The Hive Law · Client guide

Your beneficiary form, filled in the right way.

You only fill in one beneficiary: your trust. This picture shows a finished form. The steps below walk you through each numbered box.

Use this guide for each account your Blueprint says to leave to your trust.

Stuck? Call us(770) 710-3422
Beneficiary DesignationSample · your form will look different
Beneficiary 1
Primary Contingent 2
NameTrustee of the Smith Family Revocable Living Trust, dated March 3, 2026 3
Relationship to OwnerOwner's Revocable Living Trust 4
Percent100% 5
SS# / Tax IDyour own number 6
Date of Birth- 8
Addressyour own home address 7
Leave empty
Stuck? Call us(770) 710-3422
Your beneficiary formFrom your 401(k), IRA, insurance, or bank
Your trust documentYou will copy its name and date
A penBlue or black ink
Step by step

One box at a time

  1. 1

    Find your trust's name and date

    Open your trust. The name is the title, usually at the top of the first page. The date it was signed is written in the trust.

    You will copy both onto the form, word for word. Do not shorten the name.

    Cannot find the date? Call us. We will tell you.

  2. 2

    Check the box that says Primary

    Your trust is your main beneficiary. Leave Contingent empty.

    Looks like this
    Primary Contingent
  3. 3

    Write your trust on the Name line

    WriteTrustee of the name of your trust, dated the date it was signed

    If your form has separate boxes for Trust Name and Trust Date, put each one in its own box.

    Example only. Use your own trust.
    NameTrustee of the Smith Family Revocable Living Trust, dated March 3, 2026
  4. 4

    Fill in the Relationship line

    Your form will say "Relationship to" and then one word. Find that word below. Write the words next to it.

    Your form saysYou write
    ParticipantParticipant's Revocable Living Trust
    OwnerOwner's Revocable Living Trust
    InsuredInsured's Revocable Living Trust
    Account HolderAccount Holder's Revocable Living Trust
    Looks like this
    Relationship to OwnerOwner's Revocable Living Trust

    Asked to pick a type? Pick "Trust." Never "Estate."

  5. 5

    Write 100% on the Percent line

    Your trust gets all of it.

    Looks like this
    Percent to beneficiary100%
  6. 6

    In the SS# or Tax ID box

    WriteYour own Social Security number

    Your trust uses your number while you are alive. Married? Each of you writes your own number on your own accounts.

    If the company asks for a different number, call us.

    Looks like this
    SS# / Tax IDyour own number
  7. 7

    Write your own home address

    Use the address where you live now.

    Looks like this
    Addressyour street, city, state, and ZIP
  8. 8

    Leave the rest empty

    Leave Date of Birth, M or F, and every other beneficiary row empty. That includes Contingent.

    Your trust already says who gets this money and who comes next. The form only needs one row: your trust.

    Looks like this
    Date of birth-
    M / F-
    Beneficiary 2 name-

    Nothing here. That is correct.

Last step

Finish and send

Married, and this is a 401(k) or other work plan?Your spouse will usually need to sign a spouse consent section, in front of a notary or a plan representative. Do not skip it.
  • Sign and date the form.
  • Make a copy for yourself.
  • Send the form to the company.
  • Ask the company to confirm the change in writing. Send us a copy.

We are happy to help.

No question is too small. Call before you send the form if anything is unclear.

Call(770) 710-3422
Emailmelissa.breyer@thehivelaw.com

This is a general guide for clients of The Hive Law. The Smith trust shown is an example only. Your trust and your Blueprint control. Every company's form looks a little different. Filling out the form online? The boxes are the same, so use the same answers.