What to do when an Alto IRA account holder dies
Report the death to Alto IRA's Alto Support
What happens to Alto IRA retirement accounts after the account holder dies depends on how each account was titled. Beneficiary-designated and trust-owned accounts transfer directly. Accounts in the deceased's name alone go through the estate, and the executor or administrator works with Alto IRA's Alto Support to claim the funds.
The claim process can be initiated by phone or by sending documentation to help@altoira.com. Have the account holder's full name, account numbers, and the death certificate available when making initial contact.
Death claim process
The death claim process at Alto IRA works as follows:
Filing a claim
- Alto states its team responds within one business day, Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CT
- In the Alto dashboard, choose Transfer Funds, then "Out of Alto," enter the destination custodian name, destination account number, IRA type and amount, and e-sign
- Then ask the receiving custodian to submit its own transfer request to Alto. Alto states it cannot process the transfer until that request arrives
- The receiving custodian can send it by email to help@altoira.com, by fax to 615-334-4771, or by mail to Alto Solutions, Inc., 500 11th Ave N, Suite 790, Nashville, TN 37203
- Alto warns that, depending on how the other custodian submits it, the request can take 10+ business days just to reach Alto
- Once Alto has the request it can wire within 1-2 business days; a check takes about 10-12 business days to be issued and received
Required Documents
- Death certificateA certified copy.
- Government-issued photo ID, for each claiming beneficiary, executor or successor trustee
- Beneficiary claim and distribution paperwork from Alto, sent by Alto after you open a support ticket
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, only if no beneficiary is on file and the IRA is payable to the estate
- Certification of trust and successor-trustee ID, if a trust is the named beneficiary
- Details of the receiving inherited IRA, for a transfer to another custodianThe custodian name, destination account number and IRA type, the fields Alto's outgoing-transfer flow requires.
- A transfer request from the receiving custodian, for a transfer to another custodianSubmitted to Alto by the receiving custodian. Alto cannot process an outgoing transfer without it.
- The claiming beneficiary's Social Security number, if cash is being distributed rather than transferredEntered on Alto's e-signed distribution form.
Claims Contact
Website: Online portal →
What happens to each kind of account2
- IRA
A private fund position held in the IRA through the Marketplace, an integrated partner or the Private Deal Room may need the issuer's consent before it can be re-registered to an inherited IRA, and the fund may be in a lock-up or have open capital calls.1
An illiquid position is valued from the issuer's stated value, not a market quote. A position that cannot move in kind is liquidated by the issuer or distributed in kind, which can take far longer than cash.1
Accounts handled elsewhere2
What Alto IRA provides to the estate1
- Statement copies
Account statements can be downloaded in the Alto dashboard. Ask Alto for the current statement listing every position held inside the IRA, and which statement the custodian will use as the date-of-death record.1
What Alto IRA's agreement and guidance say2
- What it says about taxes
Federal withholding on a distribution is elected as a percentage from 0% to 100%; if no election is made, Alto's default is 10%. Alto does not withhold state taxes.1
- Fees
Fees paid on the way out include an Outgoing Private Security Transfer fee of $100 for each private position moved, Account Closure $50, Outgoing Wire $25 and Outgoing Check $50. Expedited Service ($75) and Special Handling ($150) are charged only if the claimant elects them.4
The quarterly Account Fee keeps running on Total Invested Capital while the claim is open: $0 at $0, $37.50 from $0.01 to $29,999.99, and $100 at $30,000 and above, charged in advance and non-refundable.4
Not in Alto IRA's published guidance3
- A procedure for reporting a death
- A claim form
- Terms in its agreements for a customer's death
Sources4
- 1.Contact Us
- 2.Alto announces sale of CryptoIRA to Public
- 3.Custodian Account Agreement, updated November 14, 2025
- 4.Pricing
Alto IRA's Alto Support can be reached by email at help@altoira.com and fax at 1-615-334-4771 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Alto IRA primary sources (17 pages reviewed). How we research.
Alto IRA death claims support
Alto Support
Fax
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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