Your life insurance beneficiary designation decides who gets the money, and it overrides your will. That makes it one of the most important documents you own, and one of the easiest to forget after a marriage, divorce, birth, or death in the family.
Quick answer: If your beneficiary is revocable (most are), you can change it any time by submitting your insurer’s change of beneficiary form, online or on paper, signed by the policy owner. No one’s permission is needed. If the beneficiary is irrevocable, that person must sign off on the change.
How to Change a Beneficiary on Life Insurance
To change a beneficiary on a life insurance policy, the policy owner completes the insurer’s change of beneficiary form, lists the new primary and contingent beneficiaries with percentages that add up to 100%, signs it, and submits it to the insurer. The change takes effect once the insurer records it, so keep the written confirmation.
Who can change a life insurance beneficiary: only the policy owner (or an assignee, if the policy has been assigned). The insured person and the current beneficiary can’t change it unless they also own the policy.
Revocable vs. irrevocable: the core distinction
| Â | Revocable beneficiary | Irrevocable beneficiary |
| Can the owner change it alone? | Yes, at any time | No; the irrevocable beneficiary must consent in writing |
| Beneficiary’s rights while you’re alive | None | A vested interest; may need to approve loans, surrenders, or assignments too |
| How common | The default on almost all policies | Rare; used in divorce decrees, business agreements, and some trusts |
| Typical paperwork | Change form signed by the owner | Change form plus the beneficiary’s signed release |
For most people, the answer to “can you change a life insurance beneficiary at any time?” is yes. The exception is an irrevocable designation.
Why life insurance beneficiary designations overrule wills
A life insurance policy is a contract, and the insurer pays whoever is named on the beneficiary form, regardless of what your will says. The payout usually bypasses probate entirely. If your will names your current spouse but the policy still names an ex, the ex generally gets the money unless a state revocation-on-divorce law or a court order applies.
That’s why updating a will doesn’t fix an outdated policy. See our guide on life insurance vs. a will.
Note: Most carriers don’t require notarization for a routine change. They require the owner’s signature, and in some cases a witness, a spouse’s consent in community property states, or an irrevocable beneficiary’s signature. Check the instructions on your carrier’s form.
How to Change a Beneficiary on a Life Insurance Policy
The life insurance beneficiary change process has five steps: confirm your current designation, check whether it’s revocable, get the carrier’s form, fill in beneficiaries and percentages, and submit it and keep the confirmation. For a revocable policy, the whole thing often takes 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 1: Identify your current designation (primary vs. contingent)
Pull up your policy or log in to your carrier’s account and check who’s listed as primary and contingent.
- Â Â Â Â Primary beneficiary: receives the death benefit first. You can name more than one and split the percentages.
- Â Â Â Â Contingent (secondary) beneficiary: receives the benefit only if all primary beneficiaries have died or can’t be found.
If you don’t have the policy documents, call the carrier’s customer service line with your policy number, or ask your agent.
Step 2: Determine the designation type (revocable vs. irrevocable)
Look for the word “irrevocable” on the policy or beneficiary page. If it isn’t there, the designation is almost certainly revocable, and you can change it on your own. If it is, you’ll need the irrevocable beneficiary’s signed consent (see the life events section below).
Also check whether you’re the policy owner. On an employer group policy, the employee is usually the owner. On a policy bought by a parent or spouse, the buyer may be the owner even if you’re the insured.
Step 3: Request and complete the official change of beneficiary form
Every carrier has its own life insurance beneficiary change form, and many accept the change through an online account. Ways to get it:
- Â Â Â Â Log in to the carrier’s policyholder portal and look for “beneficiaries” or “manage policy.”
- Â Â Â Â Download the form from the carrier’s forms library.
- Â Â Â Â Call customer service and ask them to mail or email it.
- Â Â Â Â Ask your agent.
Information the form usually asks for each beneficiary: full legal name, relationship to you, date of birth, Social Security number (often optional but helpful), address, and phone number. For a trust, use the trust’s exact name and date. For a charity, use its legal name.
Step 4: Allocate percentages accurately
Primary beneficiaries’ shares must total 100%, and contingent beneficiaries’ shares must separately total 100%.
Primary: Spouse (Maria Lopez)Â Â 100%
Contingent:Â Child (Daniel Lopez) Â Â 50%
     Child (Sofia Lopez)   50%
If you want a deceased child’s share to pass to their children, write “per stirpes” after the name if your carrier allows it (explained in the life events section).
Note: Don’t name a minor child directly. Insurers can’t pay a minor, so a court may have to appoint a guardian to receive the money. Name a trust, or a custodian under your state’s UTMA/UGMA law, instead.
Step 5: Submit the documentation and get written confirmation
Submit the form the way the carrier specifies (portal upload, e-signature, mail, or fax), then wait for written confirmation and file it with your policy. A change isn’t effective until the insurer receives and records it. Check the confirmation for spelling, percentages, and the right primary/contingent tiers.
Master beneficiary change workflow
| Step | Action | Documentation | Common pitfall |
| 1 | Confirm current primary and contingent beneficiaries | Policy, account login, or agent | Assuming the policy matches your will |
| 2 | Check revocable vs. irrevocable and confirm you’re the owner | Policy contract | Trying to change a policy you don’t own |
| 3 | Get the carrier’s change of beneficiary form | Portal, forms library, agent | Using an old or wrong-product form |
| 4 | Enter beneficiaries and percentages | Legal names, DOB, SSN, relationship | Shares that don’t total 100%; naming a minor directly |
| 5 | Sign, submit, and keep the confirmation | Signed form, e-signature, confirmation letter | No confirmation; form never received |
Â
Secure Your Family's Future with Confidence
Don’t leave your loved ones' financial security to chance. Use our expert tools and free resources to find the perfect coverage today.
How to Change Beneficiaries Across Major Carriers & Government Plans
The steps are the same at every carrier: the owner signs the carrier’s form or completes the change in the policyholder account. What differs is whether online changes are available, which products qualify, and where paper forms go. Federal and military policies use government forms and systems instead.
Carrier guides
State Farm: authenticated policy owners can change beneficiaries online for some products (including Guaranteed Issue Final Expense life insurance) by logging in, opening the policy’s Beneficiaries card, editing allocations, and signing through DocuSign. Other policies, New York policies, and trust, organization, or UTMA/UGMA beneficiaries go through a State Farm agent.
MetLife: individual life policyholders manage policies and access forms through metlife.com/lifeinsurance, and employer-provided coverage is managed through the MyBenefits portal. MetLife’s forms library lists mail and fax submission for several product lines.
Prudential, Guardian Life, New York Life, Globe Life, Primerica, Transamerica, and Union Fidelity: each carrier provides a change of beneficiary form through its policyholder service center, online account, or agent. The process follows the five steps above. Call the customer service number on your policy or statement, or log in to your account, to get the current form and submission instructions.
Note: Carrier portals and forms change often. Always use the form your carrier provides for your specific product, since life, annuity, and group forms differ.
How to change the beneficiary on federal life insurance (FEGLI)
Federal employees and retirees change FEGLI beneficiaries with Standard Form 2823, Designation of Beneficiary. Per OPM:
- Â Â Â Â Two witnesses must watch you sign, then sign and give their addresses. A witness can’t be someone you name as a beneficiary.
- Â Â Â Â Active employees send the form to their employing office. Retirees send it to OPM.
- Â Â Â Â The form must be received before you die. A form delivered on a weekend or federal holiday counts as received the next workday.
- Â Â Â Â Only the insured can sign, unless the insurance has been assigned.
- Â Â Â Â OPM advises completing a new form after a marriage or divorce. Without a valid designation, benefits follow the statutory order of precedence.
How to change the beneficiary on military and VA life insurance
Active service members change SGLI beneficiaries online through the SGLI Online Enrollment System (SOES) in milConnect; veterans change VGLI beneficiaries online through their VGLI account or with form SGLV 8721.
| Program | How to change the beneficiary |
| SGLI (full-time coverage) | Log in to milConnect, open the Benefits tab, select SOES-SGLI, and edit beneficiaries |
| SGLI (part-time coverage) | Complete SGLV 8286 and submit it to your branch’s personnel office |
| VGLI | Online through your VGLI account (administered by Prudential’s OSGLI), or fax or mail SGLV 8721 to OSGLI |
| VALife (policy prefix G) | Online Policy Access on VA.gov; the change is sent immediately |
| Other VA-administered policies (prefixes V, RH, J, RS, K, W) | Online Policy Access, or VA Form 29-336 mailed to the VA insurance center |
The VA notes that service members can name anyone as a beneficiary without that person’s consent, but the spouse is notified if someone other than the spouse is named. For other VA policies, a veteran who can’t sign may make a mark witnessed by two disinterested parties, and only a court-appointed guardian can change the beneficiary for an incompetent veteran.
Major carrier and government submission matrix
| Carrier or program | Primary route | Form | Witness or notary | Confirmation |
| State Farm | Online (eligible products) or agent | Online life beneficiary form (DocuSign) | Not stated | Through account or agent |
| MetLife | Policyholder site or MyBenefits (group) | Carrier form; mail or fax for some lines | Not stated | Written confirmation |
| Prudential, Guardian, New York Life, Globe Life, Primerica, Transamerica, Union Fidelity | Online account, service center, or agent | Carrier change of beneficiary form | Varies by carrier | Written confirmation |
| FEGLI | Employing office (active) or OPM (retirees) | SF 2823 | Two witnesses, not beneficiaries | Keep a copy; confirm receipt |
| SGLI | milConnect (SOES) | SGLV 8286 for part-time coverage | None online | Certificate of coverage in SOES |
| VGLI | VGLI online account | SGLV 8721 (fax or mail) | None stated | Confirmation from OSGLI |
| VALife and other VA policies | VA Online Policy Access | VA Form 29-336 (other VA policies) | Two witnesses if signing by mark | Immediate online |
Processing times vary. Online changes at SOES and VA Online Policy Access are recorded immediately; paper forms take longer. Confirm with the carrier or agency.
Managing Life Events, Legal Rules, & Deceased Beneficiaries
Most beneficiary problems come from a designation that was right years ago and never updated. Marriage, a new child, divorce, and the death of a beneficiary each call for a specific change.
Changing beneficiaries after marriage, birth, or adoption
After marriage, most people name their spouse as primary beneficiary. After a birth or adoption, the question is how to provide for a child who can’t legally receive the money.
- Â Â Â Â Adding a spouse: submit a change form naming the spouse as primary. In community property states, a spouse may have rights to part of a policy funded with marital income, so some carriers ask for spousal consent when someone else is named.
- Â Â Â Â Children: don’t name a minor directly. Options are a trust (named exactly as written in the trust document), a custodian under your state’s Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) or Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA), or naming your spouse as primary and the trust or custodian as contingent.
- Â Â Â Â Adding a new beneficiary: list every beneficiary you want on the new form. Most carriers treat the new form as replacing all prior designations, so leaving someone off removes them.
For trust-based planning, see life insurance trusts and how life insurance works with estate planning.
Changing beneficiaries after divorce: state revocation laws vs. court decrees
Divorce doesn’t automatically remove an ex-spouse from every policy. Many states have revocation-on-divorce laws that treat the ex-spouse as if they had died, but not all do, and court orders can require the opposite.
-     Revocation-on-divorce statutes: in Sveen v. Melin (June 11, 2018), the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Minnesota’s law and noted that 26 states had adopted similar laws based on Uniform Probate Code § 2-804. In those states, a pre-divorce designation naming the ex-spouse is generally revoked by the divorce unless you re-designate them afterward.
- Â Â Â Â States without such laws: the ex-spouse stays the beneficiary until you change the form.
- Â Â Â Â Court decrees: a divorce decree or settlement can require you to keep an ex-spouse or children as beneficiaries, often to secure child support or alimony. Changing the beneficiary in violation of the decree can lead to a court claim against the proceeds.
- Â Â Â Â Federal and group plans: FEGLI follows its own rules and OPM advises filing a new SF 2823 after divorce. Employer plans governed by federal law may pay the named beneficiary regardless of state revocation statutes, so update them directly.
The safe approach is the same everywhere: file a new designation immediately after the divorce is final, consistent with the decree. Read more in life insurance beneficiary rules after divorce.
How to change an irrevocable beneficiary
To change an irrevocable beneficiary, the irrevocable beneficiary must sign a written consent or release on the carrier’s form, along with the owner. If they refuse, the designation stays unless a court orders otherwise.
Steps:
- Â Â Â Ask the carrier for its irrevocable beneficiary consent or release form.
- Â Â Â Have the irrevocable beneficiary sign it; some carriers require a witness or notary for this signature.
- Â Â Â Submit it with your change of beneficiary form.
- Â Â Â Keep the carrier’s written confirmation.
If the irrevocable designation came from a divorce decree, you’ll usually also need the court’s permission or a modified order.
What happens when a beneficiary dies?
If a primary beneficiary dies before you and you don’t update the policy, the contingent beneficiary receives the benefit. If there’s no living primary or contingent beneficiary, the death benefit is usually paid to your estate and goes through probate.
Two designations control what happens to a deceased beneficiary’s share:
- Â Â Â Â Per stirpes (“by branch”): a deceased beneficiary’s share passes to their descendants. If you name three children per stirpes and one dies first, that child’s share goes to their children.
- Â Â Â Â Per capita (“by head”): a deceased beneficiary’s share is split among the surviving named beneficiaries. The deceased child’s children get nothing from the policy.
Three children named, one predeceases you:
Per stirpes:Â Child A 33.3% | Child B 33.3% | Child C’s kids share 33.3%
Per capita: Â Child A 50% Â | Child B 50% Â | Child C’s kids 0%
Not every carrier supports per stirpes wording, so ask. Our guide on who gets life insurance if a beneficiary is deceased covers the claim process.
Life event action plan
| Life event | Beneficiary adjustment | Legal constraint | Recommended action |
| Marriage | Add spouse as primary; set contingents | Community property consent rules in some states | File a new form within the first month |
| Birth or adoption | Add child via trust or UTMA/UGMA custodian | Minors can’t receive proceeds directly | Set up a trust or custodian, then update the form |
| Divorce | Remove or re-designate ex-spouse | State revocation laws; court decrees may require keeping them | Update immediately after the decree, consistent with its terms |
| Beneficiary dies | Name a new primary or contingent | None | Update within weeks; consider per stirpes |
| Beneficiary is irrevocable | Obtain written consent | Beneficiary’s vested rights; court orders | Request the release form; get legal advice if contested |
| New job or retirement | Update group and FEGLI designations separately | Plan rules; SF 2823 witness requirements | Review every employer and government policy |
| Death of the policy owner (not insured) | Successor owner reviews designations | Ownership transfer rules | Confirm who now owns the policy |
Policy Audits & Safeguarding Your Legacy with M Life Insurance
A beneficiary review once a year, and after every major life event, is the simplest way to make sure your life insurance goes where you intend. It takes a few minutes per policy and costs nothing.
Why annual beneficiary reviews prevent costly conflicts
Outdated designations create disputes between ex-spouses, new spouses, and children, and those disputes can tie up the payout in court. A review catches the common problems:
- Â Â Â Â An ex-spouse still listed as primary.
- Â Â Â Â A deceased parent or sibling still listed, with no contingent.
- Â Â Â Â A minor child named directly.
- Â Â Â Â Group, federal, or military coverage that was never updated when the individual policy was.
- Â Â Â Â Percentages that don’t add up, or a trust named by the wrong title.
How M Life Insurance helps with policy reviews
M Life Insurance specialists can walk through your existing policies with you, help you understand who’s currently named, and point you to the right carrier form or process to make a change. If your coverage no longer fits your family, they can also compare new term or permanent policies.
For related planning questions, see can you have more than one life insurance policy and can nursing homes take your life insurance from your beneficiary.
Step-by-step: review coverage and align your estate goals
- List every policy -> Individual, employer group, FEGLI, SGLI/VGLI, credit life
2. Pull each designation -> Primary, contingent, percentages, revocable or irrevocable
3. Compare to your plan  -> Will, trust, divorce decree, guardianship wishes
4. Fix the gaps    -> New forms for each policy that’s out of date
5. Confirm and file  -> Keep every carrier’s written confirmation together
6. Set a reminder   -> Review yearly and after marriage, birth, divorce, or a death
Note: A beneficiary change is a legal act. If a divorce decree, trust, or business agreement is involved, have an attorney review the change before you submit it.
Conclusion:
Changing a life insurance beneficiary is usually free and takes minutes, but an outdated designation can send the money to the wrong person and nothing in your will can fix it. Review every policy, including employer, federal, and military coverage, after each major life event.
| Your situation | What to do |
| Just married | Name your spouse as primary and add contingents |
| New baby | Name a trust or UTMA/UGMA custodian, not the child directly |
| Recently divorced | File a new designation now, consistent with the decree |
| A beneficiary died | Name a replacement and consider per stirpes |
| Irrevocable beneficiary | Get their signed consent before submitting |
| Federal employee | File SF 2823 with two non-beneficiary witnesses |
| Service member or veteran | Update in milConnect (SOES), your VGLI account, or VA Online Policy Access |
| Not sure what’s on file | Call the carrier or log in and check today |
Then file the confirmation with your policy and set a yearly reminder.
Update Your Policy with M Life Insurance
Not sure your beneficiaries are right, or whether your coverage still fits your family? Consult with M Life Insurance.
M Life Insurance specialists can help you:
- Â Â Â Â Review who’s named on your current policies and whether the designations match your wishes.
- Â Â Â Â Understand revocable and irrevocable designations and what a divorce decree requires.
- Â Â Â Â Decide whether a trust or custodian should be named for minor children.
- Â Â Â Â Compare term and permanent coverage if your needs have changed.
Call (800) 661-8136 or request a free quote. There’s no obligation to buy.
Note: Beneficiary changes are made through your insurance carrier, not through M Life Insurance. For disputes, divorce decrees, or trusts, consult an attorney.
Secure Your Family's Future with Confidence
Don’t leave your loved ones' financial security to chance. Use our expert tools and free resources to find the perfect coverage today.
FAQS
Very easy for a revocable designation. You log in to your carrier’s account or complete a one- or two-page change of beneficiary form, list the new beneficiaries and percentages, sign, and submit. Most people finish in 10 to 15 minutes. It gets harder only when the beneficiary is irrevocable, a divorce decree restricts changes, or the policy is owned by someone else.
Changing a life insurance beneficiary is free; carriers don’t charge for it. Changing who inherits under a will usually requires a codicil or a new will, which typically involves an attorney’s fee that varies by state and complexity. Remember that the will doesn’t control life insurance anyway: the policy’s beneficiary designation does, so update both.
Yes, if the designation is revocable, which is the default on nearly all policies. You can change it as often as you like while you’re alive and competent, and no one’s permission is needed. If the beneficiary is irrevocable, you need their written consent. Court orders, such as a divorce decree, can also limit changes.
If the primary beneficiary has died, the contingent beneficiary collects. If there’s no living primary or contingent beneficiary, the death benefit is usually paid to the insured’s estate and distributed through probate, which takes longer and may expose the money to creditors. A per stirpes designation can instead send a deceased beneficiary’s share to their children.
Not for a revocable beneficiary. The policy owner can change it without telling the current beneficiary. You do need consent from an irrevocable beneficiary, and some carriers require a spouse’s consent in community property states when someone other than the spouse is named.
Sources and 2026 Verification
All sources were opened and checked on October 30, 2026.
- Â Â Â OPM: Designating a beneficiary (FEGLI): SF 2823, two-witness rule, where to file, receipt-before-death rule, advice after marriage or divorce.
- Â Â Â VA: Update your insurance beneficiary: SGLI via SOES or SGLV 8286, VGLI online or SGLV 8721 (OSGLI fax and mailing address), VALife Online Policy Access, VA Form 29-336, witness and guardian rules, spouse notification.
- Â Â Â milConnect help: SGLI Online Enrollment System (SOES) and Army Times: How to change your SGLI beneficiary online (June 2018).
- Â Â Â State Farm: How do I change the beneficiary on my life insurance policy or annuity?: online change process, eligible products, agent route, New York exception.
- Â Â Â MetLife: Forms library: policyholder site, MyBenefits, mail and fax submission.
-    Sveen v. Melin, 584 U.S. ___ (2018) (Justia): revocation-on-divorce statutes upheld; 26 states with laws based on UPC § 2-804.
Note: Carrier processes, portals, and forms change frequently; this guide describes general procedures and the specific steps published by the sources above as of the check date. Confirm current requirements with your carrier. State laws on divorce revocation, community property, and minors vary. This guide is educational and isn’t legal advice.
Â
Joyce Espinoza, Expert Life Insurance Agent
Joyce Espinoza is a trusted life insurance agent at mLifeInsurance.com. She’s been in the insurance industry for over ten years, helping people, especially those with special health conditions to find the right coverage. At MLife Insurance, Joyce writes easy-to-understand articles that help readers make smart choices about life insurance. Previously, she worked directly with clients at Mlife Insurance, advising nearly 3,000 of them on life insurance options.
