egelhoff egelhoff minor natural parent breiner et argued november decided march david egelhoff married petitioner designated beneficiary life insurance policy pension plan provided employer governed employee retirement income security act erisa shortly petitioner egelhoff divorced egelhoff died intestate respondents egelhoff children previous marriage filed separate suits petitioner state recover insurance proceeds pension plan benefits relied washington statute provides designation spouse beneficiary nonprobate asset defined include life insurance policy employee benefit plan revoked automatically upon divorce respondents argued absence qualified named beneficiary proceeds pass egelhoff statutory heirs state law trial courts concluded insurance policy pension plan administered accordance erisa granted petitioner summary judgment cases washington appeals consolidated cases reversed concluding statute erisa state affirmed holding statute although applicable employee benefit plans refe connection erisa plan compel statute held state statute connection erisa plans therefore expressly pp erisa section erisa shall supersede state laws insofar may hereafter relate employee benefit plan covered erisa state law relates erisa plan connection reference plan shaw delta air lines determine whether forbidden connection looks erisa objectives guide scope state law congress understood survive well nature state law effect erisa plans california div labor standards enforcement dillingham applying framework state statute impermissible connection erisa plans binds plan administrators particular choice rules determining beneficiary status administrators must pay benefits beneficiaries chosen state law rather identified plan documents statute thus implicates area core erisa concern running counter erisa commands plan shall specify basis payments made plan fiduciary shall administer plan accordance documents instruments governing plan state statute also prohibited connection erisa plans interferes nationally uniform plan administration administrators make payments simply identifying beneficiary specified plan documents must familiarize state statutes determine whether named beneficiary status revoked operation law burden exacerbated problems may confront administrator employer plan participant participant former spouse live different although washington statute provides protection administrators actual knowledge divorce still face risk might later find knowledge instead decide await results litigation among putative beneficiaries paying benefits simply transfer beneficiaries costs delay uncertainty requiring administrators master relevant laws contend litigation undermine congressional goal minimizing administrative financial burdens differing state regulations affecting erisa plan system processing claims paying benefits impose precisely burden erisa intended avoid fort halifax packing coyne pp respondents reasons ordinary erisa analysis apply state statute allows employers opt involves areas traditional state regulation erisa statute also must various state statutes providing murdering heir entitled receive property result killing rejected pp reversed remanded thomas delivered opinion rehnquist scalia kennedy souter ginsburg joined scalia filed concurring opinion ginsburg joined breyer filed dissenting opinion stevens joined donna rae egelhoff petitioner samantha egelhoff minor natural parent kate breiner david egelhoff writ certiorari washington march justice thomas delivered opinion washington statute provides designation spouse beneficiary nonprobate asset revoked automatically upon divorce asked decide whether employee retirement income security act erisa stat et statute extent applies erisa plans hold petitioner donna rae egelhoff married david egelhoff egelhoff employed boeing company provided life insurance policy pension plan plans governed erisa egelhoff designated wife beneficiary april egelhoffs divorced two months later egelhoff died intestate following automobile accident time egelhoff remained listed beneficiary life insurance policy pension plan life insurance proceeds totaling paid respondents samantha david egelhoff egelhoff children previous marriage statutory heirs state law sued petitioner washington state recover life insurance proceeds respondents relied washington statute provides marriage dissolved invalidated provision made prior event relates payment transfer death decedent interest nonprobate asset favor granting interest power decedent former spouse revoked provision affected section must interpreted nonprobate asset affected passes former spouse failed survive decedent died time entry decree dissolution declaration invalidity rev code statute applies nonprobate assets wherever situated held time entry superior state decree dissolution marriage declaration invalidity defines nonprobate asset include life insurance policy employee benefit plan annuity similar contract individual retirement account respondents argued entitled life insurance proceeds washington statute disqualified egelhoff beneficiary absence qualified named beneficiary proceeds pass egelhoff heirs separate action respondents also sued recover pension plan benefits respondents argued washington statute disqualified egelhoff beneficiary thus entitled benefits plan trial courts concluding insurance policy pension plan administered accordance erisa granted summary judgment petitioner cases app pet cert washington appeals consolidated cases reversed estate egelhoff app concluded washington statute erisa applying statute held respondents entitled proceeds insurance policy pension plan ibid washington affirmed held state statute although applicable employee benefit plan refe erisa plans extent require apply immediately exclusively erisa plan existence plan essential operation statute also held statute lacks connection erisa plan compel emphasized statute alter nature plan administrator fiduciary duties requirements plan administration concluded statute conflict specific provision erisa including antialienation provision operate divert benefit plan proceeds distribution terms plan documents merely alters underlying circumstances distribution scheme plan must applied courts disagreed whether statutes like washington erisa compare manning hayes finding cert pending metropolitan life ins hanslip emard hughes aircraft finding resolve conflict granted certiorari ii petitioner argues washington statute falls within terms erisa express provision erisa traditional principles conflict conclude statute expressly erisa address first argument erisa section erisa shall supersede state laws insofar may hereafter relate employee benefit plan covered erisa observed repeatedly broadly worded provision clearly expansive new york state conference blue cross blue shield plans travelers ins see morales trans world airlines listing cases described erisa broad terms time recognized term relate taken extend furthest stretch indeterminacy else practical purposes never run course travelers supra held state law relates erisa plan connection reference plan shaw delta air lines petitioner focuses connection part inquiry acknowledging connection scarcely restrictive relate cautioned uncritical literalism make preemption turn infinite connections travelers supra instead determine whether state law forbidden connection look objectives erisa statute guide scope state law congress understood survive well nature effect state law erisa plans california div labor standards enforcement dillingham quoting travelers supra citation omitted applying framework petitioner argues washington statute impermissible connection erisa plans agree statute binds erisa plan administrators particular choice rules determining beneficiary status administrators must pay benefits beneficiaries chosen state law rather identified plan documents statute thus implicates area core erisa concern particular runs counter erisa commands plan shall specify basis payments made plan fiduciary shall administer plan accordance documents instruments governing plan making payments beneficiary designated participant terms plan words unlike generally applicable laws regulating areas erisa nothing say dillingham upheld notwithstanding incidental effect erisa plans see statute governs payment benefits central matter plan administration washington statute also prohibited connection erisa plans interferes nationally uniform plan administration one principal goals erisa enable employers establish uniform administrative scheme provides set standard procedures guide processing claims disbursement benefits fort halifax packing coyne uniformity impossible however plans subject different legal obligations different washington statute issue poses precisely threat plan administrators make payments simply identifying beneficiary specified plan instead must familiarize state statutes determine whether named beneficiary status revoked operation law context burden exacerbated problems may confront administrator employer located one state plan participant lives another participant former spouse lives third situation administrators might find plan payments subject conflicting legal obligations sure washington statute protects administrators liability making payments named beneficiary unless actual knowledge dissolution invalidation marriage rev code permits administrators refuse make payments dispute among putative beneficiaries resolved administrators pay benefits face risk might later find actual knowledge divorce instead decide await results litigation paying benefits simply transfer beneficiaries costs delay requiring erisa administrators master relevant laws contend litigation undermine congressional goal minimiz ing administrative financial burden plan administrators burdens ultimately borne beneficiaries mcclendon recognize state laws create potential lack uniformity differing state regulations affecting erisa plan system processing claims paying benefits impose precisely burden erisa intended avoid fort halifax supra noted statute issue directly conflicts erisa requirements plans administered benefits paid accordance plan documents conclude washington statute connection erisa plans therefore iii respondents suggest several reasons ordinary erisa analysis apply first observe washington statute allows employers opt according respondents statute neither regulates plan administration impairs uniformity apply instrument governing disposition nonprobate asset expressly provides otherwise rev code believe statute saved simply least broad sense default rule even though washington statute cancellation private choice may trumped specific language plan documents statute dictate choice facing erisa plans respect matters plan administration dillingham supra plan administrators must either follow washington beneficiary designation scheme alter terms plan indicate follow statute less regulation terms erisa plans simply two ways complying course simple noncompliance statute one options available plan administrators choice one timing whether bear burden compliance ex post paying benefits statute dictates contravention plan documents ex ante amending respondents emphasize provision makes compliance statute less burdensome mandatory true enough burden remains hardly trivial enough plan administrators opt particular statute instead must maintain familiarity laws update plans necessary satisfy requirements similar statutes also must attentive changes interpretations statutes state courts tailoring plans employer conduct peculiarities law jurisdiction exactly burden erisa seeks eliminate supra second respondents emphasize washington statute involves family law probate law areas traditional state regulation indeed presumption areas traditional state regulation family law see hisquierdo hisquierdo presumption overcome congress made clear desire accordingly hesitated find state family law conflicts erisa relates erisa plans see boggs boggs holding erisa state community property law permitting testamentary transfer interest spouse pension plan benefits finally respondents argue erisa statute also must various state statutes providing murdering heir entitled receive property result killing see cal prob code ann west supp comp ch erisa context slayer statutes revoke beneficiary status someone murdered plan participant statutes us decide issue note however principle underlying statutes adopted nearly every state well established law long historical pedigree predating erisa see riggs palmer statutes less uniform nationwide interference aims erisa least debatable judgment washington reversed case remanded proceedings inconsistent opinion ordered donna rae egelhoff petitioner samantha egelhoff minor natural parent kate breiner david egelhoff writ certiorari washington march justice scalia justice ginsburg joins concurring join opinion since believe relate provision employee retirement income security act erisa assuredly triggered state law contradicts erisa notes statute issue directly conflicts erisa requirements plans administered benefits paid accordance plan documents ante remain unsure think lower courts everyone else else triggers relate provision interpreted anything reference established jurisprudence concerning conflict field discernible content pick every ripple pond producing result sensible person intended california div labor standards enforcement dillingham scalia concurring persist view bring coherence area give statute plausible precise content interpreting relate clause reference ordinary jurisprudence see ibid donna rae egelhoff petitioner samantha egelhoff minor natural parent kate breiner david egelhoff writ certiorari washington march justice breyer justice stevens joins dissenting like justice scalia believe apply normal conflict field principles state statute covers erisa documents alike ante concurring opinion recent erisa cases consistent approach see de buono medical clinical services fund rejecting literal interpretation erisa clause california div labor standards enforcement dillingham narrowly interpreting clause new york state conference blue cross blue shield plans travelers ins go ing beyond unhelpful text clause frustrating difficulty defining key term look ing instead objectives erisa statute guide see also boggs boggs relying conflict principles instead erisa clause fear failure endorse new approach explicitly dillingham supra scalia concurring continue produce avalanche litigation de buono supra courts struggle interpret clause lacks discernible content ante scalia concurring threatening results congress intended agree justice scalia majority however plausible principle leads conclusion erisa statute issue one claim erisa entire field state law governing inheritance though matters relate erisa broadly speaking see travelers supra neither direct conflict washington statute erisa one nowhere directly contradicts cf ante claiming direc conflic erisa washington statute cf ante relying upon relate language erisa clause correctly points erisa requires fiduciary make payments beneficiary accordance documents instruments governing plan nothing washington statute requires contrary rather state statute simply sets forth default rule interpreting documentary silence statute specifies nonprobate asset pass death former spouse died first unless instrument governing disposition nonprobate asset expressly provides otherwise rev code emphasis added rule rule interpretation designed carry conflict employee likely intention revealed plan documents direct conflict contradiction washington statute terms plan documents issue david egelhoff investment plan provides beneficiary designation invalid benefits paid surviving spouse surviving spouse children equal shares app life insurance plan silent occurs beneficiary designation invalid washington statute fills gaps matters documents say nothing thus washington statute specifies beneficiary designation donna egelhoff wife pension plan invalid longer person donna egelhoff wife see appendix infra statute adds instance funds paid children potential pension plan beneficiaries direct conflict conclusion rests upon claim administrators must pay benefits beneficiaries chosen state law rather identified plan documents ante mean identified anywhere plan documents egelhoff children identified recipients pension plan documents initial designation donna egelhoff wife become invalid whether initial designation became invalid upon divorce matter plan documents silent refer state law determine whether given name makes designation become invalid makes sense background property inheritance law issue say example written name potentially ambiguous set forth near correct space refers missing person perhaps presumed dead name written time employee incompetent name refers individual entity disqualified law say rule perpetuities rules prohibiting murderer benefiting crime congress want courts create federal property law deal problems regardless refer background state law circumstances directly conflict explicit erisa provision provision erisa forbids reading instrument document light state property law principles event case plan documents explicitly foresee beneficiary designation may become invalid specify invalidating circumstances supra refer state property law fill blank possibly create direct conflict plan documents majority simply denies blank fill suggests plan documents require plan pay designated beneficiary circumstances see ante nonetheless open question namely whether designation explicitly refers wife remains valid divorce question genuine important unlike imaginary example majority plan documents answer question describe occur host special circumstances mental incompetence intoxication ambiguous names determine whether erisa permits state law answer questions requires careful examination particular state law light erisa basic policies see ante infra necessary inquiry simply announcing direct conflict none exists also complains washington statute restricts plan choices two ante difficult take complaint seriously two choices washington gives plan comply washington rule comply washington rule choices state statute asks plan choose whether intends comply statute directly conflicts plan quite obviously possible impossible comply washington statute federal law geier american honda motor serious question whether state statute stands obstacle accomplishment execution full purposes objectives congress ibid quoting hines davidowitz answering question must remember petitioner overcome strong presumption washington statute governs family property law field traditional state regulation courts find federal unless clear manifest purpose congress travelers state statute major damage clear substantial federal interests hisquierdo hisquierdo quoting yazell one seriously argue congress clearly resolved question us damage federal interests identifies consists added administrative burden state statute imposes upon erisa plan administrators claims washington statute interferes nationally uniform plan administration requiring administrators familiarize state statutes ante administrators familiarize state law event answer routine legal questions whether amounts due subject garnishment mackey lanier collection agency service spouse qualifies child employee legally dead familiarizing burden somehow overwhelming plan easily avoid resolving divorce revocation issue plan documents stating expressly state law apply burden thus reduces requirement fall primarily upon draft model erisa documents upon many administer meager burden justify state law enjoys presumption also fears administrators make difficult determinations parties live different ante whether problem major practice washington statute resolves expressly setting forth procedures whereby parties courts plan administrator responsible resolving see ii stating plan may without liability refuse pay transfer nonprobate asset beneficiaries interested persons claiming interest consented writing payment transfer payment transfer authorized directed proper jurisdiction plan may condition payment provision security recipient indemnify plan costs plan may avoid default rule expressing intent plan documents previously made clear fact state law impose burde administration erisa plans necessarily require de buono mackey supra upholding state garnishment law notwithstanding claim benefit plans subjected garnishment incur substantial administrative burdens precisely statute requirement distinguishes myriad state impose kind burden erisa plans de buono supra quoting travelers indeed one looks beyond administrative burden one finds washington statute poses obstacle furthers erisa ultimate objective developing fair system protecting employee benefits cf pension benefit guaranty corporation gray washington statute transfers employee pension assets death individuals worker likely wanted receive many jurisdictions concluded divorced workers often prefer child rather divorced spouse receive assets course employee secure result changing beneficiary form requires awareness understanding time washington many jurisdictions created statutory assumption divorce works revocation designation favor assumption embodied uniform probate code consistent human experience expertise matter concluded often serves cause ustice langbein nonprobate revolution future law succession harv rev forbidding washington apply assumption permits divorced wife already acquired divorce proceeding fair share couple community property receive addition benefits divorce awarded former husband specific donna egelhoff already received business ira account stock david received among things pension benefits app david change beneficiary designation pension plan life insurance plan period divorce death result donna receive windfall approximately expense david children state washington enacted statute prevent precisely kind unfair result relying inconsequential administrative burden concludes congress required finally logic decision stop divorce revocation laws washington statute virtually indistinguishable traditional rules example rules using presumptions transfer assets case simultaneous deaths rules prohibit husband kills wife receiving benefits result wrongful death particularly difficult believe congress wanted latter kind statute statutes differ one us slayer statutes like statute gover payment benefits central matter plan administration ante contrary suggestion ante slayer statutes vary state state details like divorce revocation statutes compare rev stat ann requiring proof civil proceeding preponderance evidence standard haw rev stat code ann requiring proof clear convincing evidence standard rev stat tit code treating judgment conviction conclusive becomes final rev stat tit rev stat ann treating judgment conviction conclusive right appeal exhausted haw rev stat indeed slayer conflict seem serious less serious conflict us slayer statutes permit plans opt state property law rule erisa analysis said must respect separate spher state authority fort halifax packing coyne quoting alessi internal quotation marks omitted stating recognized practical importance preserving local independence retail applying analysis care statute statute line line order determine best reconcile federal statute language purpose federalism need preserve state autonomy indeed today world filled legal complexity true test federalist principle may lie occasional constitutional effort trim congress commerce power edges morrison protect state treasury private damages action board trustees univ garrett rather many statutory cases courts interpret mass technical detail ordinary diet law iowa utilities breyer concurring part dissenting part case field issue direct conflict state federal statutes state statute poses significant obstacle accomplishment federal objective effort squeeze additional force erisa words relate inconsistent recent case law state statute us one regarding family property fiel traditional state regulation interpretive presumption particularly strong travelers reasons disagree conclusion consequently dissent appendix opinion breyer footnotes one course escape conflict plan documents require making payments named beneficiary statute requires making payments someone else calling statute invalidation designation named beneficiary observing plan documents silent whether invalidation occur upon divorce dissent employs approach see post opinion breyer reading clear statement ambiguous metastatement enables one avoid kinds conflicts seemingly contradictory texts suppose example statute required pension benefits paid governor washington seems inconsistent plan documents erisa inconsistency disappears one calls statute invalidation principal alternate beneficiary designations neither plan erisa actually says beneficiaries invalidated favor governor approach exploits logical inability text contain complete set instructions interpretation vice perhaps virtue depending upon one point view draining language meaning respondents argue case disposition dictated washington statute consistent specified plan documents egelhoff designated donna egelhoff wife beneficiary life insurance policy contend egelhoffs divorced person donna egelhoff wife designated person definitionally ceased exist brief respondents emphasis original see also post breyer dissenting effect respondents ask us infer egelhoff meant filled form donna egelhoff wife rather new legal person donna spouse brief respondents mention however beneficiary line form printed text reads first name space middle initial space last name space relationship see appendix opinion breyer post rather impute egelhoff unnatural indeed absurd literalism suggested respondents conclude simply provided information requested form happenstance relationship line beneficiary name think evince intent designate new legal person dissent observes washington statute permits plan administrator avoid resolving dispute let courts parties settle matter see post observation presents example costs delay uncertainty passed beneficiaries thereby thwarting erisa objective efficient plan administration cf fort halifax packing coyne contrary dissent suggestion resolution case depends one view federalism see post called upon merely interpret erisa text erisa fiduciary shall administer plan accordance documents instruments governing plan washington statute conflicts command statute way fiduciary administer plan according terms change terms supposed follow