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” ...

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 ...

The simplest oversights can cause the biggest problems for heirs, especially those intended to inherit retirement accounts. Over the years, I’ve seen a number of court cases in which the logical ...

A newly acquired individual retirement account (IRA) is good financial news for the recipient, but clients may need help unraveling the host of rules and requirements regulating how and when ...

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.

When Priscilla Presley challenged her late daughter’s will recently, it raised the prospect of a family rift and a messy legal battle over who would guide Elvis’ big estate. But legal experts say ...

Understand how your 401(k) is handled after your passing, including beneficiary rules and tax implications, to ensure your ...