未成年孩子的退休金与银行账户继承规划 Planning Inheritance for Minors: Retirement and Bank Accounts
- The Shi Law Group 熙承律师事务所
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
你的银行账户、退休金账户或者人寿保险的受益人是谁？很多人会说：“是我的配偶”或者“是我的孩子”。
但是，当孩子还未满18岁时，情况就没那么简单了。
Who is the beneficiary of your bank account, retirement account, or life insurance policy? Many people would answer, “my spouse” or “my child.”
However, when the child is a minor (under 18), the situation is not that simple.
【问题解析 Problem Analysis】
未成年人没有办法直接继承你的财产。即便你的退休金、银行账户或者人寿保险的受益人写的是你的小孩名字，法院仍会指定一个财产监护人（guardian）。这个监护人需与法院联名开设账户，把所有资金存入该账户，直至孩子成年（通常18岁），然后一次性发放给孩子。
问题在于：
整个过程复杂、耗时且昂贵；
孩子18岁时一次性拿到大笔资金，可能缺乏财务管理能力；
父母对资金使用完全没有控制权。
Minors cannot directly inherit assets. Even if your retirement accounts, bank accounts, or life insurance list your child as the beneficiary, the court will appoint a guardian to manage the assets. The guardian must open a joint account with the court, deposit all funds, and release them to the child at age 18.
This creates several issues:
The process is costly, time-consuming, and complicated;
A sudden lump sum at 18 may be mismanaged;
Parents lose all control over how the money is used.
【解决方案 Solution】
最好的做法是：
建立可撤销生前信托（Revocable Living Trust），或者
在遗嘱中建立备用信托（Testamentary Standby Trust）。
这样做的好处：
受托人（Trustee）可管理资金，确保孩子在未成熟前安全使用；
可承接退休金和银行账户的受益人资金，通过信托传递给孩子；
可设定孩子达到成熟年龄（如25或30岁）再逐步释放资产。
The best approach is to:
Create a revocable living trust, or
Include a testamentary standby trust in your will.
Benefits include:
A trustee manages funds, ensuring safe usage before the child is mature;
Beneficiary-designated assets from retirement and bank accounts can flow into the trust;
Assets are released gradually at a maturity age you determine (e.g., 25 or 30).
【风险提醒 Risk Reminder】
如果不进行规划：
孩子资金由法院控制，流程繁琐又昂贵；
孩子一次性拿到巨额资金，可能导致浪费或冲动使用；
父母无法控制资产使用方式。
Without planning:
Court-appointed guardians manage the assets, creating delays and high costs;
Minors receive a lump sum at 18, which can be misused;
Parents lose all control over how assets are spent.
【律所小贴士 From The Shi Law Group】
即便你不想建立完整的生前信托，至少在遗嘱中加入备用信托条款，可以最大程度保护未成年孩子的利益，确保财富安全、高效传承。
Even if you choose not to create a full living trust, including a standby trust in your will is highly recommended. It protects your child and ensures your assets are efficiently and safely transferred.
【联系我们 Contact Us】
熙承律师事务所专注于家庭财富传承、遗产规划、信托、遗嘱、婚前协议与跨境资产规划等。我们为纽约州和新泽西州的华人家庭提供专业、细致且富有关怀的法律服务。若您在结婚、离婚或同居安排上有疑问，欢迎随时联系我们进行咨询与规划。
The Shi Law Group, PLLC focuses on family wealth transfer, estate planning, trusts, wills, prenuptial agreements, and cross-border asset planning. We provide professional, attentive, and compassionate legal services to Chinese families in New York and New Jersey. If you have questions about marriage, divorce, or cohabitation planning, please contact us for consultation.
📧 邮箱 Email: info@mshilaw.com
📞 电话 Phone: +1 (917) 720-6943
🏢 地址 Address: 500 Old Country Rd, Suite 302, Garden City, NY 11530
如需预约咨询，请通过电话、电子邮件或在我们网站上提交预约请求。我们将安排有相关经验的律师与您沟通。
To schedule a consultation, contact us by phone, email, or book through our website. We will arrange for an experienced attorney to speak with you.
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