People do not always acquire property after they get married. Sometimes one spouse buys the house prior to the marriage, and ...

Understanding the spousal consent requirements for changing a 401(k) beneficiary is key to following all legal and procedural steps, protecting both the account holder and their spouse. By getting ...

The American Academy of Actuaries has developed a range of options that public policymakers, as well as plan sponsors, should ...

For example, the current law provides a woman very little protection if her spouse takes a 401(k) distribution without her consent. Some lawmakers are trying to change that by reintroducing the ...

A pair of Democratic bills recently introduced in the House and Senate would require spouses to consent before either one can make any withdrawals from their 401(k) accounts. The bills ...

In a qualified plan account, the spouse is the default beneficiary. Spousal consent is required to change the beneficiary for these accounts. A spousal beneficiary rollover is a transfer of fund ...

Under Arizona law, lenders cannot enforce a guaranty against community property if the guarantor’s spouse did not consent to it. New Mexico law, meanwhile, takes a more tangled road but ...

The Women’s Retirement Protection Act (WPRA) of 2025 would require the consent of both partners in order to take out a 401(k) loan or distribution. Under current law, one spouse can withdraw ...

Federal law allows for state legislatures to easily roll back women’s ability to initiate divorce without spousal consent or proof of abuse. Although the Supreme Court recognized in 2015’s ...

Changing the beneficiary of a 401(k) plan can involve specific requirements, particularly when it comes to spousal consent. In many cases, to protect your spouse's financial interests, you need ...