Beneficiary Wants to Refuse Proceeds

[Guest Mary Anna T. McCoy, CEBS]

A client has a frozen DB plan and had a recent death of a participant. The named beneficiary wants nothing to do with the proceeds. It's described as "Kriptonite" to them. Apparently the relationship is an old one and the participant changed her beneficiary on the ESOP and 401(k) but may forgotten to change the frozen defined benefit plan participant. What does the named beneficiary have to do to keep from receiving the proceeds and in the process causing problems with their current relationships?

Thanks

[Andy the Actuary]

A client has a frozen DB plan and had a recent death of a participant. The named beneficiary wants nothing to do with the proceeds. It's described as "Kriptonite" to them. Apparently the relationship is an old one and the participant changed her beneficiary on the ESOP and 401(k) but may forgotten to change the frozen defined benefit plan participant. What does the named beneficiary have to do to keep from receiving the proceeds and in the process causing problems with their current relationships?

Thanks

First, I will take a krytonite bullet for the cause and allow myself to be named contingent beneficiary.

You would need to confer with a benefits attorney.

[masteff]

Here's a link to a recent thread which discussed that a beneficiary may disclaim a benefit.

http://benefitslink.com/boards/index.php?showtopic=38442

And see Andy's comment above.