Estate planning and settlement at AST
Name beneficiaries by mail, fund a trust by mail, and report a death at 1-800-937-5449
AST is now part of EQ Shareowner ServicesAcquired, effective December 2021
Affiliates of Siris Capital Group completed the acquisition of AST and the combination of Equiniti and AST on December 14, 2021; Equiniti Trust Company, LLC is the new name for American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC. astfinancial.com redirects to EQ's AST Access site, which states "AST is now EQ." Legacy AST-registered shares are still serviced on the AST book (Shareholder Central at us.astfinancial.com; call center 800-937-5449). Equiniti's owner Siris agreed on May 5, 2026 to sell Equiniti to Bullish (NYSE: BLSH) in a $4.2 billion transaction expected to close in January 2027, subject to regulatory approval — that deal does not change how an estate transfers AST-registered shares today.
If the deceased held stock directly (not through a broker), AST is the company that transfers those shares to the estate or heirs. The transfer is handled by AST under its own documentation rules, including medallion signature guarantees.
Beneficiary designations at AST can be managed by mail. Trust funding is also available, allowing families to retitle directly held shares into the name of a revocable living trust.
There are two sides to estate planning at AST: setting things up while you're alive, and the process survivors follow after a death.
Beneficiaries and trust funding
How to fund a trust by mail, and review 3 account types at AST.
Preparing your estate →Death claim process
Report the death to AST's Deceased Shareholder Transfers at 1-800-937-5449. The page lists the steps and the documents to send.
When someone dies →AST Shareholder Services - Transfers can answer questions about beneficiaries, trusts, or death claims at 1-800-937-5449.
Sources
Data sourced from AST primary sources (13 pages reviewed). How we research.
AST customer support
AST Shareholder Services (AST-managed companies)
Phone
Shareholder Services direct / transfers
Outside the US and Canada
Employee stock plans (EquiTrax)
Stock option or restricted stock plans
EQ Shareowner Services
Hours
Mailing address
Website
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