Estate planning with COUNTRY Financial policies centers on beneficiary designations—the single most important step for ensuring life insurance proceeds and annuity benefits reach the intended recipients without probate involvement. Unlike bank or brokerage accounts, insurance products are not retitled into trusts; instead, trusts are named as beneficiaries when estate tax planning or controlled distributions are needed.

COUNTRY Financial offers 7 policies, each with its own transfer rules. The sections below cover how to set up beneficiaries, fund a trust, and which products support each approach.

COUNTRY Financial Flexible Premium Deferred AnnuityCOUNTRY Financial Single Premium Deferred AnnuityCOUNTRY Financial Single Premium Immediate AnnuityCOUNTRY Financial Retirement Planning

1Visit your local COUNTRY Financial representative

2Request to change beneficiaries on your life insurance policy

3Bring government-issued photo ID and your policy number

4Your representative will provide and assist with the Life Beneficiary Change Form

5Complete the form with primary and contingent beneficiary details

6Sign the form with witness and spouse signatures as required

Required Documents

Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)

Special Requirements

All beneficiary designations are revocable unless otherwise specified or otherwise required by law
Percentage allocations must total 100% for each beneficiary tier
Witness and spouse signatures may be required on the form
Spouse signature is required if the policy owner resides in a community property state (AZ, CA, ID, LA, NV, NM, TX, WA, and WI)
If the policy owner resides in Ohio, the Beneficiary or Owner Change Request Questionnaire must also be completed
The Beneficiary Change Form cannot be used to change the policy owner; use the Absolute Assignment and W-9 forms for ownership changes
The Disposition of Contract Form should be used to add or change a contingent owner
Beneficiary designations on life insurance policies override instructions in a will
Only the policy owner can change beneficiary designations
If a trustee is designated as beneficiary, proof of authority to act and acceptance of duties must be received within six months after the death of the insured, or proceeds are paid to the succeeding named beneficiary or to the estate
If there is more than one insured on a policy, a separate Beneficiary Change Form may need to be completed for each insured