Plan Takeover/Merger - Beneficiary info carryforward - best practice

I apologize if this type of question has been answered previously, i could not locate it.

Is it best practice to carryforward Beneficiary data from a prior plan during a Plan Merger or Plan Takeover client, or to require all participants to re-enter their Bens in their new account?

IMHO, this is two (related) questions.

Yes, best practice is to gather as much data as possible, using whatever source(s) are reliable. 

In addition, this is a great opportunity to assist participants with reviewing/updating any beneficiary information, while reminding them (1) not updating might mean a distribution could go to someone not intended (eg, ex-spouse), and (2) it is the participant's responsibility to provide future updates.

I agree with David that you should ask for it.  But in my experience, we rarely receive it from other providers. I recommend that you require all participants to re-enter their beneficiary data and remind them several times a year to update their beneficiaries. In the case we do receive beneficiary information from a provider, we keep the data on file. In the rare instance that someone passes away without a beneficiary, we look to the old file to see if anything is listed there. 

Before launching a project to take over administration of beneficiary elections, find out is considered the existing primary source for capturing and maintaining beneficiary elections.  Many employers are the primary source and keep originals (or certified copies) of beneficiary election forms along with other employee records.  Their motivation often is to be able to work with survivors and executors deal with death benefits across multiple insurance and benefit programs.  The service agreements with providers should document who is the primary source of records, and communications to employees on how to make elections should be clear about how to make their elections.

I agree that reminding participants relatively frequently to review and update beneficiary elections is a best practice.  I also is best practice to make this a step when dealing with changes in family status such as marriage, divorce, birth of children and other similar events that are likely to result in changes to beneficiary elections.