole beneficiary. The only asset in the trust is my mother’s house. My mother wants to simplify things and record 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 ...

Time to catch up on some of the questions that readers have sent in. Q: I've read that you can add a payable on death beneficiary to a car title. I've gone to the BMV website but I can't find a form.

A variety of financial accounts, including retirement plans and life insurance, allow individuals to designate beneficiaries. Whoever is named on a beneficiary designation form will receive those ...

Naming a bank account beneficiary ensures your money goes straight to your loved ones without getting tied up in costly, time-consuming probate. Most banks let you do this through a “Payable on Death” ...

Dear Liz: In response to a reader who asked about creating a will, you suggested options for low-cost online resources. That is great! But, I would encourage you to remind readers to designate ...

Transfer on Death (“TOD”), also known as Payable on Death (“POD”), account registrations are a popular way to avoid the requirement to pass assets through probate upon death and operate as an ...

A Roth IRA doesn’t have required minimum distributions unless it’s inherited. Withdrawal options vary depending on your relation to the deceased. Consult a tax professional before making decisions ...

Naming your trust as the beneficiary of your IRA could have terrible tax consequences. This single fact does not mean you should never name a trust as the beneficiary of your IRA or other retirement ...