Tried a search but didn't find this topic.

In a situation where someone dies, and has no spousal waiver on file, but names a child as sole beneficiary...

What sources would you perhaps use to attempt to determine if there is in fact a surviving spouse? This isn't a plan we administer, so I have no idea whatsoever what plan records they have available. One could perhaps ask the child, but I don't know how old the child is - obviously you wouldn't want to traumatize a young child with such questions! Perhaps employer health insurance records, if they had any? Is the existence or non-existence of a spouse required information for health insurance? Just looking for ideas of possible sources. Thanks in advance!

Employer records for sure, medical, emergency contact, etc. The employee's coworkers might know something useful. An obituary might state who the ee is survived by.

The plan administrator/employer should be able to confirm marital status. But you can also ask the executor or personal representative of the decedent's estate or the guardian of the child if P was married at death.

Q do you know if the beneficiary is the child of the deceased or is it a neice or nephew?

Well, I don't know for sure, since this isn't a plan we have anything to do with, so I haven't seen any documentation. But what we were told was that the beneficiary is a child.

Thanks for the responses. How does one go about determining who is the executor of a deceased person's estate? Is there some sort of listing at a State level? Or I guess you just hire a lawyer to do this? I've never been asked or been involved in such a situation.

Look on the death certificate. It shows single, married, divorced status at time of death.

Thanks!