What is a lapsed beneficiary?

A lapsed beneficiary is someone who was named as a beneficiary in a will or other estate planning document, but the individual is no longer eligible to receive the benefit. In Washington, a lapsed beneficiary may occur when the named beneficiary predeceases the testator, or if the testator specifically revokes their right to receive the benefit. A lapsed beneficiary may also occur if the will or trust includes a clause that voids the beneficiary’s right to the benefit after a certain period of time. In these cases, the lapsed beneficiary will not receive any part of the estate even if they are still alive at the time of the testator’s death. In Washington probate law, a lapsed beneficiary can be replaced by a substitute beneficiary or, if no substitute beneficiary exists, the benefit allocated to the lapsed beneficiary passes to the residuary beneficiary of the will or trust.

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