How often should Servicemember's Group Life Insurance (SGLI) beneficiaries be verified?

The correct answer emphasizes that verifying SGLI beneficiaries should occur after major life changes. This is important as life events such as marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, or the death of a beneficiary can significantly impact whom a servicemember wishes to designate as their beneficiaries. Updating beneficiary information ensures that the insurance benefit will go to the intended recipient, reflecting any personal or family changes in the servicemember's life.

Regular updates after major life changes align with best practices for financial planning and protecting loved ones, ensuring that the servicemember’s intentions regarding their life insurance are current. This approach helps safeguard against outdated decisions that may not reflect the servicemember's current situation.

For context, verifying beneficiaries only upon entering service does not account for the potential changes in personal circumstances that could arise over time. Similarly, verifying every five years and annually may not be frequent enough to capture critical life changes that necessitate updates to beneficiary designations. Hence, focusing on life changes is essential to maintain the accuracy and relevance of beneficiary information.