How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Carson
Covers 5 investment, 5 retirement, and 1 insurance accounts — beneficiaries must be updated in-branch
Carson Group
Carson Group, 14600 Branch Street, Omaha, NE 68154
Estate planning support (Advanced Planning Team, engaged through your advisor)
No dedicated claims department — report a death to the decedent's Carson advisor; the custodian (Fidelity or Schwab) processes the claim
Carson Group, 14600 Branch Street, Omaha, NE 68154
Estate planning for your Carson investment accounts starts with understanding how each one transfers at death. Beneficiary designations and trust retitling both bypass probate, but the right approach depends on the account type, your tax situation, and how much control you want over distributions.
Across 11 product types, Carson investment accounts vary in how they transfer at death. The sections below walk through Transfer on Death (TOD) designations, trust funding options, and which products support each method.
- Taxable managed, wrap, or brokerage account: the custodian's Transfer on Death (TOD) registration form
- IRA, Roth, Rollover, or SEP: the custodian's IRA beneficiary designation form (a different form from TOD)
- Vestwell 401(k)/403(b): the beneficiary election on the Vestwell participant site
- Variable annuity or variable life: the beneficiary change form from the issuing insurance company
- Full legal name, date of birth, SSN, relationship, and percentage for each primary and contingent beneficiary
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- Advisor-mediated: Carson publishes no beneficiary forms and cannot change a designation itself — every designation lives on the custodian's (or insurer's, or recordkeeper's) records
- Which form applies depends on the custodian, so a household with accounts at both Fidelity and Schwab files on two different sets of paperwork
- A TOD registration is for taxable accounts only; IRAs use a separate beneficiary designation
- A named beneficiary or TOD registration controls over the will for that account
- Spousal consent is generally required to name a non-spouse beneficiary on an employer plan, and community property states impose their own consent rules on retirement accounts
Sources
Data sourced from Carson primary sources (13 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Carson instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Carson primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Carson Group
Carson Group, 14600 Branch Street, Omaha, NE 68154
Estate planning support (Advanced Planning Team, engaged through your advisor)
No dedicated claims department — report a death to the decedent's Carson advisor; the custodian (Fidelity or Schwab) processes the claim
Carson Group, 14600 Branch Street, Omaha, NE 68154
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Carson accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
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.
Learn more
Marriage
What married couples need in place: one joint trust or two, wills, beneficiary updates, and the spousal rights your state grants you automatically.
Learn more
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.
Learn more
Retirement
Retirement changes your financial picture. Healthcare directives, beneficiary reviews, long-term care planning, and protecting what you've built.
Learn moreMore estate planning resources
Explore related tools and documents to complete your estate plan.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Estimate attorney fees, executor fees, court costs, and timeline for probating an estate in your state. See if the estate qualifies for simplified probate procedures.
Who Inherits Without a Will?
Find out who inherits your estate and how much they get if you die without a will. Based on your state's intestate succession laws.
How Much Are Estate & Inheritance Taxes?
Calculate federal estate tax, state estate tax (12 states + DC), and inheritance tax (5 states) for an estate or trust.
What Does Estate Planning Actually Cost?
See the true cost of estate planning. Compare SimplyTrust, Trust & Will, LegalZoom, and attorneys including life events like marriage, divorce, and having children.
How Much Does a Revocable Living Trust Cost?
Compare the cost of creating a revocable living trust. See how SimplyTrust, Trust & Will, LegalZoom, and attorneys compare over 5 years including life events.
How Much Does a Will Cost?
Compare the cost of creating a will. See document costs plus probate fees your heirs will pay. Compare SimplyTrust, Trust & Will, LegalZoom, and attorneys.
