How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Northwestern Mutual

For Northwestern Mutual 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.

With 14 product types, Northwestern Mutual offers a range of transfer options. Some policies support beneficiary designations, others can be retitled into a trust, and some require probate if no beneficiary is designated. The sections below break down each step.