Estate planning and settlement at Cerity Partners
Name beneficiaries in branch, fund a trust in branch, and report a death at 1-212-202-1810
Cerity Partners has 10 investment accounts, each with different rules for what happens when the account holder dies. Of those, 9 can name a trust as beneficiary or be retitled into a trust. The right combination of beneficiary designations and trust ownership can keep the entire portfolio out of probate.
Beneficiary designations at Cerity Partners can be managed in branch, by phone, and by mail. Trust funding is also available, allowing families to retitle brokerage accounts into a trust.
There are two sides to estate planning at Cerity Partners: setting things up while you're alive, and the process survivors follow after a death.
Beneficiaries and trust funding
How to update beneficiaries in-branch, fund a trust in-branch, and review 10 account types at Cerity Partners.
Preparing your estate →Death claim process
Report the death to Cerity Partners at 1-212-202-1810. The page lists the steps and the documents to send.
When someone dies →Reach Cerity Partners' Estate & Gift Planning at 1-212-202-1810 for help with any of these procedures.
Sources
Data sourced from Cerity Partners primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.
Cerity Partners customer support
Cerity Partners (main line)
Phone
Principal office line listed on Form ADV Item 1.F(3)
Fax
Hours
Mailing address
Website
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Cerity Partners 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.
Tools for Planning Your Estate
Free tools for planning your estate: what a will or trust costs, whether you need a trust or TOD deed, and how documents are signed.
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Find witness, notary, and remote signing requirements for all 50 states.
Will My Estate Documents Transfer?
Check if estate planning documents signed in one state are valid in another.
Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?
Compare the cost of probate vs a trust for your state and estate value.
How Much Does a Revocable Living Trust Cost?
Compare revocable living trust costs across providers including online services and attorneys.
How Much Does a Will Cost?
Compare will costs across providers plus probate costs your heirs will pay.
How Does SimplyTrust Compare to LegalZoom, Trust & Will, and Other Services?
Compare what it costs to make a trust official across SimplyTrust, LegalZoom, Trust & Will, Rocket Lawyer, and Quicken WillMaker.
