What to do when a Citi Wealth account holder dies
Contact Citi Wealth — 9-step process, 4 required documents, and varies by account type, whether a tod or beneficiary designation is in place, estate complexity, and applicable state law.
Citi Personal Wealth Management
Citi Personal Wealth Management
Citi Estate Servicing Center
When an account holder at Citi Wealth passes away, the next step depends on how the investment accounts were set up. Accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer outside of probate. Accounts titled solely in the deceased's name require the estate's legal representative to work with Citi Wealth's Citi Estate Servicing Center (1-800-846-5200) to access and distribute the funds.
The claim process begins with a phone call to 1-800-846-5200. Have the account holder's full name, account numbers, and a certified death certificate available when making initial contact.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Citi Wealth requires:
Filing a claim
Required Documents
- Certified copy of the death certificate (Citi suggests obtaining at least 10 originals)
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for accounts without a beneficiary/TOD/trust designation)
- Copy of the trust agreement or certification of trust (for trust-titled accounts)
- Securities transfer or re-registration forms with a Medallion Signature Guarantee (for brokerage account transfers)
Claims Contact
What to know at this institution
Citi Personal Wealth Management and Citi Self Invest brokerage accounts are held and settled through Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (CGMI), member SIPC. The Citi Estate Servicing Center portal (online.citi.com/US/ag/estate-servicing-center) is login-gated, so these steps reflect Citi's published "Key Steps to Take After a Loved One Passes Away" estate guidance and Citi's standard securities transfer requirements (including the Medallion Signature Guarantee on re-registration paperwork) rather than a fully enumerated online form list. Citi routes estate contacts by account type: Wealth Management 1-800-846-5200 (24/7), Estate Servicing Unit for credit cards and bank accounts 1-833-956-0413 (Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. ET), and Bank IRA accounts 1-800-695-5911.
How long the process takes at Citi Wealth: Varies by account type, whether a TOD or beneficiary designation is in place, estate complexity, and applicable state law. The most common reason for delays is missing or incomplete documentation, so submitting everything upfront is the best way to keep things moving.
To process a claim, Citi Wealth needs Certified copy of the death certificate (Citi suggests obtaining at least 10 originals), Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (for accounts without a beneficiary/TOD/trust designation), Copy of the trust agreement or certification of trust (for trust-titled accounts), and Securities transfer or re-registration forms with a Medallion Signature Guarantee (for brokerage account transfers). Death certificates and court documents must be certified copies—photocopies are not accepted.
Frequently asked questions
Begin through the Citi Estate Servicing Center and provide a certified death certificate. Accounts with a Transfer on Death or beneficiary designation pass directly to the named beneficiaries outside probate; accounts without one generally require Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration. Citi Personal Wealth Management can be reached at 1-877-357-3399.
Citi Personal Wealth Management and Citi Self Invest are brokerage accounts that use Transfer on Death (TOD) and securities-transfer procedures through the wealth team and Estate Servicing Center, while Citibank checking and savings accounts use Payable on Death (POD) handled by the bank. They are separate processes with different forms.
Yes. A non-retirement Citi brokerage account can be retitled into the name of your revocable living trust, or you can name beneficiaries with a Transfer on Death designation instead — they are alternatives. IRAs cannot be retitled to a trust but can name a trust as beneficiary.
Citi's estate guidance directs wealth-management deaths to the Wealth Management estate line at 1-800-846-5200 (available 24/7); you can also reach a Citi Personal Wealth Management advisor at 1-877-357-3399 or use the Citi Estate Servicing Center. Citi routes deposit-side credit card and bank accounts through a separate Estate Servicing Unit at 1-833-956-0413 (Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. ET), and bank IRA accounts through 1-800-695-5911. Citi recommends requesting at least 10 original certified copies of the death certificate before you begin.
Citi asks for a certified copy of the death certificate to begin. Accounts with a Transfer on Death or beneficiary designation pass directly to the named beneficiaries. Trust-titled accounts require a copy of the trust agreement (or certification of trust); accounts with no beneficiary, TOD, or trust designation require Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration naming the estate representative. Because the account is held through the broker-dealer Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (CGMI), the securities transfer or re-registration paperwork must carry a Medallion Signature Guarantee (SEC Rule 17Ad-15) rather than a notary stamp.
Citi Wealth's Citi Estate Servicing Center can be reached by phone at 1-800-846-5200 for questions throughout the claims process.
If the deceased held multiple Citi Wealth investment accounts, each may require a separate claim or have different documentation requirements. The Citi Estate Servicing Center can confirm which accounts require individual attention and which can be processed together.
Sources
- marketinsights.citi.com
- online.citi.com
- citi.com
- wealthmanagement.citi.com
- citigoldprivateclient.citi.com
Data sourced from Citi Wealth primary sources (11 pages reviewed). How we research.
Citi Personal Wealth Management
Citi Personal Wealth Management
Citi Estate Servicing Center
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