How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at BankUnited
Covers 13 deposit, and 2 retirement accounts — beneficiaries must be updated in-branch
BankUnited Client Care Center
Phone(877) 779-2265
Mailing Address
BankUnited, N.A., 14817 Oak Lane, Miami Lakes, FL 33016
Corporate headquarters (BankUnited, Inc.)
WebsiteLearn more→
BankUnited Client Care Center
Phone(877) 779-2265
Mailing Address
BankUnited, N.A., 14817 Oak Lane, Miami Lakes, FL 33016
Corporate headquarters (BankUnited, Inc.)
WebsiteLearn more→
BankUnited Client Care Center (no dedicated estate or claims department is published)
Phone(877) 779-2265
Mailing Address
BankUnited, N.A., 14817 Oak Lane, Miami Lakes, FL 33016
Banking center locator
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
There are two ways to keep your BankUnited accounts out of probate: adding beneficiary designations and retitling eligible accounts into a revocable living trust. Which approach works best depends on the account type and your overall estate plan.
Each of BankUnited's 15 accounts has different rules for how it transfers at death. The sections below explain the options for each.
Value CheckingRelationship CheckingVertical Rewards Premier CheckingEssentials Checking AccountHealth Savings Account (HSA)Value SavingsHigh Yield Savings AccountPromotional Money Market AccountOnline Money Market6-Month CD9-Month CD12-Month CDClassic Kids Savings
1
Visit any BankUnited banking center with a valid government-issued photo ID
2
Ask the banker to add or change a Payable on Death ("In Trust For" / "Totten Trust") beneficiary on the account
3
Provide beneficiary details:
- Each beneficiary's full legal name and identifying information
- Confirm with the banker that all named beneficiaries will share equally — the Deposit Account Agreement does not provide for unequal percentage allocations on a POD account
- For an IRA CD, complete the separate IRA beneficiary designation
4
Sign the updated account documentation; be prepared for BankUnited to close and reopen the account if that is what its records require to change the designation
5
Ask for a copy of the updated signature card or designation for your records
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- Equal shares only: "If more than one beneficiary is named in our records, they will share equally in the account proceeds" (Deposit Account Agreement, Rev. 08/2025). Use separate accounts or a trust if you need an unequal split.
- A POD beneficiary acquires rights only by surviving the account owner or the last surviving joint owner
- BankUnited may require you to close the account in order to change a pay-on-death or trust designation
- IRA CD and HSA beneficiary designations are separate from deposit-account POD designations
- BankUnited publishes no downloadable beneficiary form; the designation is captured on its own account documentation
Sources
Data sourced from BankUnited primary sources (19 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these BankUnited instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against BankUnited primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
BankUnited Client Care Center
Phone(877) 779-2265
Mailing Address
BankUnited, N.A., 14817 Oak Lane, Miami Lakes, FL 33016
Corporate headquarters (BankUnited, Inc.)
WebsiteLearn more→
BankUnited Client Care Center
Phone(877) 779-2265
Mailing Address
BankUnited, N.A., 14817 Oak Lane, Miami Lakes, FL 33016
Corporate headquarters (BankUnited, Inc.)
WebsiteLearn more→
BankUnited Client Care Center (no dedicated estate or claims department is published)
Phone(877) 779-2265
Mailing Address
BankUnited, N.A., 14817 Oak Lane, Miami Lakes, FL 33016
Banking center locator
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your BankUnited accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
