What to do when a BPAS account holder dies
Contact BPAS — 7-step process, 6 required documents, and allow 5-10 business days for distribution processing after all documents are received and reviewed. timelines may vary depending on plan type and sponsor review requirements.
Participant Service Center
126 Business Park Drive, Building 2, Utica, NY 13502
Participant Service Center
126 Business Park Drive, Building 2, Utica, NY 13502
Beneficiary Claims (via Plan Sponsor or Participant Service Center)
126 Business Park Drive, Building 2, Utica, NY 13502
After an account holder at BPAS dies, accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer to the designated recipients without probate. Solely-owned accounts require the estate's representative to contact BPAS's Beneficiary Claims (via Plan Sponsor or Participant Service Center) at 1-866-401-5272 with the proper legal authority documents.
BPAS offers an online claims portal that makes the initial filing process more straightforward. Survivors can also initiate claims by phone or by mailing documentation directly.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what BPAS requires:
Filing a claim
- Next of kin or estate representative contacts the plan sponsor or employer
- Plan sponsor notifies BPAS and provides the certified death certificate
- Alternatively, contact the BPAS Participant Service Center directly at 1-866-401-5272
- Lump sum distribution
- Rollover to an inherited IRA (if eligible)
- Installment payments (if available under the plan)
- Life expectancy distributions (for eligible designated beneficiaries only)
Required Documents
- Certified copy of death certificate
- Completed distribution election form
- Government-issued ID for the beneficiary
- Trust documents (if trust is named as beneficiary)
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if estate is beneficiary)
- Tax withholding election form
Claims Contact
What to know at this institution
For defined benefit plans, the beneficiary or surviving spouse may be entitled to a survivor annuity depending on the plan terms. BPAS administers the claim through the plan sponsor. The SECURE Act 2.0 10-year distribution rule applies to most non-spouse designated beneficiaries for deaths occurring on or after January 1, 2020.
Prepare your letter of instruction to BPAS
BPAS asks for a letter of instruction alongside its claim form. We prepare a transmittal cover letter and the enclosure checklist BPAS requires.
Build your letter of instructionProcessing timelines at BPAS: Allow 5-10 business days for distribution processing after all documents are received and reviewed. Timelines may vary depending on plan type and sponsor review requirements. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
Documentation required by BPAS includes Certified copy of death certificate, Completed distribution election form, and Government-issued ID for the beneficiary, along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
For ERISA-covered qualified plans such as 401(k) and defined benefit plans administered by BPAS, federal law requires spousal consent if you name someone other than your spouse as primary beneficiary. Your spouse is entitled to at least 50% of death benefits under ERISA unless they provide written consent to waive this right. IRAs and non-ERISA plans generally do not require spousal consent, though state community property laws may apply.
When you leave an employer with a BPAS-administered plan, your options typically include leaving the balance in the plan (if permitted), rolling over to an IRA or new employer's plan, or taking a distribution. For small balances where participants do not respond to required notices, BPAS's AutoRollovers service automatically rolls the account into an IRA. On death, BPAS works with the plan sponsor to pay the designated beneficiary using the distribution options allowed under the plan and applicable law (SECURE Act 2.0 rules apply for non-spouse beneficiaries). Contact the Participant Service Center at 1-866-401-5272 for guidance on your specific plan.
BPAS's Beneficiary Claims (via Plan Sponsor or Participant Service Center) can be reached by phone at 1-866-401-5272 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple BPAS retirement accounts may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Beneficiary Claims (via Plan Sponsor or Participant Service Center) to confirm what applies.
Sources
Data sourced from BPAS primary sources (13 pages reviewed). How we research.
Participant Service Center
126 Business Park Drive, Building 2, Utica, NY 13502
Participant Service Center
126 Business Park Drive, Building 2, Utica, NY 13502
Beneficiary Claims (via Plan Sponsor or Participant Service Center)
126 Business Park Drive, Building 2, Utica, NY 13502
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