What states revoke beneficiary rights upon divorce?

Asked by: Dr. Yazmin Haley  |  Last update: November 4, 2025
Score: 4.9/5 (64 votes)

States that Revoke a Person's Life Insurance Beneficiary Rights Following Divorce
  • Alabama.
  • Alaska.
  • Arizona.
  • Colorado.
  • Florida.
  • Hawaii.
  • Idaho.
  • Iowa.

Which states revoke a person's beneficiary rights upon divorce?

Currently, about 23 states, including California, have statutes requiring revocation of non-probate asset beneficiary designation upon divorce, meaning that upon divorce, ex-spouses are automatically removed as beneficiaries on such assets as a matter of law.

Does divorce void life insurance beneficiary?

So the answer is no, unless the beneficiary is changed, that is who will receive the money upon the account owner's death, regardless of a divorce. In many divorces, savings accounts and retirement accounts are divided as part of the separation agreement.

Can my husband take me off as beneficiary?

That depends on the terms of your divorce, so consult your lawyer before acting. If you own the policy and you're not financially supporting your ex-spouse after the divorce, you can likely remove them as your policy's beneficiary.

Can a beneficiary be changed during a divorce?

While in the process of divorcing, your attorney will remind you that you cannot change beneficiary designations on your accounts until the divorce is finalized.

How Will A Life Insurance Beneficiary Designation Naming A Spouse Be Changed By Divorce?

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Can a beneficiary be overturned?

Any beneficiary designation can be contested, but the person contesting has to have standing and there has to be a valid reason for the dispute.

How do you protect trust assets from beneficiary divorce?

If you're certain about the assets that you want to leave to a beneficiary who could potentially get divorced, then you might consider creating an irrevocable trust separately for them. You could then create a second revocable living trust to hold assets that you want to distribute to your other heirs.

What can override a beneficiary?

An executor can override the wishes of these beneficiaries due to their legal duty. However, the beneficiary of a Will is very different than an individual named in a beneficiary designation of an asset held by a financial company.

What states are community property states?

The United States has nine community property states: Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Who can remove a beneficiary?

The right to add and remove beneficiaries is a power reserved for the settlor of the trust; when the grantor dies, their trust will usually become irrevocable.

Does a will override a divorce decree?

Property Left to a Former Spouse

For example, California law (Probate Code § 6122) states that: "Unless the will expressly provides otherwise, if after executing a will the testator's marriage is dissolved or annulled, the dissolution or annulment revokes

Can someone stay on your insurance after divorce?

In California, divorce proceedings include Automatic Temporary Restraining Orders (ATROs). These orders prevent spouses from making major changes to things like health insurance policies without consent.

Does a divorce decree override a named beneficiary 401k?

Does a divorce decree override a named beneficiary? The quick answer is no. Divorce does not usually change a beneficiary designation unless the divorce decree includes a stipulation to change it. Individual retirement accounts (IRAs) work the same way.

What happens if you forget to change beneficiary after divorce?

Your ex-spouse may take under your life insurance policy if you do not change your beneficiaries and there's nothing a California probate court can do about it.

Can divorced spouse get inheritance?

As a general rule, inheritances are not subject to property division in divorce. This is because inheritances are not considered marital property. Instead, inheritances are separate property belonging to the person who received the inheritance.

What state governs your divorce?

Divorce in the U.S. is governed by state rather than federal law. The laws of the state(s) of residence at the time of divorce govern, not those of the location where the couple was married.

What states are 50/50 in a divorce?

Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin follow community property laws. The Core Principle: Assets acquired during marriage are split 50/50 upon divorce. This applies regardless of who earned the income to purchase these assets.

Why is Florida not a community property state?

A common law state like Florida uses equitable distribution laws when dividing assets after a divorce or death. Under these laws, any assets acquired during a marriage belong solely to the spouse who acquired them, instead of being split equally between both spouses.

What states don't enforce alimony?

Key Takeaways. Alimony is enforced in all U.S. states, with no exceptions. Specifics of alimony laws, including eligibility and duration, differ across states.

Is your wife automatically your beneficiary?

In most cases, your spouse inherits your estate upon your death. But that may not be the case with your IRA. Typically, a spouse who isn't a beneficiary of an IRA is not entitled to receive, or inherit, the assets when the account owner dies.

Can an executor of a will evict a beneficiary from the property?

Note that California law requires that both a 30-day and 60-day notice contain specific required language to be valid. If the beneficiary does not vacate within the specified time period, the trustee can file forms in court to start an eviction case.

Who has more power, a beneficiary or executor?

While beneficiaries can often disagree with an executor's decisions, unless the executor clearly violates the terms of the will or breaches their fiduciary duty, there is typically nothing a beneficiary can do about it.

What assets cannot be touched in divorce?

Separate property generally cannot be touched in a divorce., but there may be times when separate property turns into marital property, making it available for distribution.

Can you lose your trust fund in a divorce?

If a trust was established prior to the marriage and was kept separate from marital assets, it might remain untouched in the divorce. This means the trust continues to operate as it did before, and the assets remain shielded from division.

How do I protect my money in a divorce?

Best Ways To Protect Your Money During Divorce
  1. Create an Asset Protection Trust. ...
  2. Legally Establish the Divorce. ...
  3. Open Accounts in Your Name Only. ...
  4. Identify All Your Assets. ...
  5. Get Copies of All Your Financial Statements. ...
  6. Freeze All Joint Bank Accounts. ...
  7. Make a Tax Preparation Plan. ...
  8. Know Your State Laws.