Tennessee Code Title 35. Fiduciaries and Trust Estates § 35-50-108

(a) If a person, entitled to receive payment in money, securities, or other property under a pension, retirement, death benefit, stock bonus, profit-sharing or employees' savings and investment plan, system or trust, designates, as provided in this section, a payee or beneficiary to receive payment of the money, securities, or other property upon death of the person making the designation or to receive payment of the money, securities, or other property upon the death of any other person, the right of the person or persons so designated to receive payment in accordance with the designation, and the ownership of the money, securities or other property so received, shall not be defeated or impaired by any statute or rule of law governing the transfer of property by will or gift or on intestacy.

(b) This section is applicable to a designation even though it is revocable or subject to change by the person who makes it, and even though the money, securities or other property under the designation are not yet payable at the time the designation is made or the money, securities or other property are subject to withdrawal, collection or assignment by the person making the designation.

(c) A person entitled to receive payment includes:

(d) A designation of a beneficiary or payee to receive payment upon death either of the person making the designation or of any other person must be made in writing and signed by the person making the designation, and must be agreed to by the employer or be made in accordance with rules prescribed for the pension, retirement, death benefit, stock bonus, profit-sharing or employees' savings and investment plan, system or trust.

(e) This section shall not alter, abridge or limit title 29, chapter 12; title 31, chapter 1; title 66, chapter 3; or title 67, chapter 8, parts 2-4.