United States Third Circuit

In an action by a decedent's estate against an ERISA plan administrator and the decedent's ex-wife, who was a named beneficiary on her ex-husband's 401(k) plan, seeking a declaration that the decedent's estate was entitled to the funds in the 401(k) account because of a waiver signed by the ex-wife as part of a property settlement upon divorce, the district court's grant of summary judgment to the defendants is: 1) affirmed in part, as the plan was required to distribute the funds to the ex-wife as the named beneficiary; but 2) reversed in part, as the estate could sue the ex-wife to enforce her waiver and recover the disputed plan proceeds.

Appellate Information

• Decided 03/20/2012
• Published 03/20/2012

Judges

• Barry

Court

• United States Third Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Lori M. McNeely, Michael S. Rothmel