Estate planning and settlement at BMO
Name beneficiaries online, fund a trust in branch, and report a death at 1-888-340-2265
BMO operates under a new nameRebranded, effective September 2023
BMO Harris Bank N.A. rebranded to BMO Bank N.A., retiring the "Harris" name from the consumer bank. Same legal entity, same account numbers, debit cards, online logins, and customer service numbers -- a brand update, not a merger, so an executor holding an old BMO Harris statement, checkbook, or debit card is dealing with the same bank at the same phone number. FDIC BankFind (CERT 16571) confirms the charter is active and currently named "BMO Bank National Association" under Bank of Montreal, and bmo.com's own page on the change (/en-us/main/bmo-harris-to-bmo/) documents the bmoharris.com to bmo.com website move. The September 3, 2023 legal-entity name-change date is carried from an earlier pass and was NOT re-confirmed on 2026-09-10: the FDIC history endpoint records no name-change event for CERT 16571, and BMO's own brand page states no date. The rebrand followed BMO's acquisition of Bank of the West, announced as closing February 1, 2023, with the FDIC recording Bank of the West (CERT 3514) as inactive effective February 2, 2023. Note that "BMO Harris" survives on a separate, unrelated charter: FDIC CERT 58216, BMO Harris Central National Association of Roselle, Illinois, a single-office bank with roughly $8 million in assets. It is not the consumer bank and holds no retail deposits an estate is likely to encounter.
BMO offers 18 consumer accounts that interact with estate planning in distinct ways. Of those, 13 can name a trust as beneficiary or be retitled into a trust. Understanding the transfer methods available for each account type helps families keep assets out of probate and ensure they pass to the right people.
BMO lets account holders update beneficiary designations online, in branch, by phone, and by mail, typically taking 15 to 30 minutes. Trust funding is also available, allowing families to retitle accounts into the name of a revocable living trust.
There are two sides to estate planning at BMO: setting things up while you're alive, and the process survivors follow after a death.
Beneficiaries and trust funding
How to manage beneficiaries online, fund a trust in-branch, and review 18 account types at BMO.
Preparing your estate →Death claim process
Report the death to BMO at 1-888-340-2265. The page lists the steps and the documents to send.
When someone dies →For questions about any of these procedures, contact BMO's Trust & Estate at 1-888-340-2265.
Because BMO serves a limited number of states, procedures for trust funding and beneficiary changes may differ depending on your location. Verify availability before starting.
Sources
Data sourced from BMO primary sources (29 pages reviewed). How we research.
BMO customer support
Customer Service
Phone
Toll-free
From outside the U.S.
Alto online accounts
BMO Investment Services (LPL Financial accounts)
BMO Funds mutual-fund TOD registrations
Mortgage origination
Consumer credit cards
Business credit cards
Diners Club U.S. cards
Hours
Mailing address
Website
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your BMO accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
Forms for Planning Your Estate
Free forms for planning your estate: a will, living trust, pour-over will, both powers of attorney, living will, and TOD deed.
Last Will and Testament
Name your heirs, guardians, and final wishes. Free for every state.
Transfer on Death Deed
Transfer real property to a beneficiary upon your death without probate. Available in 34 states and the District of Columbia.
Vehicle Transfer on Death
Name a beneficiary to inherit your vehicle at death without probate. Available in 26 states and the District of Columbia.
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