What to Do When the Beneficiary of Your Will Gets Seriously Hurt

It is something we all have to think about as we grow older, naming beneficiaries and planning our will. A beneficiary will be the one who inherits your estate and once all of the documents are complete, it is a sense of relief. Planning ahead is always a good thing, but what happens to your estate if something bad happens to your beneficiary?

They pass away

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Sometimes tragedies can happen. So, what happens if you name someone as a beneficiary and they pass away before you? If details are not specified in your will, the estate could just pass on to whoever your beneficiary has named as their own beneficiary. You always want to make your wishes and intentions are clear in your will. That means crossing all of the t’s and dotting all of the i’s, including details about what you want to happen if your beneficiary does pass away before you.

They are disabled

If your beneficiary suffers from an accident or illness that renders them disabled, inheriting your estate could cause issues. In fact, it could even interfere with them receiving any disability money. Cognitive impairment could also play a factor. Your beneficiary might not be able to handle the money or inheritance. This is another scenario that needs to be made clear in your will.

The state of Louisiana

Of course, all of these things depends on the state laws and how they are written. In Louisiana, if you die without having a will, you will have absolutely no control of the distribution of your estate. Also, if something happens to your beneficiary and you do not have clear details in your will regarding this, your estate will automatically go to their beneficiary. It is best to always work with an estate planning and elder law attorney when preparing your will. Their expert guidance will help with your planning and any questions you may have.