How to designate beneficiaries at Apple
Beneficiaries are managed online or by phone
Preparing your Apple accounts for estate transfer involves two primary strategies: designating beneficiaries on individual accounts and aligning account ownership with your broader estate plan. Both approaches bypass probate, but they work differently depending on the account type.
The transfer rules at Apple vary across 4 accounts. Below is a breakdown of beneficiary options, trust funding, and which products support each method.
- Update to the latest version of iOS
- Open the Wallet app and tap Apple Card
- Tap Savings Account
- Tap the More button (three-dot icon) at the top right
- Tap Account Details
- Tap Beneficiaries
- Legal name
- Date of birth
- Phone number
- Relationship to the account holder
- Social Security number or ITIN
- U.S. street address
Required Documents
- Beneficiary's legal name (for each beneficiary)
- Beneficiary's date of birth (for each beneficiary)
- Beneficiary's phone number (for each beneficiary)
- Beneficiary's relationship to you (for each beneficiary)
- Beneficiary's Social Security number or ITIN (for each beneficiary)
- Beneficiary's U.S. street address (for each beneficiary)
What Apple says about beneficiaries and trusts
Each section is Apple's own statement, with the document it comes from numbered under Sources.
Which accounts take a beneficiary4
- Payable-on-death account
Apple Savings is the only Apple financial product that accepts a beneficiary designation.1
- Credit card
Apple Card accepts no beneficiary designation.1
- Rewards
Daily Cash accepts no beneficiary designation.1
- Stored balance
Apple Cash, serviced by Green Dot Bank, accepts no beneficiary designation.1
Who can be named4
- A person, payable-on-death accounts
Individuals can be named as Payable on Death beneficiaries on Apple Savings.1
- Someone outside the United States
A beneficiary must be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident.2
- A trust
The deposit agreement states: "You may not designate an individual who is not a citizen or legal permanent resident of the United States or a trust or legal entity as a beneficiary."2
- A business
A trust or other legal entity cannot be named as a beneficiary.2
How many beneficiaries, and how shares are split
- All accounts
Up to six beneficiaries may be named, and they are always paid in equal shares. Custom percentages are not available.1
What Apple's agreement says about beneficiaries5
- Changing or revoking a designation
If a beneficiary does not meet Goldman's requirements, because they are not a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident or are a trust or other legal entity, the bank may remove the designation.2
- A beneficiary who dies first
A beneficiary who dies before the owner drops out, and the balance goes to the surviving beneficiaries.1
- Which state governs the account
Goldman makes no representation that a POD designation complies with the law of any state other than Utah or New York.2
- Joint accounts
Apple Savings can be owned by only one person, so there is no joint account and no survivorship alternative to the POD designation.2
- Online access
Beneficiary management lives in the Wallet app on the latest version of iOS, not on card.apple.com.1
Which accounts a trust can hold3
What Apple says about trust accounts1
- Whether a new account is opened
The deposit agreement states that an account "may not be opened in the name of a trust or other legal entity or by a fiduciary (e.g., executor, conservator, guardians, trustees, etc.)".2
Not in Apple's published guidance2
- A beneficiary designation form
- Which trust documents it accepts
Sources
Show 2 more sourcesShow fewer sources
Data sourced from Apple primary sources (16 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Apple instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Apple primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Apple estate support
Apple Digital Legacy (Apple Account access, separate from the bank products)
Website
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