An IRA owner established a Trusteed IRA at a national brokerage firm. On the beneficiary election form, he named his wife as primary beneficiary and an educational institution as contingent. He also checked off an unlimited payment option for his spouse beneficiary upon his death. This option also contained the right for his spouse to name a new successor beneficiary. The account owner died, and several months later his spouse beneficiary died. Because of the neglect of the financial advisor, during the period following the account owner’s death, and prior to the death of the spouse, the spouse beneficiary was never given the opportunity to exercise her right to this unlimited payment option, whether outright or as a rollover. Nor was she given the opportunity to elect a new successor beneficiary. A battle has ensued between the contingent beneficiary as named by the account owner, and the individual who is entitled to receive through the estate, pursuant to a court order. My question is who is entitled to inherit this IRA?