Estate planning at Schwab
How to protect 16 Schwab accounts — manage beneficiaries online, fund a trust online, and file claims through Schwab's Estate Planning Services
Phone1-800-435-4000
Mailing Address
Charles Schwab, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
WebsiteLearn more→
Estate Services / Inheritance Center
Phone1-877-566-2284
Toll-Free1-877-566-2284
Mailing Address
Charles Schwab Corporation, Attn: Estate Distribution Team, 2423 E. Lincoln Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85016-1215
Client Banking Services
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified May 2026
Schwab offers 16 consumer investment accounts that interact with estate planning in distinct ways. Of those, 13 can name a trust as beneficiary or be retitled into a trust. Understanding the transfer methods available for each account type helps families keep assets out of probate and ensure they pass to the right people.
Managing beneficiaries at Schwab is straightforward—changes can be made online, in branch, by mail, and by phone, typically taking a few minutes online. Trust funding is also available, allowing families to retitle brokerage accounts into a trust.
Schwab provides specific procedures for both proactive estate planning and filing claims after a death.
Preparing your estate
Beneficiaries and trust funding
How to manage beneficiaries online, fund a trust online, and review 16 account types at Schwab.
View details →When someone dies
Death claim process
Contact Schwab's Estate Planning Services to file a claim. 5-step process, 6 required documents, and contact information for survivors.
View details →Schwab's Estate Planning Services can answer questions about beneficiaries, trusts, or death claims at 1-877-769-8006.
Frequently asked questions
A Schwab One Estate Account may only be opened if the estate is currently being probated under court supervision and a final decree of distribution has not been entered. You need Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration certified as currently valid by the court clerk within the past 60 days, bearing the clerk's original signature and seal. Call 866-232-9890 for assistance or download the Schwab Estate Account Application from schwab.com.
Sources
Data sourced from Schwab primary sources (20 pages reviewed). How we research.
Phone1-800-435-4000
Mailing Address
Charles Schwab, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
WebsiteLearn more→
Estate Services / Inheritance Center
Phone1-877-566-2284
Toll-Free1-877-566-2284
Mailing Address
Charles Schwab Corporation, Attn: Estate Distribution Team, 2423 E. Lincoln Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85016-1215
Client Banking Services
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified May 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Schwab accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
