How to designate beneficiaries at Berkshire Hathaway Life

The settlement agreement controls whether a beneficiary can be designated or changed at all. BHLN cannot grant a right the agreement withholds.¹

A revocable or irrevocable trust can be named as beneficiary of any remaining certain payments. BHLN requires a copy of the trust agreement on file before any payment is issued to it.²

Each beneficiary is given a percentage share. Primary beneficiary percentages must total 100%, and contingent beneficiary percentages must separately total 100%.²

Per stirpes designations are not accepted. BHLN rejects any designation leaving a payee under $100 per payment, and may reject one below $1,000 per payment, by written notice, where the contract provides for that threshold.²

The payee signs, or an authorized fiduciary such as a guardian or trustee, stating the relationship. All joint payees must sign, and a spouse is asked to sign when someone other than the spouse is named.²

Notarization is required if the payee's verified signature is not in BHLN's records, which is common for beneficiaries and for anyone who was a minor when the settlement was finalized.²

Electronic signatures are accepted only after enrolling with a notarized E-Sign Authorization (SS-509), and only when BH Structures starts the signing with two-factor authentication.¹

Where the settlement agreement of a minor or incompetent adult was approved by court order, changing the beneficiary designation requires court approval.¹

For annuitys. Completed by the payee. Available to download.²

Return to

Completed by the payee, to enroll in electronic signatures. Sent by the institution on request. Must be notarized.¹

Beneficiary changes must be in writing on form SS-394k. All beneficiary designations are subject to approval.²

If a beneficiary dies before the payee, that beneficiary's share is split pro rata among the living beneficiaries of the same class, primary or contingent.¹

If designations fail, payment passes to the primary beneficiaries, then the contingent beneficiaries, then the estate of the payee.¹

Payments are never issued to minors. Guardianship or other legally acceptable fiduciary documentation is required at the payee's death.²

The Payee Portal displays the beneficiary information on file for eligible contracts.³

Massachusetts residents must use the encrypted email system, requested through the Contact page, instead of plain email.⁴

A BHLN contract cannot be retitled into a trust. Once the assignment is complete, BHG Structured Settlements, Inc. owns a structured settlement annuity and "the payments cannot be altered"; single premium immediate annuities generally do not permit ownership changes after issue.¹

BHLN suspended new business in 2023 and sells nothing direct, so there is no contract a trust could buy.¹