Hillman v. Maretta: Another Reason for Careful Post-divorce Estate Planning
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2013
Abstract
In this article, Carolyn L. Dessin analyzes the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Hillman v. Maretta, which addressed the conflict between federal and state laws regarding beneficiary designations after divorce. The case involved the Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance Act (FEGLIA), which allows federal employees to designate beneficiaries for life insurance proceeds. Despite a Virginia statute that automatically revoked beneficiary designations to former spouses upon divorce, the Supreme Court held that FEGLIA preempted this state law, allowing the ex-spouse to receive the insurance proceeds. Dessin discusses the implications of this decision for estate planning, emphasizing the importance of updating beneficiary designations post-divorce to ensure that assets are distributed according to the individual's current intentions
Publication Title
Probate Law Journal of Ohio
Volume
24
First Page
8
Recommended Citation
Dessin, Carolyn L., "Hillman v. Maretta: Another Reason for Careful Post-divorce Estate Planning" (2013). Akron Law Faculty Publications. 395.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/ua_law_publications/395
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