What to do when a Alight account holder dies
Contact Alight — 7-step process, 7 required documents, and claims packet mailed within 1-2 business days of notification; distribution processing time varies by employer plan
Alight Financial Solutions Customer Service
Phone1-224-737-7000
Mailing Address
320 South Canal Street, 50th Floor, Suite 5000, Chicago, IL 60606
Retiree Health Solutions
WebsiteLearn more →
Alight Financial Solutions Customer Service
Phone1-224-737-7000
Mailing Address
320 South Canal Street, 50th Floor, Suite 5000, Chicago, IL 60606
Retiree Health Solutions
WebsiteLearn more →
Employer-Specific Service Center
Mailing Address
Varies by employer plan -- locate via alight.com/find-your-hr-website
WebsiteNotify online →
Verified Feb 2026
When a Alight account holder passes away, the next step depends on how the retirement accounts were set up. Accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer outside of probate. Accounts titled solely in the deceased's name require the estate's legal representative to work with Alight's Employer-Specific Service Center to access and distribute the funds.
Alight provides an online portal for initiating death claims, which can simplify the initial notification and document submission process. Claims can also be started by phone or by mailing the required documents.
Death claim process
Here is the step-by-step death claim process at Alight:
Filing a claim
1Contact the deceased participant's employer-specific Alight service center (found at alight.com/find-your-hr-website)
2Report the death and request a claims packet
3Alight mails a claims packet to beneficiaries within 1-2 business days
4Submit certified copy of death certificate
5Complete the Beneficiary Distribution Request form from the claims packet
6Documents can be uploaded through the digital portal or mailed
7Alight processes distribution per plan rules and IRS regulations
Required Documents
- Certified copy of death certificate
- Government-issued photo ID for beneficiary
- Completed Beneficiary Distribution Request form
- Affidavit of Domicile (available at alightfinancialsolutions.com/forms_download.htm)
- Trust certification and full trust copy (if trust is beneficiary)
- Letters Testamentary and executor ID (if estate is beneficiary)
- Tax withholding election forms
Contact information is employer-specific. Visit alight.com/find-your-hr-website to locate your plan's dedicated service center phone number. The corporate number (224-737-7000) is for general inquiries, not participant services. Alight supports digital bereavement documentation upload. For retiree health benefits, the death should also be reported to Alight Retiree Health Solutions (retiree.alight.com/losing-loved-one). There is a six-month deadline for submitting retiree health claims after the participant's death.
Processing timelines at Alight: Claims packet mailed within 1-2 business days of notification; distribution processing time varies by employer plan. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
Alight requires several documents to process a claim, including Certified copy of death certificate, Government-issued photo ID for beneficiary, and Completed Beneficiary Distribution Request form, and additional documentation depending on the account type. Certified copies are typically needed—photocopies are generally not accepted for death certificates or court documents.
Frequently asked questions
Contact the employer-specific Alight service center (found at alight.com/find-your-hr-website) to report the death. Alight will mail a claims packet within 1-2 business days. You can also upload documents through their digital bereavement portal. You will need a certified death certificate, government-issued ID, the completed Beneficiary Distribution Request form, and an Affidavit of Domicile.
Alight Worklife is Alight's integrated digital platform that brings together retirement, health, and benefits administration. Participants access their accounts, manage beneficiaries, and file claims through this platform via their employer-specific portal. It is powered by Alight LumenAI for personalized recommendations and integrates with over 600 HR and benefits tools.
No. Employer-sponsored retirement accounts (401(k), 403(b), 457, pension) and IRAs cannot be retitled into the name of a trust during the participant's lifetime. The correct approach is to name your trust as the account beneficiary. This ensures the assets transfer to the trust upon the participant's death.
Alight Financial Solutions provides several estate-related forms at alightfinancialsolutions.com/forms_download.htm, including the Designation of Beneficiary Form, Beneficiary Distribution Request, Affidavit of Domicile, Inherited Account Adoption Agreement (Traditional and Roth), Transfer on Death Agreement (Individual and Joint), and Power of Attorney Affidavit. Note that employer plan-specific forms may differ from these.
If the deceased held multiple Alight retirement accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Employer-Specific Service Center can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Alight Financial Solutions Customer Service
Phone1-224-737-7000
Mailing Address
320 South Canal Street, 50th Floor, Suite 5000, Chicago, IL 60606
Retiree Health Solutions
WebsiteLearn more →
Alight Financial Solutions Customer Service
Phone1-224-737-7000
Mailing Address
320 South Canal Street, 50th Floor, Suite 5000, Chicago, IL 60606
Retiree Health Solutions
WebsiteLearn more →
Employer-Specific Service Center
Mailing Address
Varies by employer plan -- locate via alight.com/find-your-hr-website
WebsiteNotify online →
Verified Feb 2026
Tools for settling a Alight estate
Calculators and checklists to help navigate estate settlement after a Alight account holder passes away.
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