Preparing your Cathay Bank accounts for estate transfer involves two primary strategies: designating beneficiaries on individual accounts and, where supported, retitling accounts into a revocable living trust. Both approaches bypass probate, but they work differently depending on the account type.

Cathay Bank offers 16 accounts, each with its own transfer rules. The sections below cover how to set up beneficiaries, fund a trust, and which products support each approach.

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1Visit any Cathay Bank branch location

2Bring valid government-issued photo ID

3Request to add or update POD beneficiary designation on your account

4Provide full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number for each beneficiary

5Specify allocation percentages if naming multiple beneficiaries

6Sign the updated account agreement

Required Documents

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

Special Requirements

Trust beneficiary designations may require a copy of the Certification of Trust
IRA beneficiary changes require completion of a separate IRA beneficiary designation form
Community property state residents may need spousal consent to name a non-spouse IRA beneficiary