How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Horace Mann
Beneficiaries are managed online, by phone or by mail. Trust paperwork is taken by phone or by mail
For Horace Mann policyholders, estate planning comes down to one critical step: making sure the right beneficiaries are named on every policy. Insurance proceeds bypass probate entirely and go directly to whoever is listed—regardless of what a will says. When estate tax planning or controlled distributions are a factor, a trust can be named as beneficiary instead.
Across 17 product types, Horace Mann policies vary in how they transfer at death. The sections below walk through beneficiary designations, trust funding options, and which products support each method.
Beneficiary form at Horace Mann
Life, Annuity and Group insurance beneficiary change request form (Form IA-009971), Retirement Advantage Designation of Beneficiary Form (RA-000009) and Two-page revision of RA-000009 with Spousal Consent (IA010161).
Open the form →- Click the account you want to update
- Click "Take Action" within that account
- Select "Beneficiary" and enter the change directly online
- A separate designation applies to each account, so repeat for every Retirement Advantage account you hold
- Click "Documents" from the home screen
- Select "Insurance Forms", then "Life Forms"
- Scroll to "Beneficiary Change Form", the Life, Annuity and Group insurance beneficiary change request form (Form IA-009971)
- List primary and contingent beneficiaries; to name a trust, enter the trust as the beneficiary with its full legal name and date
- Life insurance and traditional annuities: Form IA-009971, downloaded from the portal under Documents > Insurance Forms > Life Forms, or requested at 855-393-6467
- Retirement Advantage (403(b), 457(b), 401(a), IRA): Form RA-000009, one form per account, with questions to 800-677-2363
- RA-000009 takes only the last four digits of your Social Security number and requires the employer name whenever a 403(b), 457(b), or 401(a) box is checked
- RA-000009 carries a California fraud notice and is set up for Sertifi electronic signature as well as wet ink
- A two-page revision of RA-000009 is also live, linked from the Iowa Retirement Investors' Club forms page
- The two-page revision adds a notarized Spousal Consent on page 2
- It prints its own return route: HMII Retirement Advantage, P.O. Box 4511, Springfield, IL 62715, or fax 217-541-8370
- Questions on the two-page revision go to 877-602-1870 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CST
- List primary and contingent beneficiaries with relationships, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and benefit percentages; percentages must total 100%
- For a trust, enter the trust as the beneficiary using its exact legal name and date; on RA-000009 the field is Name/Trust with SSN/EIN and DOB/Trust Date
Required Documents
- Beneficiary names and details (Life insurance and traditional annuity form (Form IA-009971)). Names, relationships, Social Security numbers, dates of birth and benefit percentages for primary and contingent beneficiaries
- Trust details (Naming a trust as beneficiary). The trust's full legal name, date established and EIN; on RA-000009 the fields are Name/Trust, SSN/EIN and DOB/Trust Date
- Completed Retirement Advantage form RA-000009 (Changing a Retirement Advantage account on paper). One form per account. It takes only the last four digits of the Social Security number and requires the employer name whenever a 403(b), 457(b) or 401(a) box is checked
- Signed and dated beneficiary change form (Life insurance and traditional annuity form (Form IA-009971))
- Click the account you want to update
- Click "Take Action" within that account
- Select "Beneficiary" and enter the change directly online
- A separate designation applies to each account, so repeat for every Retirement Advantage account you hold
- Click "Documents" from the home screen
- Select "Insurance Forms", then "Life Forms"
- Scroll to "Beneficiary Change Form", the Life, Annuity and Group insurance beneficiary change request form (Form IA-009971)
- List primary and contingent beneficiaries; to name a trust, enter the trust as the beneficiary with its full legal name and date
- Life insurance and traditional annuities: Form IA-009971, downloaded from the portal under Documents > Insurance Forms > Life Forms, or requested at 855-393-6467
- Retirement Advantage (403(b), 457(b), 401(a), IRA): Form RA-000009, one form per account, with questions to 800-677-2363
- RA-000009 takes only the last four digits of your Social Security number and requires the employer name whenever a 403(b), 457(b), or 401(a) box is checked
- RA-000009 carries a California fraud notice and is set up for Sertifi electronic signature as well as wet ink
- A two-page revision of RA-000009 is also live, linked from the Iowa Retirement Investors' Club forms page
- The two-page revision adds a notarized Spousal Consent on page 2
- It prints its own return route: HMII Retirement Advantage, P.O. Box 4511, Springfield, IL 62715, or fax 217-541-8370
- Questions on the two-page revision go to 877-602-1870 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CST
- List primary and contingent beneficiaries with relationships, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and benefit percentages; percentages must total 100%
- For a trust, enter the trust as the beneficiary using its exact legal name and date; on RA-000009 the field is Name/Trust with SSN/EIN and DOB/Trust Date
Required Documents
- Beneficiary names and details (Life insurance and traditional annuity form (Form IA-009971)). Names, relationships, Social Security numbers, dates of birth and benefit percentages for primary and contingent beneficiaries
- Trust details (Naming a trust as beneficiary). The trust's full legal name, date established and EIN; on RA-000009 the fields are Name/Trust, SSN/EIN and DOB/Trust Date
- Completed Retirement Advantage form RA-000009 (Changing a Retirement Advantage account on paper). One form per account. It takes only the last four digits of the Social Security number and requires the employer name whenever a 403(b), 457(b) or 401(a) box is checked
- Signed and dated beneficiary change form (Life insurance and traditional annuity form (Form IA-009971))
Required Documents
- Assignment or change of ownership form (Making an ILIT the owner of a life policy). Request it from Horace Mann; there is no public download
- The trust's legal name, date established and EIN (Naming a trust as beneficiary or making it the owner of a life policy)
- Trustee name and identification (Naming a trust as beneficiary or making it the owner of a life policy)
- Certification of Trust or trust abstract. The full trust instrument is sent only if Horace Mann asks for it
- Trust EIN documentation. IRS Letter 147C or the SS-4 confirmation
What Horace Mann says about beneficiaries and trusts
Each section is Horace Mann's own statement, with the document it comes from numbered under Sources.
Which accounts take a beneficiary4
- Life insurance policy
A life insurance beneficiary change is made on paper, on the Life, Annuity and Group insurance beneficiary change request form.1
- Annuity
A traditional annuity beneficiary change is made on paper, on the Life, Annuity and Group insurance beneficiary change request form.1
- Employer retirement plan
Retirement Advantage 403(b), 457(b) and 401(a) accounts change online with no paperwork. A separate designation is required for each account.2
- IRA
Retirement Advantage IRAs change online with no paperwork, or on Form RA-000009. A separate designation is required for each account.2
Who can be named2
- A trust
A trust can be named as beneficiary of a life policy, an annuity or a Retirement Advantage account.3
RA-000009 takes the trust name in its Name/Trust field, with the trust EIN in the SSN/EIN column and the trust date in the DOB/Trust Date column.2
- A minor
Minor children cannot receive benefits directly. A custodian or a trust is named instead.3
How many beneficiaries, and how shares are split
What a designation takes to be effective
- Life insurance policy
The policy owner signs, and both owners sign a jointly owned policy. An irrevocable beneficiary must also sign any change.1
If the policy was issued in a community or marital property state, the owner's spouse must also sign the life and annuity beneficiary change form.1
- Employer retirement plan
The earlier two-page revision of RA-000009 carries a Spousal Consent on page 2, signed by the spouse and notarized. Horace Mann says it is required if the plan is subject to ERISA or the client lives in a community property state.4
The 08-24 revision of RA-000009 linked from the Retirement Advantage Resources page is one page and has no spousal-consent section.2
Beneficiary forms Horace Mann issues3
- Life, Annuity and Group insurance beneficiary change request form (Form IA-009971)
Completed online.1
Return to
Mailing address: Horace Mann Life Insurance Company, 1 Horace Mann Plaza, Springfield, IL 62715-0001
- Retirement Advantage Designation of Beneficiary Form (RA-000009)
Available to download.2
- Two-page revision of RA-000009 with Spousal Consent (IA010161)
Available to download.4
Return to
Fax: 1-217-541-8370
Mailing address: HMII Retirement Advantage, P.O. Box 4511, Springfield, IL 62715
What Horace Mann's agreement says about beneficiaries3
- A designation and a will
Beneficiary designations on life insurance, annuities, and 403(b)/457(b) accounts override a will.3
- When a designation takes effect
Horace Mann states the change takes effect as of the date the request was signed, subject to any payment already made or action already taken before it was received.1
A phone call alone never changes a beneficiary. Nothing is effective until the signed form is received.1
- Changing or revoking a designation
Each new designation revokes all previous designations on that account. RA-000009 states "a separate form must be submitted for each account" and "I hereby revoke all previous beneficiary designations".2
State requirements Horace Mann statesArizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin
- Arizona
The owner's spouse must also sign the life and annuity beneficiary change form.1
- California
The owner's spouse must also sign the life and annuity beneficiary change form.1
- Idaho
The owner's spouse must also sign the life and annuity beneficiary change form.1
- Louisiana
The owner's spouse must also sign the life and annuity beneficiary change form.1
- Nevada
The owner's spouse must also sign the life and annuity beneficiary change form.1
- New Mexico
The owner's spouse must also sign the life and annuity beneficiary change form.1
- Texas
The owner's spouse must also sign the life and annuity beneficiary change form.1
- Washington
The owner's spouse must also sign the life and annuity beneficiary change form.1
- Wisconsin
The owner's spouse must also sign the life and annuity beneficiary change form.1
Which accounts a trust can hold5
- Life insurance policy
A life policy can be owned by a trust (an ILIT) or name one as beneficiary.3
- Annuity
An annuity can name a trust as beneficiary but can never be retitled into one.3
- Employer retirement plan
Every 403(b), 457(b), and 401(a) can name a trust as beneficiary but can never be retitled into one.3
- Health, long-term care or disability policy
Supplemental (cancer, heart, hospital, accident) and disability policies can neither be owned by a trust nor name one as beneficiary.3
- Auto, home or renters policy
Auto and property policies can neither be owned by a trust nor name one as beneficiary.3
What Horace Mann says about trust accounts2
Sources5
- 1.Life, Annuity and Group insurance beneficiary change request form (Form IA-009971)
- 2.Retirement Advantage Designation of Beneficiary Form (RA-000009)
- 3.Horace Mann customer portal
- 4.Two-page revision of RA-000009 (IA010161)
- 5.Updating Beneficiaries
Sources
Data sourced from Horace Mann primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Horace Mann instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Horace Mann primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Horace Mann estate support
Horace Mann Customer Service
Phone
Toll-free
Beneficiary updates (life and annuity)
Retirement Advantage (current clients)
Retirement Advantage team / HMII, printed on Form RA-000009
Retirement Advantage (new enrollments)
Supplemental Life service and supplemental claims
Hours
Mailing address
Website
Estate requests go through general customer service.
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