How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at American Century
Covers 5 investment, and 7 retirement accounts — beneficiaries can be managed online
American Century Investments, PO Box 419200, Kansas City, MO 64141
Estate Transfer Team / Legacy Planning
Estate Transfer Team
American Century Investments, PO Box 419200, Kansas City, MO 64141-6200 (overnight: 801 Pennsylvania Ave., Suite 419200, Kansas City, MO 64105-1307)
Estate planning for your American Century investment accounts starts with understanding how each one transfers at death. Beneficiary designations and trust retitling both bypass probate, but the right approach depends on the account type, your tax situation, and how much control you want over distributions.
American Century has 12 product types, and the estate transfer rules differ across them. Some support Transfer on Death (TOD) designations, some can be retitled into a trust, and others will require probate if nothing is set up. Each is covered below.
- Name, Social Security or Tax ID number, date of birth, relationship, and percentage
- For a trust beneficiary: enter the trust name and trust date, then send the trust title page, signature page, and trustee/successor trustee pages
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- TOD is accepted only on individual, joint tenants with rights of survivorship, and tenants by the entireties registrations -- never on an IRA or other retirement plan
- The investor estate may not be named as sole primary TOD beneficiary (TOD Rules, Unacceptable TOD Direction)
- A TOD direction must be made in writing on the American Century agreement, signed and delivered before the death of the investor or the last surviving joint owner
- Spousal consent may be required where the investor is married, lives in a community property state, and has not named the spouse as sole primary beneficiary; American Century states it is the investor responsibility to determine whether consent is required and is not liable for consequences of failing to obtain it
- 403(b) plans subject to the ERISA QPSA rules require notarized spousal consent to name a non-spouse beneficiary regardless of state
- A Medallion Signature Guarantee (or other signature authentication) may be required on the TOD Agreement at American Century discretion; notarization is not accepted in place of a Medallion guarantee
- Per stirpes designations are not available through the online tool or the standard form -- call to request the per stirpes form
- Without percentages, assets split equally among the surviving beneficiaries in that class
- TOD registrations are accepted in Kansas City, Missouri and governed by Chapter 461, RSMo
Sources
Data sourced from American Century primary sources (21 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these American Century instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against American Century primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
American Century Investments, PO Box 419200, Kansas City, MO 64141
Estate Transfer Team / Legacy Planning
Estate Transfer Team
American Century Investments, PO Box 419200, Kansas City, MO 64141-6200 (overnight: 801 Pennsylvania Ave., Suite 419200, Kansas City, MO 64105-1307)
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