Opinion ID: 1296720
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: SBS Waiver

Text: C.B. also argues that the court erred in dividing C.B.'s SBS benefits evenly in light of Vicki's signed waiver of her right to anything other than 25% of such benefits in the event of C.B.'s death. C.B. states that Vicki should not be given more in the divorce proceeding, at the expense of C.B.'s heirs, than that to which she voluntarily limited herself. The court correctly ruled that Vicki's waiver did not limit her to a 25% share of the benefits. Beneficiary designation is concerned only with disposition of account benefits upon C.B.'s death; it has no bearing on the valuation and division of this marital asset upon divorce. This court has previously established that SBS benefits earned during marriage are marital property subject to equitable division upon divorce. Mann, 778 P.2d at 592. Nevertheless, we have found that the court did not properly address other significant aspects of the overall property distribution. Therefore, on remand, we leave open the possibility that, if the court finds that C.B. deserves more than 50% of the marital property, the even division of the SBS benefits may ultimately be inappropriate.