You changed the locks. You signed the divorce papers. But did you change your beneficiary designations?
Too often, people forget this step. Retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and even payable-on-death bank accounts don’t follow your will. They follow the paperwork on file with the company. If your ex is still listed, they may still inherit—whether you want them to or not.
Georgia law sometimes steps in to revoke ex-spouses from certain documents after divorce. But not always. And not in every situation.
The only safe move is to update everything yourself. That includes:
- 401(k)s and IRAs
- Life insurance
- Payable-on-death accounts
- Transfer-on-death brokerage accounts
- Trusts (if the ex was named)
Don’t assume it’s been handled. Check. Then double-check. And if you’re unsure what documents might be affected, sit down with an estate planning attorney who can walk through each one with you.
For blended families, this step is even more critical. Children from a prior marriage, a new spouse, stepchildren—all of these relationships need to be considered carefully to avoid unintended results.
Need help reviewing your documents after a divorce? We’ve helped dozens of clients clean up and reset their estate plans with confidence.
