How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Talcott Resolution

For Talcott Resolution 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.

Talcott Resolution has 11 product types, and the estate transfer rules differ across them. Some support beneficiary designations, some can be retitled into a trust, and others will require probate if nothing is set up. Each is covered below.