What to do when a BlackRock account holder dies
Contact BlackRock's Mutual Fund Services (Estate & Death Claims) — 7-step process, 10 required documents, and processing time varies based on documentation completeness and account type. contact 1-800-441-7762 for status updates.
Mutual Fund Services
BlackRock Funds, P.O. Box 534429, Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4429
Mutual Fund Services (Estate & Death Claims)
BlackRock Funds, P.O. Box 534429, Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4429
Mutual Fund Services
BlackRock Funds, P.O. Box 534429, Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4429
When an account holder at BlackRock passes away, the next step depends on how the investment accounts were set up. Accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer outside of probate. Accounts titled solely in the deceased's name require the estate's legal representative to work with BlackRock's Mutual Fund Services (1-800-441-7762) to access and distribute the funds.
Death claims at BlackRock can be started through an online portal, which streamlines the initial notification and document upload. Phone and mail options are also available.
Death claim process
Follow these steps to file a death claim with BlackRock:
Filing a claim
- TOD non-retirement accounts: Transfer on Death (TOD) Beneficiary Claim Form
- IRA accounts (spouse beneficiary): IRA Beneficiary Claim Form - Spousal Beneficiary
- IRA accounts (non-spouse beneficiary): IRA Beneficiary Claim Form - Non-Spouse Beneficiary; confirm that the decedent's required minimum distribution (RMD) for the year of death has been satisfied
- Non-TOD non-retirement accounts (no beneficiary on file): Change of Registration Form; obtain Letters Testamentary or other probate authorization before contacting BlackRock
- Standard mail: BlackRock Funds, P.O. Box 534429, Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4429
- Overnight delivery: BlackRock Funds, Attn: 534429, 500 Ross Street 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262
Required Documents
- Death certificate (certified copy)
- Government-issued ID for each beneficiary, executor, or trustee submitting a claim
- Completed claim form appropriate to account type (TOD Beneficiary Claim Form; IRA Spousal or Non-Spouse Beneficiary Claim Form; Change of Registration Form for accounts without TOD)
- For IRA non-spouse beneficiaries: signed certification that decedent's RMD for the year of death has been satisfied (included in the Non-Spouse Beneficiary Claim Form)
- For TOD accounts: bank statement, voided check, or savings deposit slip if requesting direct deposit of funds
- For accounts without a TOD or beneficiary designation: Letters Testamentary, Letters of Administration, or state-specific small estate affidavit
- For trust beneficiaries: trust documentation (first page, trustee authority pages, signature/notary pages)
- Medallion Signature Guarantee or Signature Verification Stamp on the Change of Registration Form (for probate transfers)
- New Account Application if the beneficiary is opening a new BlackRock account to receive the assets
- Inherited IRA Application (digital form available) if non-spouse beneficiary is establishing an inherited IRA
What to know at this institution
Direct BlackRock mutual fund and IRA accounts are serviced by the funds' transfer agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (301 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19809); the BlackRock Investor Services / Mutual Fund Services line (1-800-441-7762) is the shareholder-services contact for beneficiary, trust, and death-claim handling, and completed forms are mailed to the BlackRock Funds P.O. box in Pittsburgh, PA. For iShares ETFs, iShares LifePath ETFs, and closed-end funds held at a brokerage, contact that brokerage directly -- BlackRock does not hold these accounts. For 529 death claims, call 1-866-529-8582 (CollegeAdvantage) or 1-833-336-4529 / 1-877-463-9843 (NextGen). Overnight mail address: BlackRock Funds, Attn: 534429, 500 Ross Street 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262. Non-spouse IRA beneficiaries must certify that the decedent's RMD for the year of death was satisfied before establishing an Inherited IRA. Many claim forms are now available as digital forms (Adobe Sign) on the forms page.
Prepare your letter of instruction to BlackRock
BlackRock provides its own letter-of-instruction form. Answer a few questions and we complete that official form for you to print and sign.
Build your letter of instructionHow long the process takes at BlackRock: Processing time varies based on documentation completeness and account type. Contact 1-800-441-7762 for status updates. The most common reason for delays is missing or incomplete documentation, so submitting everything upfront is the best way to keep things moving.
Documentation required by BlackRock includes Death certificate (certified copy), Government-issued ID for each beneficiary, executor, or trustee submitting a claim, and Completed claim form appropriate to account type (TOD Beneficiary Claim Form; IRA Spousal or Non-Spouse Beneficiary Claim Form; Change of Registration Form for accounts without TOD), along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
A TOD registration on a non-retirement BlackRock mutual fund account designates beneficiaries who automatically receive the account assets upon your death, bypassing probate. The TOD Registration Form is available as a digital form at blackrock.com/us/individual/resources/forms-and-applications. Note that TOD registration is subject to state law; not all states permit this registration type. Call 1-800-441-7762 to confirm availability in your state.
For TOD accounts: the named beneficiary completes the Transfer on Death (TOD) Beneficiary Claim Form (digital form available at blackrock.com/us/individual/resources/forms-and-applications) and submits it with a certified death certificate and government-issued ID. For accounts without a TOD or beneficiary on file, the executor must submit the Change of Registration Form with Letters Testamentary and a Medallion Signature Guarantee. Assets can be transferred to a new or existing BlackRock account or redeemed. Mail documents to: BlackRock Funds, P.O. Box 534429, Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4429. Call 1-800-441-7762 for guidance.
A non-spouse beneficiary completes the IRA Beneficiary Claim Form - Non-Spouse Beneficiary (digital form available at blackrock.com/us/individual/resources/forms-and-applications). The form requires the beneficiary to certify that the decedent's required minimum distribution (RMD) for the year of death has been satisfied. Non-spouse beneficiaries must open an Inherited IRA using the Inherited IRA Application and cannot roll the assets into their own IRA. Mail all forms and a certified death certificate to: P.O. Box 534429, Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4429.
BlackRock's Mutual Fund Services can be reached by phone at 1-800-441-7762 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple BlackRock investment accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Mutual Fund Services can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Sources
Data sourced from BlackRock primary sources (21 pages reviewed). How we research.
Mutual Fund Services
BlackRock Funds, P.O. Box 534429, Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4429
Mutual Fund Services (Estate & Death Claims)
BlackRock Funds, P.O. Box 534429, Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4429
Mutual Fund Services
BlackRock Funds, P.O. Box 534429, Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4429
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