What to do when a Dodge & Cox account holder dies
Contact Dodge & Cox's Inheritance & Estate Services — 6-step process, 7 required documents, and dodge & cox does not publish a specific timeline. expect 2-4 weeks after all required documents are received for standard claims. probate-dependent claims vary based on court proceedings.
Shareholder Services
Phone(800) 621-3979
Mailing Address
Dodge & Cox Funds, P.O. Box 219502, Kansas City, MO 64121-9502
Private Client Services
WebsiteLearn more→
Inheritance & Estate Services
Phone(800) 621-3979
Mailing Address
Dodge & Cox Funds, P.O. Box 219502, Kansas City, MO 64121-9502
WebsiteLearn more→
Inheritance Claims / Death Notification (call (800) 621-3979 Option 6 -- Dodge & Cox does not publish a dedicated fax or email for death claims)
Phone(800) 621-3979
Toll-Free(800) 621-3979
Mailing Address
Dodge & Cox Funds, P.O. Box 219502, Kansas City, MO 64121-9502 (Express: 801 Pennsylvania Ave, Suite 219502, Kansas City, MO 64105-1307)
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Apr 2026
After a Dodge & Cox account holder dies, accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer to the designated recipients without probate. Solely-owned accounts require the estate's representative to contact Dodge & Cox's Inheritance & Estate Services at (800) 621-3979 with the proper legal authority documents.
Dodge & Cox offers an online claims portal that makes the initial filing process more straightforward. Survivors can also initiate claims by phone or by mailing documentation directly.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Dodge & Cox requires:
Filing a claim
1
Call Dodge & Cox at (800) 621-3979, Option 6, to notify them of the account holder's death and initiate the claim process (Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET)
2
Submit initial documentation:
- Completed Notification of Death form (submit online at https://www.secureaccountview.com/BFWeb/clients/dodgeandcox/notificationOfDeath or by mail)
- Certified copy of the death certificate
3
Use the online Inheritance Assistance Tool at https://www.secureaccountview.com/BFWeb/clients/dodgeandcox/inheritedAccount to explore options and required documentation
4
Provide account-type-specific documentation:
- TOD accounts: the named beneficiary provides death certificate and valid government-issued ID to receive assets, then completes the Inheritance Form (https://www.dodgeandcox.com/content/dam/dc/us/en/pdf/forms/dc_inheritance_form_fillable.pdf)
- IRA accounts with a named beneficiary: beneficiary completes the Inherited IRA Kit (https://www.dodgeandcox.com/content/dam/dc/us/en/pdf/forms/dc_IRA_inheritance_form_fillable.pdf) to elect distribution method
- Accounts without a beneficiary designation: provide Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from probate court
- Trust-titled accounts: the successor trustee provides death certificate, trust document, and trustee identification
5
Mail completed forms to Dodge & Cox Funds, P.O. Box 219502, Kansas City, MO 64121-9502
6
Once the claim is processed, beneficiaries can set up distributions, transfer assets, or open new accounts
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Notification of Death form (submitted online at https://www.secureaccountview.com/BFWeb/clients/dodgeandcox/notificationOfDeath or provided by Dodge & Cox)
- Government-issued photo ID for the beneficiary, executor, or successor trustee
- Inheritance Form (https://www.dodgeandcox.com/content/dam/dc/us/en/pdf/forms/dc_inheritance_form_fillable.pdf) for claiming inherited Fund shares
- Inherited IRA Kit (https://www.dodgeandcox.com/content/dam/dc/us/en/pdf/forms/dc_IRA_inheritance_form_fillable.pdf) for IRA beneficiaries establishing an Inherited IRA
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration (if no beneficiary designation and probate is required)
- Trust documents and trustee identification (if trust-titled account or trust is named beneficiary)
Call (800) 621-3979 as the first step -- Dodge & Cox will walk you through the entire process. The firm provides an online Inheriting an Account center where beneficiaries can submit the Notification of Death form and use the Inheritance Assistance Tool to understand their options and required documentation. Inherited IRA beneficiaries must take distributions on time to avoid tax penalties and may be required to deplete the account within 5 or 10 years and/or take annual required minimum distributions (RMDs) under the SECURE Act. The Inherited IRA Kit and IRA Inheritance Guide are available under Resources > Forms and Guides. Dodge & Cox recommends consulting a tax or legal advisor before making investment decisions regarding inherited assets.
Processing timelines at Dodge & Cox: Dodge & Cox does not publish a specific timeline. Expect 2-4 weeks after all required documents are received for standard claims. Probate-dependent claims vary based on court proceedings. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
Documentation required by Dodge & Cox includes Certified death certificate, Notification of Death form (submitted online at https://www.secureaccountview.com/BFWeb/clients/dodgeandcox/notificationOfDeath or provided by Dodge & Cox), and Government-issued photo ID for the beneficiary, executor, or successor trustee, along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
For IRA accounts, download and complete the IRA Beneficiary Designation Form from dodgeandcox.com under Resources > Forms and Guides. For individual or joint taxable accounts, complete the Transfer on Death Beneficiary Designation Form. Mail the completed form to Dodge & Cox Funds, P.O. Box 219502, Kansas City, MO 64121-9502. You can also call (800) 621-3979 for assistance. Review beneficiary designations after major life events such as marriage, having children, or retirement.
A TOD registration allows you to name beneficiaries on your individual or joint Dodge & Cox mutual fund accounts. Upon your death, assets transfer directly to the named beneficiaries without probate. Complete the Transfer on Death Beneficiary Designation Form available at dodgeandcox.com under Resources > Forms and Guides. TOD beneficiaries have no ownership rights or account access during your lifetime.
Call (800) 621-3979 Option 6 to report a death and initiate the claim, or use the online Inheriting an Account center at https://www.secureaccountview.com/BFWeb/clients/dodgeandcox/inheritedAccount. Submit the Notification of Death form (online or by mail) with a certified death certificate. Then complete the Inheritance Form (for taxable accounts) or the Inherited IRA Kit (for IRA accounts) to transfer assets. TOD beneficiaries provide death certificate and ID. Trust-titled accounts require trust documentation and successor trustee identification. Accounts without a beneficiary designation require Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Yes. A trust can be named as the beneficiary of any Dodge & Cox IRA. IRA accounts cannot be retitled directly to a trust, but naming a trust as beneficiary allows IRA proceeds to pass to the trust at death, subject to applicable IRS distribution rules under the SECURE Act. Complete the IRA Beneficiary Designation Form to name a trust as beneficiary. Consult a tax or legal advisor before naming a trust as IRA beneficiary because of the impact on distribution timing.
Dodge & Cox's Inheritance Claims / Death Notification (call (800) 621-3979 Option 6 -- Dodge & Cox does not publish a dedicated fax or email for death claims) can be reached by phone at (800) 621-3979 for questions throughout the claims process.
Multiple Dodge & Cox investment accounts may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the Inheritance & Estate Services to confirm what applies.
Shareholder Services
Phone(800) 621-3979
Mailing Address
Dodge & Cox Funds, P.O. Box 219502, Kansas City, MO 64121-9502
Private Client Services
WebsiteLearn more→
Inheritance & Estate Services
Phone(800) 621-3979
Mailing Address
Dodge & Cox Funds, P.O. Box 219502, Kansas City, MO 64121-9502
WebsiteLearn more→
Inheritance Claims / Death Notification (call (800) 621-3979 Option 6 -- Dodge & Cox does not publish a dedicated fax or email for death claims)
Phone(800) 621-3979
Toll-Free(800) 621-3979
Mailing Address
Dodge & Cox Funds, P.O. Box 219502, Kansas City, MO 64121-9502 (Express: 801 Pennsylvania Ave, Suite 219502, Kansas City, MO 64105-1307)
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Apr 2026
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