Estate planning at Ally Invest

Self-Directed Trading offers Individual, Joint, Custodial, Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, Rollover IRA, and Coverdell accounts (no minimum for cash accounts). Robo Portfolios offers Individual, Joint, Custodial, and IRA accounts ($100 minimum). Personal Advice offers the broadest selection including Trust accounts ($100,000 minimum).

No. Ally Invest requires paper forms for all beneficiary designations and changes. You can submit forms by uploading at secure.ally.com (PDF, GIF, JPG, TIFF, PNG; 2MB max), faxing to 1-866-699-0563, or mailing to Ally Invest, PO Box 30248, Charlotte, NC 28230. Ally Bank deposit accounts do allow online beneficiary management.

Yes, but trust brokerage accounts are only available through the Personal Advice tier, which requires a minimum of $100,000 in assets under care. Self-Directed Trading and Robo Portfolio tiers do not support trust account types. To open a trust account, contact Ally Invest at 1-855-880-2559 and request the Trust Account Application. You will need to provide a Certification of Trust or full trust agreement, IRS Form W-9 for the trust, and government-issued ID for all trustees. The application can be submitted by fax, mail, or secure upload through your existing investment account.

To name a trust as a beneficiary, download the Non-IRA Beneficiary Designation form (for brokerage accounts) or IRA Beneficiary Designation form (for retirement accounts) from ally.com. Enter the trust name, names of all trustees, and date the trust was established. For trusts, charities, or minors as beneficiaries, call 1-877-247-2559 for additional guidance before submitting the form. Submit the completed form by uploading at secure.ally.com, faxing to 1-866-699-0563, or mailing to Ally Invest, PO Box 30248, Charlotte, NC 28230.

If you live in a community property state (Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, or Wisconsin) and want to name someone other than your spouse as the primary beneficiary of your IRA, you must submit a notarized Change of Beneficiary form that includes your spouse's signature. This requirement applies to Traditional, Roth, and Rollover IRAs. Non-IRA brokerage accounts do not have this spousal consent requirement.

Self-Directed Trading has no minimum deposit for cash accounts ($2,000 for margin) and offers commission-free trading where you manage your own investments. Robo Portfolios require a $100 minimum deposit and provide automated portfolio management with no advisory fee for the cash-enhanced portfolio or 0.30% annually for the market-focused portfolio. Personal Advice requires $100,000 in assets under care, charges 0.75%-0.85% annually, and provides access to a dedicated financial advisor plus the broadest account selection including trust accounts. Only the Personal Advice tier supports opening trust brokerage accounts directly.