How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Alight
Covers 6 retirement, and 1 investment accounts — beneficiaries can be managed online
Alight Financial Solutions Customer Service (Alight IRA and self-directed brokerage accounts)
Alight Financial Solutions, PO Box 563901, Charlotte, NC 28256-3901 (overnight, certified, and signature-required: 9300 Harris Corners Parkway, Suite 105, Charlotte, NC 28269)
Alight Financial Solutions Customer Service (Alight IRA and self-directed brokerage accounts)
Alight Financial Solutions, PO Box 563901, Charlotte, NC 28256-3901 (overnight, certified, and signature-required: 9300 Harris Corners Parkway, Suite 105, Charlotte, NC 28269)
Employer-specific Alight service center (employer plans); Alight Financial Solutions (Alight IRA and brokerage)
Employer plan claims: the mailing address is plan-specific and is provided by the employer's service center (find it at alight.com/find-your-hr-website). Alight Financial Solutions claims: PO Box 563901, Charlotte, NC 28256-3901
Beneficiary designations on Alight retirement retirement accounts carry more weight than most people realize. They override a will, control who receives the balance, and determine the tax treatment of inherited distributions. Reviewing these designations after any major life change is essential.
Alight has 7 retirement accounts with different estate transfer rules. Here is how beneficiary designations, trust ownership, and probate apply to each one.
- Primary and contingent beneficiaries, with relationship, date of birth, and percentage allocations
- For a trust: the trust's full legal name, the date of the trust, and the trust EIN
- If a spousal consent is required, the site will route you to the consent form — it must be signed and notarized (or witnessed by a plan representative) and returned
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- Alight administers the plan; the employer is the plan administrator. Beneficiary rules, forms, and whether a trust may be named come from the employer's plan document, so they vary from one Alight-hosted plan to the next
- ERISA default: on a 401(k) or pension, a married participant's surviving spouse is the beneficiary unless the spouse signs a written consent, witnessed by a notary or a plan representative, to a different beneficiary — including to a trust
- A beneficiary designation controls over a will. Updating your will does not change who receives the plan account
- Alight will only release plan service center contact information through the Find Your HR Website tool; a submitted help request may take 1-2 business days for a response
- Alight Financial Solutions forms (IRA Designation of Beneficiary, Transfer on Death Agreement) apply to AFS-held IRA and brokerage accounts, not to employer plan accounts
Sources
Data sourced from Alight primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Alight instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Alight primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Alight Financial Solutions Customer Service (Alight IRA and self-directed brokerage accounts)
Alight Financial Solutions, PO Box 563901, Charlotte, NC 28256-3901 (overnight, certified, and signature-required: 9300 Harris Corners Parkway, Suite 105, Charlotte, NC 28269)
Alight Financial Solutions Customer Service (Alight IRA and self-directed brokerage accounts)
Alight Financial Solutions, PO Box 563901, Charlotte, NC 28256-3901 (overnight, certified, and signature-required: 9300 Harris Corners Parkway, Suite 105, Charlotte, NC 28269)
Employer-specific Alight service center (employer plans); Alight Financial Solutions (Alight IRA and brokerage)
Employer plan claims: the mailing address is plan-specific and is provided by the employer's service center (find it at alight.com/find-your-hr-website). Alight Financial Solutions claims: PO Box 563901, Charlotte, NC 28256-3901
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