How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Affinity Federal
Beneficiaries are managed online, in branch, by phone or by mail. Trust paperwork is taken in branch, by phone or by mail
Estate planning at Affinity Federal means getting each account set up so it transfers automatically when you die—either through a POD beneficiary or trust ownership. Because Affinity Federal is a membership-based institution, trust retitling must maintain the membership eligibility requirement. Without one of these in place, accounts may require probate before your family can access the funds.
Across 14 product types, Affinity Federal accounts vary in how they transfer at death. The sections below walk through Payable on Death (POD) designations, trust funding options, and which products support each method.
Beneficiary form at Affinity Federal
Beneficiary designation form and IRA Beneficiary Designation form (for IRAs).
- Full name, date of birth, Social Security number, and relationship
- Specify percentage allocation if adding multiple beneficiaries
Required Documents
- Beneficiary's full name
- Beneficiary's date of birth
- Beneficiary's Social Security number
- Beneficiary's relationship to you
- Percentage for each beneficiary (when adding more than one beneficiary online)
- Government-issued photo ID (at a branch)
- Beneficiary designation form, completed and signed (at a branch or by mail)
- Your account information (by phone)
- IRA Beneficiary Designation form, completed (for an IRA)
- A copy of the full trust agreement
- Government-issued ID for all trustees
- Tax ID Number (SSN or EIN) for the trust
- Copy of the trust agreement or certification of trust
- Copies of government-issued ID for all trustees
- Tax ID Number (SSN or EIN) for the trust
Required Documents
- Copy of the trust agreement. The account agreement's Trust Account clause names a copy of the Trust Agreement
- Copy of the trust agreement or certification of trust (by mail)
- Government-issued photo ID (for each trustee; copies when sending by mail)
- Tax ID Number for the trust. An SSN or EIN
- Trust details: name, date established, trustees, successor trustees and powers
- Death certificate (if the original trustee has died and a successor trustee is acting)
- Trust account application forms, completed (by mail)
- Full name, date of birth, Social Security number, and relationship
- Specify percentage allocation if adding multiple beneficiaries
Required Documents
- Beneficiary's full name
- Beneficiary's date of birth
- Beneficiary's Social Security number
- Beneficiary's relationship to you
- Percentage for each beneficiary (when adding more than one beneficiary online)
- Government-issued photo ID (at a branch)
- Beneficiary designation form, completed and signed (at a branch or by mail)
- Your account information (by phone)
- IRA Beneficiary Designation form, completed (for an IRA)
- A copy of the full trust agreement
- Government-issued ID for all trustees
- Tax ID Number (SSN or EIN) for the trust
- Copy of the trust agreement or certification of trust
- Copies of government-issued ID for all trustees
- Tax ID Number (SSN or EIN) for the trust
Required Documents
- Copy of the trust agreement. The account agreement's Trust Account clause names a copy of the Trust Agreement
- Copy of the trust agreement or certification of trust (by mail)
- Government-issued photo ID (for each trustee; copies when sending by mail)
- Tax ID Number for the trust. An SSN or EIN
- Trust details: name, date established, trustees, successor trustees and powers
- Death certificate (if the original trustee has died and a successor trustee is acting)
- Trust account application forms, completed (by mail)
- Full name, date of birth, Social Security number, and relationship
- Specify percentage allocation if adding multiple beneficiaries
Required Documents
- Beneficiary's full name
- Beneficiary's date of birth
- Beneficiary's Social Security number
- Beneficiary's relationship to you
- Percentage for each beneficiary (when adding more than one beneficiary online)
- Government-issued photo ID (at a branch)
- Beneficiary designation form, completed and signed (at a branch or by mail)
- Your account information (by phone)
- IRA Beneficiary Designation form, completed (for an IRA)
What Affinity Federal says about beneficiaries and trusts
Each section is Affinity Federal's own statement, with the document it comes from numbered under Sources.
Which accounts take a beneficiary2
Who can be named1
- A trust, payable-on-death accounts
A trust can be named as a POD beneficiary on eligible accounts.1
How many beneficiaries, and how shares are split
Beneficiary forms Affinity Federal issues2
- Beneficiary designation form
Completed by the account owner. Sent by the institution on request.3
Return to
Mailing address: Affinity Federal Credit Union, 73 Mountainview Boulevard, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
- IRA Beneficiary Designation form
For IRAs. Sent by the institution on request.1
What Affinity Federal's agreement says about beneficiaries7
- A designation and a will
The account agreement states for both POD and joint accounts that "ownership of this account cannot be changed by will."2
- Which state governs the account
The account agreement says its POD and joint accounts are governed by New Jersey's Multiple-Party Deposit Account Act.2
- What the owner keeps while living
Under the account agreement, POD payees "have no present right of withdrawal" during the owner's lifetime.2
- Joint accounts
On the death of one party to a multi-party account, the deceased party's share is shared equally by the survivors, and Affinity is not required to determine net contributions.2
- Changing or revoking a designation
On a revocable trust account, the account creator can change the beneficiary at any time.1
- Online access
Online beneficiary changes require third-party cookies and pop-ups to be enabled in the browser.1
- Powers of attorney over a living owner's account
An authorized signer (agent) has no ownership or rights at death unless separately named as a POD or ITF beneficiary, and the agent's authority ends on the death of the sole or last surviving party.1
Trust account forms Affinity Federal issues1
- Trust account application forms
Sent by the institution on request.3
Return to
Mailing address: Affinity Federal Credit Union, 73 Mountainview Boulevard, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
What Affinity Federal says about trust accounts4
- Whether a new account is opened
The account agreement says Affinity "does not offer Trust Accounts or Trust Management Services; however, we will allow you to open a regular savings account, checking account or certificate account in the name of the Trust with your name(s) as trustee(s)."2
An existing deposit account can be retitled into the trust's name with you named as trustee.4
- Review of the trust document
Affinity reviews the trust agreement only far enough to confirm a trust exists and to identify the trustee, any co-trustees and the beneficiary.2
The account is maintained solely under the Account Agreement, the only controlling agreement for it: Affinity "will not be bound by, or administer the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement."2
- The institution's right to refuse a designation or an account title
Under the account agreement's Special Account Instructions clause, Affinity may refuse an instruction that could expose it to claims, and may require a signed document evidencing the change.2
- Indemnity the owner or a trustee gives
Under the account agreement's Special Account Instructions clause, Affinity may require indemnification for an instruction that could expose it to claims.2
Not in Affinity Federal's published guidance1
- Acceptance of a certification of trust alone
Sources4
- 1.Online Banking
- 2.Personal account agreement
- 3.Member Service Center
- 4.Locations
Sources
(3)·
Data sourced from Affinity Federal primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Affinity Federal instructions
A printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details, verified against Affinity Federal primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Affinity Federal estate support
Member Service Center
Phone
Hours
Mailing address
Website
Estate requests go through general customer service.
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