Glossary

Per stirpes

A way of splitting proceeds by family branch, so if a beneficiary dies before the insured, that person's share passes to their own descendants.

Also called: by the branch, by right of representation

Per stirpes, Latin for "by the branch" or "by the roots," is a distribution method used in beneficiary designations, wills and trusts. Each named beneficiary's share is treated as belonging to that person's branch of the family. If a beneficiary dies before the insured, their share goes to their descendants, typically their children in equal parts, rather than being redistributed to the other named beneficiaries.

Say, hypothetically, you name your three children per stirpes on a $600,000 policy. If all three survive you, each gets $200,000. If one child died first, leaving two children, those grandchildren split their parent's $200,000, or $100,000 each, while your two surviving children still receive $200,000 apiece. Under per capita, the two surviving children would each get $300,000.

Per stirpes keeps each branch whole and is common in family estate plans. Watch for practical issues: insurers generally can't pay large sums directly to minor grandchildren, so a court-appointed guardian or UTMA custodian may be needed. Insurers may also ask for documents proving the family relationships at claim time, and the exact meaning can vary by state law and policy form. See per stirpes vs per capita beneficiary designations and the per stirpes vs per capita calculator.

Last reviewed October 4, 2026

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Related terms

Per capita A way of dividing proceeds equally among the named beneficiaries still living at the insured's death, so a deceased one's share goes to the survivors. Beneficiary designation The signed instruction on file with an insurer naming who receives a policy's proceeds, in what shares and in what order. Contingent beneficiary The person or entity who receives life insurance proceeds only if every primary beneficiary has died or cannot accept the payment. Primary beneficiary The person, trust, charity or estate first in line to receive a life insurance death benefit when the insured dies. UTMA custodian An adult who manages money, such as life insurance proceeds, for a minor under a state's Uniform Transfers to Minors Act until the child comes of age.

Related guides

What happens if your beneficiary dies before you Who gets the death benefit when a named beneficiary dies first: contingent beneficiaries, shares, anti-lapse rules, simultaneous deaths and the estate fallback. How to choose a life insurance beneficiary Who to name as a life insurance beneficiary, how to split shares, and when a trust or custodian beats naming a child or your estate. Includes a checklist. Life insurance and your will Your will does not decide who gets your life insurance; the beneficiary form does. How the two interact, where they conflict, and a checklist to align them. Life insurance for grandchildren Grandparents can insure a grandchild or insure themselves and leave proceeds to grandchildren. Rules, taxes and trade-offs of each approach. Per stirpes vs per capita beneficiary designations Per stirpes sends a deceased beneficiary's share to their children; per capita splits it among survivors. A worked example and what to check on your form. Primary vs contingent beneficiaries A primary beneficiary is paid first; a contingent beneficiary is the backup. How the two levels work, how to split shares, and what happens when both are gone.

Related tools

Per stirpes vs per capita calculator Shows who receives what from a life insurance payout if one of your children dies before you, under a per stirpes and a per capita designation.