How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Discover
Covers 4 deposit, 1 lending, and 2 retirement accounts — beneficiaries can be managed online
Brand change
Discover Bank merged into Capital One, N.A. on May 18, 2025 and now operates as Discover, a division of Capital One, N.A. Existing Discover deposit accounts continue to be serviced under the Discover brand and are winding down: no new Discover-branded deposit accounts are opened as of January 2026, savings accounts are transitioning to Capital One 360 Performance Savings, and full consolidation is expected around 2027-2028. Discover-branded account estate claims are handled by the Discover Beneficiary Care Team; any Capital One product held by the same decedent is settled separately by Capital One's Estates Servicing Team. Effective May 2025.
Discover is now part of Capital One. The procedures below reflect Discover's accounts during the transition. View the Capital One estate planning page.
Discover, PO Box 30416, Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0416
Trust Account Setup / Documentation Specialists
Beneficiary Care Team
Discover, PO Box 30394, Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0394
Estate planning for your Discover accounts starts with understanding how each one transfers at death. Beneficiary designations and trust retitling both bypass probate, but the right approach depends on the account type, your tax situation, and how much control you want over distributions.
Discover offers 7 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.
- Add primary and contingent beneficiaries
- Provide each beneficiary's full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number
- For trusts as beneficiary: provide trust name, date established, and EIN
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- Discover Bank requires a valid SSN for each beneficiary added online
- Primary and contingent beneficiaries allowed
Sources
Data sourced from Discover primary sources (22 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Discover instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Discover primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Discover, PO Box 30416, Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0416
Trust Account Setup / Documentation Specialists
Beneficiary Care Team
Discover, PO Box 30394, Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0394
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