How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Eastern
Covers 7 deposit, 4 retirement, and 2 lending accounts — beneficiaries must be updated in-branch
Eastern Bank Customer Service Center
Phone1-800-327-8376
Toll-Free1-800-327-8376
Mailing Address
Eastern Bank, Customer Service Center, P.O. Box 391, Lynn, MA 01903-0491
Business Services Team (Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM ET)
Consumer Credit Cards
WebsiteLearn more→
Cambridge Trust Wealth Management, a Division of Eastern Bank (Trust & Estates)
Phone1-866-602-1522
Mailing Address
Cambridge Trust Wealth Management, 125 High Street, Suite 901, Boston, MA 02110
Private Banking
Wealth Management Help & Support (Eastern main line)
WebsiteLearn more→
Customer Service Center (deceased-account reporting and estate accounts)
Phone1-800-327-8376
Toll-Free1-800-327-8376
Mailing Address
Eastern Bank, Customer Service Center, P.O. Box 391, Lynn, MA 01903-0491
Cambridge Trust Wealth Management (trust administration and estate settlement)
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
The key to protecting your Eastern accounts is making sure each one has a transfer mechanism in place—either a beneficiary designation or trust ownership. Without one, the account goes through probate, adding time, cost, and court involvement for your family.
Eastern has 13 product types, and the estate transfer rules differ across them. Some support Payable on Death (POD) designations, some can be retitled into a trust, and others will require probate if nothing is set up. Each is covered below.
Eastern Free CheckingEastern eZ CheckingEastern Premier CheckingEastern SavingsPrime Liquid AssetsPremier Money MarketEastern Certificate of Deposit
1
Visit an Eastern Bank branch with government-issued ID (branch locator: https://www.easternbank.com/locations)
2
Ask to add a POD (Payable on Death) / ITF (In Trust For) beneficiary designation to your deposit account -- this is a signature-card change, not something Eastern Mobile & Online Banking can do
3
Complete the beneficiary designation with a branch representative:
- Beneficiary names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers
- Percentage allocations if you name more than one beneficiary
- The exact trust name and date if the beneficiary is a trust (e.g., "The Smith Family Trust dated 01/01/2026")
4
Sign the updated account records; the designation is recorded on Eastern's account records, not in your will
5
If you also hold an Eastern IRA, update the IRA beneficiary separately -- the IRA plan agreement carries its own beneficiary form
Required Documents
- Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)
Special Requirements
- A POD beneficiary is also called an In Trust For (ITF) beneficiary on Eastern deposit accounts -- same function, different label
- Eastern's Personal Deposit Account Agreement provides that on the account holder's death the beneficiary, or the beneficiary's legal representative, can withdraw the balance (https://www.easternbank.com/sites/default/files/2017-02/deposit_account_agreement_personal.pdf)
- A revocable living trust can be named as the POD/ITF beneficiary; give the branch the trust's exact name and date
- POD/ITF funds pass outside probate and outside your will -- the designation on file controls, so review it after a marriage, divorce, or death in the family
- To claim, a beneficiary presents a certified death certificate and government-issued ID
- Former HarborOne customers: beneficiary designations moved with the accounts in the February 2026 conversion, but they are now maintained on Eastern account records -- confirm them at an Eastern branch
Sources
Data sourced from Eastern primary sources (17 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Eastern instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Eastern primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Eastern Bank Customer Service Center
Phone1-800-327-8376
Toll-Free1-800-327-8376
Mailing Address
Eastern Bank, Customer Service Center, P.O. Box 391, Lynn, MA 01903-0491
Business Services Team (Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM ET)
Consumer Credit Cards
WebsiteLearn more→
Cambridge Trust Wealth Management, a Division of Eastern Bank (Trust & Estates)
Phone1-866-602-1522
Mailing Address
Cambridge Trust Wealth Management, 125 High Street, Suite 901, Boston, MA 02110
Private Banking
Wealth Management Help & Support (Eastern main line)
WebsiteLearn more→
Customer Service Center (deceased-account reporting and estate accounts)
Phone1-800-327-8376
Toll-Free1-800-327-8376
Mailing Address
Eastern Bank, Customer Service Center, P.O. Box 391, Lynn, MA 01903-0491
Cambridge Trust Wealth Management (trust administration and estate settlement)
WebsiteNotify online→
Verified Jul 2026
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Eastern accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
