Patricia Hayes v. Allison Hayes, Brian Hayes and LPL Financial, LLC

¶ 1. This case involves a dispute over a husband's designation of his niece and nephew, defendants Allison Hayes and Brian Hayes, as the beneficiaries of his Individual Retirement Account (IRA) rather than his wife, plaintiff Patricia Hayes. Husband is now deceased. Wife filed a declaratory judgment action, arguing that the beneficiary designation should be declared void under 14 V.S.A. § 321 and that the IRA funds should pass through husband's estate. The trial court granted summary judgment to defendants, concluding for several reasons that wife was not entitled to relief under § 321. We…