hillman maretta argued april decided june federal employees group life insurance act feglia establishes insurance program federal employees feglia permits employee name beneficiary life insurance proceeds specifies order precedence providing employee death benefits accrue first beneficiary ahead potential recipients virginia statute revokes beneficiary designation contract provides death benefit former spouse change decedent marital status code ann section event provision federal law separate provision virginia law section provides cause action rendering former spouse liable principal amount proceeds party received section warren hillman named respondent judy maretta beneficiary federal employees group life insurance fegli policy divorce married petitioner jacqueline hillman never changed named fegli beneficiary warren death maretta still named beneficiary filed claim fegli proceeds collected hillman sued virginia seeking recovery proceeds section maretta argued response section federal law parties agreed section virginia circuit found maretta liable hillman section fegli policy proceeds state reversed concluding section feglia conflicts purposes objectives congress held section virginia statute feglia pp state law extent conflict federal statute crosby national foreign trade council case raises question whether virginia law stands obstacle accomplishment execution full purposes objectives congress hines davidowitz pp determine whether state law conflicts congress purposes objectives nature federal interest must first ascertained crosby two previous cases govern analysis relationship section feglia wissner wissner california granted decedent widow named beneficiary policy federal national service life insurance act nslia interest insurance proceeds community property state law reversed nslia provided insured right designate beneficiary change designation time reasoned congress spoken force clarity directing proceeds belong named beneficiary addressed similar question regarding federal servicemen group life insurance act sglia ridgway ridgway maine imposed constructive trust insurance proceeds paid servicemember widow named beneficiary ordered paid decedent first wife required divorce decree holding constructive trust ridgway explained wissner controlled sglia made clear insured service member possesses right freely designate beneficiary alter choice time communicating decision writing proper office pp reasoning wissner ridgway applies equal force nslia sglia strikingly similar feglia creates scheme gives highest priority insured designated beneficiary underscores employee right designation waived restricted cfr section interferes scheme directs proceeds actually belong someone named beneficiary creating cause action recovery third party feglia establishes clear predictable procedure employee indicate intended beneficiary shall evinces congress decision accord federal employees unfettered freedom choice selecting beneficiary ensure proceeds actually belong beneficiary conclusion confirmed another provision feglia creates limited exception order precedence allowing proceeds paid someone named beneficiary requisite documentation filed government employee death departure beneficiary designation managed within outside federal system make alternative distributions outside clear procedure congress established narrow exception transformed general license state law override feglia pp hillman additional arguments support different result unpersuasive pp affirmed sotomayor delivered opinion roberts kennedy ginsburg breyer kagan joined scalia joined thomas alito filed opinions concurring judgment opinion notice opinion subject formal revision publication preliminary print reports readers requested notify reporter decisions washington typographical formal errors order corrections may made preliminary print goes press jacqueline hillman petitioner judy maretta writ certiorari virginia june justice sotomayor delivered opinion federal employees group life insurance act feglia et establishes life insurance program federal employees feglia provides employee may designate beneficiary receive proceeds life insurance time death separately virginia statute addresses situation employee marital status changed update beneficiary designation death section virginia code renders former spouse liable insurance proceeds whoever received applicable law usually widow widower beneficiary designation code ann lexis supp case presents question whether remedy created feglia implementing regulations hold congress enacted feglia provide group life insurance federal employees program administered federal office personnel management opm pursuant authority granted feglia opm entered life insurance contract metropolitan life insurance company see cfr individual employees enrolled federal employees group life insurance fegli program receive coverage contract program substantial size total amount fegli insurance coverage force billion gao federal employees group life insurance retirement benefit retained asset account disclosures improved feglia provides upon employee death life insurance benefits paid accordance specified order precedence proceeds accrue irst beneficiary beneficiaries employee signed witnessed writing received death ibid designated beneficiary benefits paid widow widower employee ibid absent widow widower benefits accrue child children employee descendants deceased children parents employee survivors executor administrator estate employee last next kin ibid effective beneficiary designation accompanying revisions must writing duly filed government see ibid designation change cancellation beneficiary document executed filed force effect opm regulation provides employee may change beneficiary time without knowledge consent previous beneficiary makes clear right waived restricted cfr employees informed requirements materials opm disseminates connection program see opm fegli booklet rev setting forth order precedence stating opm pay benefits irst beneficiary employee designate order precedence also described form employees use designate beneficiary see designation beneficiary fegli program sf rev mar back part enrollment form advises employees update designations ntentions hange result example marriage divorce ibid congress amended feglia create limited exception employee right designation statute provides ny amount otherwise paid person determined order precedence shall paid whole part opm another person extent expressly provided terms decree divorce annulment legal separation related settlement event decree order agreement received opm employing agency employee death feglia also includes express provision provision relevant part provisions contract feglia relate nature extent coverage benefits including payments respect benefits shall supersede preempt law state relates group life insurance extent law regulation inconsistent contractual provisions case turns interaction provisions feglia virginia statute section section virginia code provides divorce annulment revoke beneficiary designation contained existing written contract owned one party provides payment death benefit party death benefit includes payments life insurance contract event section federal law section virginia code applies section provides follows code ann preempted federal law respect payment death benefit former spouse value receives payment death benefit former spouse entitled personally liable amount payment person entitled preempted words section section creates cause action rendering former spouse liable principal amount insurance proceeds person received section continued effect warren hillman warren respondent judy maretta married warren named maretta beneficiary fegli policy warren maretta divorced four years later married petitioner jacqueline hillman warren died unexpectedly warren never changed named beneficiary fegli policy continued maretta beneficiary time death despite divorce subsequent remarriage hillman hillman filed claim proceeds warren life insurance fegli administrator informed proceeds accrue maretta named beneficiary maretta filed claim benefits opm collected fegli proceeds amount app pet cert hillman filed lawsuit virginia circuit arguing maretta liable section proceeds deceased husband fegli policy parties agreed section directly reallocates benefits feglia maretta contended section also federal law keep insurance proceeds circuit rejected maretta argument granted summary judgment hillman finding maretta liable hillman section proceeds warren policy virginia reversed entered judgment maretta found feglia clearly instructed insurance proceeds paid named beneficiary reasoned congress intend merely named beneficiary fegli policy receive proceeds subject recovery third party state law therefore concluded section feglia stand obstacle accomplishment execution full purposes objectives congress internal quotation marks omitted granted certiorari resolve conflict among state federal courts whether feglia rule state law automatically assigns interest proceeds fegli policy person named beneficiary grants person right recover affirm ii supremacy clause congress power state law expressly see brown hotel employees although feglia contains express provision see considered whether section conflict principles limit analysis holding state law extent conflict federal statute crosby national foreign trade council citing hines davidowitz conflict occurs compliance federal state regulations impossible florida lime avocado growers paul state law stands obstacle accomplishment execution full purposes objectives congress hines case raises question purposes objectives regulation domestic relations traditionally domain state law see burrus therefore presumption state laws governing domestic relations egelhoff egelhoff family law must damage substantial federal interests supremacy clause demand state law overridden hisquierdo hisquierdo family law entirely insulated conflict principles recognized state laws governing economic aspects domestic relations must give way clearly conflicting federal enactments ridgway ridgway determine whether state law conflicts congress purposes objectives must first ascertain nature federal interest crosby hillman contends congress purpose enacting feglia advance administrative convenience establishing clear rule dictate government direct insurance proceeds see brief petitioner force hillman argument significant legislative interest large federal program like feglia enable efficient administration hillman correct administrative convenience congress purpose might conflict section feglia section cause action takes effect benefits paid necessarily impact government distribution insurance proceeds cf hardy hardy ind part maretta insists congress substantial purpose enacting feglia ensure duly named beneficiary receive insurance proceeds able make use brief respondent maretta correct section directly conflict objective cause action take insurance proceeds away named beneficiary reallocate someone else must therefore determine understanding feglia purpose correct write clean slate two previous cases considered federal insurance statutes requiring insurance proceeds paid named beneficiary held state laws mandated different distribution benefits statutes addressed cases similar feglia impediments federal interests prior cases analogous one created section virginia statute precedents accordingly govern analysis relationship section feglia case wissner wissner considered whether national service life insurance act nslia stat rule state marital property law congress enacted nslia affor uniform comprehensive system life insurance members veterans armed forces wissner california granted decedent widow named beneficiary interest insurance proceeds community property state law reversed holding nslia widow action recover proceeds pertinent part nslia provided insured right designate beneficiary beneficiaries insurance within designated class shall times right change beneficiary beneficiaries ibid quoting reasoned congress spoken force clarity directing proceeds belong named beneficiary california decision stand found substitute widow mother beneficiary congress directed shall receive insurance money ridgway considered similar question regarding federal servicemen group life insurance act sglia pub stat another insurance scheme members armed services maine imposed constructive trust insurance proceeds paid servicemember widow named beneficiary ordered paid decedent first wife required terms divorce decree holding constructive trust explained issue controlled wissner wissner applicable provisions sglia made clear insured service member possesses right freely designate beneficiary alter choice time communicating decision writing proper office citing wissner also noted sglia established precedence provided benefits first paid member may designated appropriately filed writing received prior death quoting notwithstanding small differences sglia nslia concluded sglia unqualified pay proceeds properly designated clearly suggest ed different result intended congress reasoning wissner ridgway applies equal force statutes considered earlier cases strikingly similar feglia like nslia sglia feglia creates scheme gives highest priority insured designated beneficiary indeed feglia includes order precedence nearly identical one sglia require insurance proceeds paid first named beneficiary ahead potential recipient compare ibid ed feglia implementing regulations underscore employee right designation waived restricted cfr feglia statutes congress force clarity directing proceeds belong named beneficiary ridgway quoting wissner emphasis added section interferes congress scheme directs proceeds actually belong someone named beneficiary creating cause action recovery third party ridgway see code ann makes difference whether state law requires transfer proceeds section creates cause action like section enables another person receive proceeds upon filing action state either case state law displaces beneficiary selected insured accordance feglia places someone else stead wissner applicable state law substitutes widow beneficiary congress directed shall receive insurance money thereby frustrates deliberate purpose congress ensure federal employee named beneficiary receives proceeds ibid one imagine plausible reasons favor different policy many employees perhaps neglect update beneficiary designations change marital status result legislature thought default rule providing insurance proceeds accrue widow widower named beneficiary likely align people intentions similarly legislature might reasonably believed employee reliable evidence intent beneficiary designation form executed years earlier judgment congress rather draw inference employee probable intent range sources congress established clear predictable procedure employee indicate intended beneficiary life insurance shall like statutes issue ridgway wissner feglia evinces congress decision accord federal employees unfettered freedom choice selecting beneficiary insurance proceeds ensure proceeds actually belong beneficiary ridgway employee ability name beneficiary acts guarantee complete full performance contract exclusion conflicting claims wissner promise comes expectation insurance proceeds paid named beneficiary beneficiary use confirmation congress intended insurance proceeds paid accordance feglia procedures section feglia provides ny amount otherwise paid order precedence shall paid another person extent expressly provided terms decree divorce annulment legal separation exception however applies decree order agreement received date covered employee death employing agency provision allows proceeds paid someone named beneficiary requisite documentation filed government departure beneficiary designation managed within outside federal explained congress explicitly enumerates certain exceptions general prohibition additional exceptions implied absence evidence contrary legislative intent andrus glover constr section creates limited exception order precedence make alternative distributions outside clear procedure congress established transform narrow exception general license state law override feglia see trw andrews short beneficiary duly named insurance proceeds owed feglia allocated another person operation state law section exactly therefore agree virginia iii persuaded hillman additional arguments support different result hillman contends ridgway wissner distinguished unlike statutes considered cases feglia include provision brief petitioner provisions nslia sglia identical broadly prohibited attachment levy seizure insurance proceeds legal process ed incorporated reference wissner ridgway found relevant state laws violated provisions conflict supported conclusion state laws discussions provisions however alternative grounds support judgment case necessary components holdings see ridgway describing separately provision noting state law also conflicted noting wissner found provision independent ground result reached case emphasis added see also rose rose describing wissner treatment provision clearly alternative holding absence provision feglia render ridgway wissner primary holdings less applicable next hillman suggests wissner ridgway set aside feglia contains express provision conflict principles ordinarily apply brief petitioner noted pass parties express arguments thus address conflict see supra need consider whether section expressly hillman incorrect suggest feglia express provision renders conflict inapplicable rather made clear existence separate provision bar ordinary working conflict principles sprietsma mercury marine internal quotation marks omitted see arizona slip hillman argues ridgway controlling provision feglia specifically authorizes employee assign fegli policy whereas sglia implementing regulations prohibit assignment see supp cfr premise hillman argument feglia assignment provision suggests employee less substantial interest ultimately receives proceeds employee ability assign fegli policy fact highlights congress intent allow employee wide latitude determine proceeds paid whether named beneficiary selects indirectly assignment policy someone else finally hillman attempts distinguish ridgway wissner congress enacted statutes issue cases goal improving military morale brief petitioner congress aim increasing morale armed services however basis analysis either case see wissner ridgway section direct conflict feglia interferes congress objective insurance proceeds belong named beneficiary accordingly hold section federal law judgment virginia affirmed ordered thomas concurring judgment jacqueline hillman petitioner judy maretta writ certiorari virginia june justice thomas concurring judgment correctly concludes virginia code section federal employees group life insurance act feglia et seq join purposes objectives framework majority uses reach conclusion ante framework illegitimate basis finding state law see wyeth levine thomas concurring judgment entirely unnecessary result case ordinary meanings feglia section directly conflict accordingly concur judgment supremacy clause establishes federal law shall law land thing constitution laws state contrary nothwithstanding art vi cl state law conflict state law must give way pliva mensing slip quoting wyeth noted courts assessing whether state federal law conflict engage freewheeling inquiry whether state law undermines supposed federal purposes approach looks beyond text enacted federal law thereby permits federal government displace state law without satisfying essential precondition namely presentment clause analysis therefore instead hew closely text structure provisions issue find duly enacted federal law effectively repeal contrary state law pliva supra slip applying principles clear ordinary meaning feglia directly conflicts section feglia provides life insurance benefits paid according particular order precedence see also cfr benefits distributed first beneficiary beneficiaries designated employee signed witnessed writing received death insured fails designate beneficiary feglia provides specific order benefits must distributed next widow widower employee absent widow widower child children employee descendants deceased children ibid ante insured right change beneficiary designation time without knowledge consent previous beneficiary right waived restricted cfr section directly conflicts statutory scheme nullifies insured statutory right designate beneficiary right designate beneficiary encompasses corresponding right named beneficiary receive proceeds also retain indeed right designate beneficiary well term beneficiary meaningless effect designation saddle nominal beneficiary liability state law full value proceeds section accomplishes exactly transforms designated beneficiary defendant state defendant liable individual state designated true beneficiary hillman insist mailed check opposed maretta designated beneficiary section requires effect result see ante section displaces beneficiary selected insured accordance feglia places someone else stead right designate beneficiary means anything must conclude section directly conflicts feglia order precedence direct conflict section feglia also evident fact section function accomplish section achieved section section provides upon entry decree annulment divorce bond matrimony revocable beneficiary designation contained existing written contract owned one party provides payment death benefit party revoked death benefit prevented passing former spouse section shall paid former spouse predeceased decedent code ann lexis cum supp parties agree feglia provision brief petitioner brief respondent see also good reason insured designated former spouse beneficiary life insurance policy section purports revok designation event divorce annulment purporting alter feglia statutory order precedence section clearly federal law tellingly precisely context context section operates see course section preclude direct payment benefits designated beneficiary however accomplishes prohibited result transforming designated party little passthrough true beneficiary squared feglia consequently section must yield reasons agree conclusion section therefore concur judgment alito concurring judgment jacqueline hillman petitioner judy maretta writ certiorari virginia june justice alito concurring judgment concur judgment one purposes federal employees group life insurance act feglia implement expressed wishes insured hold state law effectively overrides insured actual articulated choice beneficiary challenged provision virginia law effect way background code ann lexis supp provides entry divorce automatically revokes insured prior designation former spouse beneficiary policy case insured remarries divorce dies making new feglia designation proceeds automatically paid insured former spouse provision virginia law issue surviving spouse entitled recover proceeds former spouse see code ann section apparently requires result even manifests clear contrary intent providing specifically recent proceeds go another party example insured children former marriage overrides insured express intent whether intent expressed via beneficiary designation reliable means agree feglia interpreted light prior decisions wissner wissner ridgway ridgway feglia seems two primary purposes objectives first administrative convenience easier insurance administrator pay insurance proceeds person insured designated specified form without consider claims made others based ground affect initial payment proceeds operates funds received designated beneficiary thus causes inconvenience administer payment feglia proceeds second purpose objective effectuation insured expressed intent considerations basis decisions wissner ridgway understand cases conflict person insured beneficiary another person whose claim proceeds based insured expressed intent cases held favor designated beneficiary present case bears similarity wissner ridgway petitioner claim depends upon state automatically alters ultimate recipient divorced employee insurance proceeds sure virginia provision may well reflect unexpressed preferences majority insureds whose situations similar insured case individuals divorce remarriage fail change prior designation former spouse beneficiary policy feglia prioritizes insured expressed intent telling petitioner theory still entitled insurance proceeds even example insured died shortly executing new leaving proceeds someone else shows claim based something manifestation insured intent operates blunt tool override insured express declaration intent conflicts feglia purpose prioritizing insured articulated wishes considerations affirming decision goes well beyond necessary opines party designated beneficiary feglia policy must allowed keep insurance proceeds even contrary expressed intent indisputable example insured writes postdivorce specifically leaving proceeds someone else see ante explanation follows congress sought ensure employee intent given effect designation beneficiary narrow exceptions specifically provided statute words congress wanted designated beneficiary rather person named later keep proceeds congress wanted named beneficiary keep proceeds needless say circular reasoning explain congress might wanted designated beneficiary keep proceeds even indisputably contrary insured expressed wishes time death doubtful purpose objective feglia honored holding necessary resolve question case reasons concur judgment footnotes justice scalia joins opinion compare metropolitan life ins zaldivar feglia rule metropolitan life ins sullivan per curiam metropolitan life ins mcmorris gonzalez hardy hardy ind mccord spradling miss kidd pritzel mo app hillman points textual differences among nslia sglia feglia suggests example provision nslia enabling appointment beneficiary use precisely feglia order precedence reply brief even small differences statutory language however diminish critical similarity shared three statutes reflects congress unqualified directive proceeds accrue named beneficiary ridgway concurrence justice alito argues one feglia purposes effectuat insured expressed intent evidence beyond employee named beneficiary therefore relevant circumstances determining intent post opinion concurring judgment emphasis original reasons explained however statement congress purpose incomplete see supra congress sought ensure employee intent given effect designation beneficiary narrow exceptions specifically provided statute see infra congress enacted following decisions found feglia constructive trust actions predicated upon divorce decrees see gonzalez reflecting backdrop house report noted current law divorce decrees affect payment life insurance proceeds instead policyholder dies proceeds paid beneficiary designated policyholder individuals specified statute address issue raised lower cases congress amended feglia allow state law take precedence named beneficiary conflict divorce decree annulment congress instead described precise conditions divorce decree displace employee named beneficiary hillman contends feglia indicates congress contemplated proceeds paid someone named beneficiary section consistent broad principle brief petitioner noted however opposite implication framed specific exception rule proceeds accrue cases named beneficiary hillman suggests general rule authorizing state law supersede feglia