Preparing your East West Bank 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.

With 19 product types, East West Bank offers a range of transfer options. Some accounts support Payable on Death (POD) designations, others can be retitled into a trust, and some require probate if no beneficiary is designated. The sections below break down each step.

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1Visit an East West Bank branch with a government-issued photo ID

2Request a POD (Payable on Death) beneficiary designation form for deposit accounts

3For IRA accounts, request the IRA beneficiary designation form (separate from the POD form)

4Provide each beneficiary's full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, relationship, and address

5Specify primary and contingent beneficiaries with percentage allocations totaling 100%

6Sign the completed designation form

7Keep a copy of the signed form for your records