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OverviewPreparing your estateWhen someone dies
OverviewPreparing your estateWhen someone dies
SimplyTrust forms
Letter of Instruction
Home→Financial Institutions→BMO→Preparing your estate

How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at BMO

Covers 8 deposit, 5 retirement, 1 investment, and 2 lending accounts — beneficiaries can be managed online

Brand change

BMO Harris Bank N.A. rebranded to BMO Bank N.A., with the U.S. legal-entity name change effective September 3, 2023 (the simplified "BMO" branding was announced in September 2022), retiring the 140-year-old "Harris" name. Same legal entity, same account numbers, debit cards, online logins, and customer service numbers -- a brand update, not a merger. The rebrand followed BMO's February 1, 2023 acquisition of Bank of the West. Effective September 2023.

The procedures below reflect BMO's accounts. Account servicing may transfer as the change takes effect.

BMO

Subsidiary of Bank of Montreal (Canada)

bmo.com→
BMO logo

Customer Service

Phone1-888-340-2265
Toll-Free1-888-340-2265
Fax1-844-739-1152
Mailing Address

BMO Bank N.A., P.O. Box 94033, Palatine, IL 60094-4033

BMO Alto online accounts (24/7)
1-855-266-8100
BMO Investment Services
1-877-225-3863
BMO Mortgage
1-844-219-6003
BMO Credit Card (24/7)
1-855-825-9237
BMO Wealth Management
1-800-472-0060
WebsiteLearn more→

BMO Wealth Management - Trusts & Estates

Phone1-800-472-0060
Toll-Free1-800-472-0060
Emailbmowealthdirect@bmo.com
BMO Alto online accounts (24/7)
1-855-266-8100
BMO Investment Services
1-877-225-3863
WebsiteLearn more→

Death Claims

Phone1-888-340-2265
Toll-Free1-888-340-2265
Fax1-844-739-1152
Mailing Address

BMO Bank N.A., P.O. Box 94033, Palatine, IL 60094-4033

BMO Alto online accounts (24/7)
1-855-266-8100
BMO Investment Services
1-877-225-3863
BMO Wealth Management
1-800-472-0060
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026

There are two ways to keep your BMO 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.

With 16 product types, BMO offers a range of transfer options. Some accounts support Payable on Death (POD) designations, others can be retitled into a trust, and some require probate if no beneficiary is designated. The sections below break down each step.

BMO Smart Advantage CheckingBMO Smart Money CheckingBMO Relationship CheckingBMO Savings BuilderBMO Growth Money MarketBMO Certificate of DepositBMO Alto Online SavingsBMO Alto Online Certificate of Deposit
1
Log in to BMO Online Banking
2
Navigate to account settings or beneficiary management
3
Add or update POD beneficiary designations for deposit accounts
4
Provide beneficiary full legal name, date of birth, and SSN
5
Specify primary and contingent beneficiaries with percentage allocations
6
Save changes and confirm the designation
Online Portal→

Required Documents

  • Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)

Special Requirements

  • Trusts can be named as POD/TOD beneficiaries
  • Any account owner may change beneficiaries without consent of other owners or beneficiaries
  • BMO requires original TOD forms; fax or photocopy not accepted
  • Multiple beneficiaries receive equal shares unless otherwise specified; separate checks issued to each
  • Beneficiary must survive all account owners to acquire interest in the account
  • For marital accounts with POD: upon death of either owner, 50% goes to survivor and 50% to POD beneficiaries
  • If no beneficiaries survive, balance is paid to estate of last surviving account owner
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust Editorial·Updated July 12, 2026

Sources

  • bmo.com
  • alto.bmo.com
  • uswealth.bmo.com

Data sourced from BMO primary sources (24 pages reviewed). How we research.

Download these BMO instructions

Download instructions for the whole estate→

A printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against BMO primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.

BMO

Subsidiary of Bank of Montreal (Canada)

bmo.com→
BMO logo

Customer Service

Phone1-888-340-2265
Toll-Free1-888-340-2265
Fax1-844-739-1152
Mailing Address

BMO Bank N.A., P.O. Box 94033, Palatine, IL 60094-4033

BMO Alto online accounts (24/7)
1-855-266-8100
BMO Investment Services
1-877-225-3863
BMO Mortgage
1-844-219-6003
BMO Credit Card (24/7)
1-855-825-9237
BMO Wealth Management
1-800-472-0060
WebsiteLearn more→

BMO Wealth Management - Trusts & Estates

Phone1-800-472-0060
Toll-Free1-800-472-0060
Emailbmowealthdirect@bmo.com
BMO Alto online accounts (24/7)
1-855-266-8100
BMO Investment Services
1-877-225-3863
WebsiteLearn more→

Death Claims

Phone1-888-340-2265
Toll-Free1-888-340-2265
Fax1-844-739-1152
Mailing Address

BMO Bank N.A., P.O. Box 94033, Palatine, IL 60094-4033

BMO Alto online accounts (24/7)
1-855-266-8100
BMO Investment Services
1-877-225-3863
BMO Wealth Management
1-800-472-0060
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026

Estate planning articles

Learn how to protect your BMO accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.

When you're ready, we're here.

A revocable living trust skips probate, stays private, and takes 15 minutes.

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Estate planning articles

Learn how to protect your BMO accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.

Reimbursable Trustee Expenses: A Clear Overview

Reimbursable Trustee Expenses: A Clear Overview

Which trustee expenses does a trust reimburse?
Estate Settlement
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJuly 13, 2026
Refundable Executor Expenses: What Estates Cover

Refundable Executor Expenses: What Estates Cover

Learn which out-of-pocket costs executors recover from estates.
Estate Settlement
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJuly 13, 2026
Dave Ramsey on Trusts: What We Agree and Disagree On

Dave Ramsey on Trusts: What We Agree and Disagree On

Dave Ramsey on trusts: any estate plan at all is a good thing. We agree about that. There's one thing we don't agree with him about on trusts, though.
Trusts
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJuly 6, 2026
Jean Chatzky on Estate Planning: It’s a Gift

Jean Chatzky on Estate Planning: It’s a Gift

On estate planning, Jean Chatzky's most important reframe may be the simplest one. She says estate planning isn’t about your passing, it’s about your love for family.
Estate Planning
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJuly 6, 2026
Robert Kiyosaki on Trusts: A Structural Necessity

Robert Kiyosaki on Trusts: A Structural Necessity

According to Robert Kiyosaki, trusts are a necessity for everyone, not only the wealthy.
Trusts
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 30, 2026
Ramit Sethi on Estate Planning: Start With a Living Trust

Ramit Sethi on Estate Planning: Start With a Living Trust

Ramit Sethi on estate planning: start with a living trust and have regular conversations with your heirs about how to manage finances when the trust becomes active.
Trusts
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 30, 2026

Is this your situation?

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New Baby or Adoption

New Baby or Adoption

Your family is growing. Your protection should too. Guardian nominations, trusts for minors, beneficiary updates, and the documents new parents need in place.

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Marriage

Marriage

What married couples need in place: one joint trust or two, wills, beneficiary updates, and the spousal rights your state grants you automatically.

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New Home

New Home

How to put your house in a revocable trust: the deed you record, what it does to your mortgage and property taxes, and when a TOD deed is simpler.

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Retirement

Retirement

Retirement changes your financial picture. Healthcare directives, beneficiary reviews, long-term care planning, and protecting what you've built.

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