This is a Designating Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) Beneficiaries Document. Many soldiers seek counseling from Legal Assistance Offices regarding their estate planning goals. For most soldiers, SGLI proceeds are the largest asset they will pass on to their survivors. Unfortunately, many soldiers are not sure how best to provide for their family members upon their death. This article provides general guidance on alternative SGLI beneficiary designations and how these designations will best provide for family members. The purpose of SGLI is to provide for immediate family members, including parents. You are encouraged, but not required, to name these individuals as your SGLI beneficiaries. lf you are unmarried, you may name your parents, siblings, other family members, or friends as your beneficiaries. If you are married or have children from a prior marriage or relationship, you face a more complex decision. Married service members often name their spouse as their primary beneficiary. They also frequently want to name their children as contingent beneficiaries. For members with children from a previous marriage or relationship, they normally provide for these children through their primary and/or contingent beneficiary designations. The included paragraphs discuss the advantages and disadvantages of alternative approaches to providing for minor children through SGLI beneficiary designations.
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