Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Wyoming

Re: beneficiary when you open a money market, savings, cd's and checking accounts.

The card will determine disposition of the assets in the accounts. Transfer on death ("TOD") accounts and beneficiary designations have the "advantage" of distributing the assets they control outside of probate. Depending upon one's individual circumstances, avoiding probate can provide one's heirs with more, by minimizing taxes and administrative costs.

If the card you have on file at the bank contains directions different from how you would dispose of the assets today, you need to contact the bank to revoke or update your directions.

What good is a will? I know this question is hyperbole, so to retort kindly: Do you have assets aside from the bank accounts?

Whether it is better to dispose of assets in or outside of probate (or a combination of the two) requires an analysis of tax and legal factors. If you want to do the analysis yourself, books from the Nolo Press are a good starting point. Otherwise, consult with your accountant and/or attorney.