Civilians: Don't let your ex get your checks

CAPE MAY, N.J. - Chief Petty Officer William Herr, chief of police for Training Center Cape May, and his sons browse the aisles of the new Coast Guard Market Place aboard the training center during a sneak peek for Coast Guard families Nov. 4, 2012. The new MarketPlace is a benefit for military service members, their families, authorized beneficiaries and military retirees. Coast Guard photo by Chief Warrant Officer Donnie Brzuska.

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Browsing the aisles

CAPE MAY, N.J. - Chief Petty Officer William Herr, chief of police for Training Center Cape May, and his sons browse the aisles of the new Coast Guard Market Place aboard the training center during a sneak peek for Coast Guard families Nov. 4, 2012. The new MarketPlace is a benefit for military service members, their families, authorized beneficiaries and military retirees. Coast Guard photo by Chief Warrant Officer Donnie Brzuska.

You’ve asked your valentine “will you be mine?” and now it’s time to file the associated paperwork to make things official. The Coast Guard’s Retirement and Benefits Service Center encourages civilian employees to review and update your designation of beneficiary forms.

Keeping complete and current designation of beneficiary forms on file is the best way to ensure that your benefits are disbursed correctly.

If you are satisfied with the beneficiary designations you currently have on file, you do not need to file new designations.

If your relationship or family status has changed – marriage, divorce, adoption, etc. – the original designation remains valid until the beneficiary has been updated. If beneficiary forms are not completed a standard order of precedence applies at the time of death.

Forms to make sure you’ve updated include: