Sometimes it’s easier not to reinvent the wheel. Back in 2006, Debra M. Simon, CPA wrote an excellent article about Understanding the Pitfalls of Beneficiary Designation Forms. Included in that article is a clear explanation what it means to name your issue, “per stirpes” compared to naming your issue, “per stirpes by representation” as beneficiaries under a retirement account, Will or life insurance policy.
I strongly recommend anyone who has more than one child read this article because if one of your children passes before you, you may inadvertently be cutting your grandchildren out of your estate plan.
Thank you to Robert Kenny, Esq. for bringing this article to my attention.