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HB974 • 2026

Divorce beneficiary revocation; clarify the effective date.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 91-29-23, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE REVOCATION OF AN EX-SPOUSE AS A BENEFICIARY SHALL APPLY TO ALL DESIGNATIONS MADE BY OR ON BEHALF OF A DECEDENT ON OR AFTER JULY 1, 2026; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Mangold
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
Passage

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass during its session, so it has no current legal effect.

Clarify When a Former Spouse Is No Longer a Beneficiary

This bill changes the law to clarify that when someone gets divorced, their ex-spouse is no longer listed as the beneficiary of any life insurance policy they have from July 1, 2026 onwards.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes Mississippi's laws about who can be a beneficiary on a life insurance policy after a divorce to apply to all designations made by or on behalf of a decedent on or after July 1, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who get divorced and have life insurance policies with their ex-spouse as the beneficiary.
  • Insurance companies that need to follow these new rules when paying out life insurance benefits.

Terms To Know

Beneficiary
The person or entity designated by a policyholder to receive the proceeds of an insurance policy upon the death of the insured.
Decedent
A deceased person, especially one who has died recently and whose estate is being settled.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass during its session.
  • It only applies to designations made on or after July 1, 2026.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-16 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/16 (H) Referred To Judiciary A

Official Summary Text

Divorce beneficiary revocation; clarify the effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 974 *HR31/R65* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR31/R65
PAGE 1 (GT\JAB)

To: Judiciary A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Mangold

HOUSE BILL NO. 974

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 91-29-23, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO CLARIFY THAT THE REVOCATION OF AN EX-SPOUSE AS A BENEFICIARY 2
SHALL APPLY TO ALL DESIGNATIONS MADE BY OR ON BEHALF OF A DECEDENT 3
ON OR AFTER JULY 1, 2026; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 5
SECTION 1. Section 91-29-23, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 6
amended as follows: 7
91-29-23. Pre-decree designation of ex-spouse as beneficiary 8
of life insurance. (a) If a decree of divorce or annulment is 9
rendered after an insured has designated the insured's spouse as a 10
beneficiary under a life insurance policy in force at the time of 11
rendition, a provision in the policy in favor of the insured's 12
former spouse is not effective unless: 13
(1) The decree designates the insured's former spouse 14
as the beneficiary; 15
(2) The insured redesignates the former spouse as the 16
beneficiary after rendition of the decree; or 17
H. B. No. 974 *HR31/R65* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R65
PAGE 2 (GT\JAB)
ST: Divorce beneficiary revocation; clarify the
effective date.
(3) The former spouse is designated to receive the 18
proceeds in trust for, on behalf of, or for the benefit of a child 19
or a dependent of either former spouse. 20
(b) If a designation is not effective under subsection (a), 21
the proceeds of the policy are payable to the named alternative 22
beneficiary or, if there is not a named alternative beneficiary, 23
to the estate of the insured. 24
(c) An insurer who pays the proceeds of a life insurance 25
policy issued by the insurer to the beneficiary under a 26
designation that is not effective under subsection (a) is liable 27
for payment of the proceeds to the person or estate provided by 28
subsection (b) only if: 29
(1) Before payment of the proceeds to the designated 30
beneficiary, the insurer receives written notice at the home 31
office of the insurer from an interested person that the 32
designation is not effective under subsection (a); and 33
(2) The insurer has not interpleaded the proceeds into 34
the registry of a court of competent jurisdiction in accordance 35
with the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure. 36
(d) This section shall apply to all designations made by or 37
on behalf of a decedent who died on or after July 1, 2026. 38
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 39
and after its passage. 40