Lori Ashmore Peters, Managing Attorney for Estate Planning and Probate at The Ashmore Law Firm, was quoted in Moneywise on a question many families face after a parent dies: what can adult children do when they discover a life insurance policy was changed to name a second spouse? The article, by Christy Bieber, was published September 13, 2026 and syndicated on Yahoo Finance.
Drawing on her probate litigation practice, Lori explained that there are really only two ways to challenge a beneficiary designation: proving the parent lacked the capacity to make the change, or proving he was unduly influenced. She cautioned that both can be very difficult to prove without a long-standing diagnosis such as dementia or Alzheimer's.
Her most practical advice was about speed. As Lori told Moneywise, "Timing is the greatest factor." Once a policy pays out, recovering the money becomes much harder, so families who suspect something is wrong should act quickly.
Read the full article on MoneyWise. (syndicated on Yahoo Finance)
Why it matters for your family
Life insurance passes by beneficiary designation, not by a will, so a changed form can override everything else in an estate plan. Families can protect against these disputes by reviewing beneficiary forms after any marriage, divorce, or remarriage, and by having open conversations while parents are living. Learn more about probate vs. non-probate assets in Texas, what a beneficiary is, and estate planning after divorce.
When a dispute has already started, Lori and the firm's probate team handle will contests, probate litigation, and fiduciary litigation for families throughout Dallas an
