Participant Information

Participant's Full Legal Name
Date of Birth
Address
Are you married?

Primary Beneficiary

Or the trust, estate, or organization name
Date of Birth
Relationship to Participant
Selected Value: 100

Contingent Beneficiary

Or the trust, estate, or organization name
Date of Birth
Relationship to Participant
Selected Value: 0
List each person's name, relationship, date of birth, share, and whether they're primary or contingent.

Authorizations

Authorization
Clear Signature
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When an employee wants to name or change who receives their 401(k) account, HR and benefits teams often end up chasing missing details by email. The 401k Beneficiary Form Template collects a plan participant’s beneficiary designation request in one place, so you can pass it to your plan administrator complete.

It suits employers that sponsor a 401(k), benefits administrators, and financial advisors who help clients update a retirement plan beneficiary or file a change of beneficiary request. The designation takes effect only once the plan accepts it, under the plan’s own rules.

Why Should I Use a 401(k) Beneficiary Form Template?

Beneficiary updates tend to follow a marriage, a divorce, or a new child, and the plan needs the same details every time. A consistent form means fewer follow-ups and a clear record of what the participant asked for.

The form starts with Participant Information, which includes:

  • Participant’s full legal name
  • Email and phone
  • Date of birth
  • Plan or employer name and employee ID
  • Home address
  • Marital status, with a spousal-consent note when a married participant’s spouse isn’t their only primary beneficiary

The Primary Beneficiary and Contingent Beneficiary sections each include:

  • Full legal name, or the trust, estate, or charity name
  • Email and phone (optional)
  • Date of birth
  • Relationship to the participant (Spouse or partner, Child, Parent, Sibling, Other relative, Trust, Estate, Charity, or Other)
  • Share (%)

An Additional beneficiaries box lets participants list anyone else, with each person’s relationship and share. The contingent section is optional for participants who name only a primary beneficiary.

The Authorizations section closes the form with a confirmation that the details are accurate, the participant’s signature, and the date signed.

You’ll get an email notification for each request, and the participant gets a short confirmation. Add your plan administrator’s name to the bracketed text, and use the PDF addon if your plan wants a signed copy. Spousal consent and other requirements depend on your plan, so check your plan documents before you publish.

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