Should I always name my spouse as life insurance beneficiary?

For most married couples, naming a spouse as the primary beneficiary is the standard approach and typically makes sense. However, there are situations where a more nuanced beneficiary structure is appropriate.

Simple approach: name your spouse as primary beneficiary and an adult trusted person (or a trust for minor children) as contingent beneficiary. This ensures that if both spouses die simultaneously, the benefit flows to the intended secondary recipient rather than through an intestate estate.

More complex situations include blended families, where a surviving spouse and children from a prior relationship may have competing claims on the estate. A trust structure allows the death benefit to provide for a surviving spouse during their lifetime, then transfer to children from a prior relationship.

Nevada is a community property state — certain policies and premiums paid with marital funds may create community property interests that require careful beneficiary designation planning. An estate attorney can advise on how Nevada community property law applies to your specific situation.

Never name minor children directly as beneficiaries — they cannot legally receive insurance proceeds, which may require court-supervised administration. A custodian under UTMA or a trust is a more appropriate structure. Agents in our network can help you structure beneficiary designations correctly.