How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at D.A. Davidson
Covers 10 investment, 5 retirement, and 1 insurance accounts — beneficiaries must be updated in-branch
Phone1-406-727-4200
Toll-Free1-800-332-5915
Mailing Address
8 Third Street North, Great Falls, MT 59401
WebsiteLearn more→
D.A. Davidson Trust Company
Phone1-406-791-7320
Toll-Free1-800-332-5915
Mailing Address
D.A. Davidson Trust Company, 8 Third Street North, Suite 301, Great Falls, MT 59401
WebsiteLearn more→
Estate Settlement / Death Claims (handled via decedent's D.A. Davidson financial advisor or D.A. Davidson Trust Company)
Phone1-406-727-4200
Toll-Free1-800-332-5915
Emailinfo@dadavidson.com
Fax1-406-727-1485
Mailing Address
D.A. Davidson & Co., Attn: Estate Settlement, 8 Third Street North, Great Falls, MT 59401
Verified May 2026
Preparing your D.A. Davidson investment 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.
D.A. Davidson has 16 product types, and the estate transfer rules differ across them. Some support Transfer on Death (TOD) designations, some can be retitled into a trust, and others will require probate if nothing is set up. Each is covered below.
D.A. Davidson Brokerage AccountJoint Brokerage AccountDADVANTAGE Asset Management AccountDavidson Investment Advisors (DIA) Managed AccountManaged Funds Portfolio (MFP)Unified Managed Account (UMA)Separate Account Management (SAM)Paragon Advisory ProgramChoice Advisory ProgramD.A. Davidson Trust Account
1
Visit your D.A. Davidson financial advisor at their local office
2
Bring government-issued photo ID
3
Advisor provides the TOD Agreement (brokerage) or IRA Beneficiary Designation form (retirement)
4
Complete the form with beneficiary details:
- Provide each beneficiary's full legal name, date of birth, SSN, relationship, address, and percentage allocation
- Designate primary and contingent beneficiaries with allocations totaling 100%
5
Sign and date the form; advisor submits for processing
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- All beneficiary changes handled through assigned financial advisor
- No confirmed self-service online beneficiary management portal
- TOD designation supersedes will provisions for the account
- Beneficiaries named on the form replace any existing beneficiary information
- All primary and contingent beneficiaries must be listed even when changing only one
Phone1-406-727-4200
Toll-Free1-800-332-5915
Mailing Address
8 Third Street North, Great Falls, MT 59401
WebsiteLearn more→
D.A. Davidson Trust Company
Phone1-406-791-7320
Toll-Free1-800-332-5915
Mailing Address
D.A. Davidson Trust Company, 8 Third Street North, Suite 301, Great Falls, MT 59401
WebsiteLearn more→
Estate Settlement / Death Claims (handled via decedent's D.A. Davidson financial advisor or D.A. Davidson Trust Company)
Phone1-406-727-4200
Toll-Free1-800-332-5915
Emailinfo@dadavidson.com
Fax1-406-727-1485
Mailing Address
D.A. Davidson & Co., Attn: Estate Settlement, 8 Third Street North, Great Falls, MT 59401
Verified May 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your D.A. Davidson accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
