What to do when a Edelman Financial account holder dies

Expected timelines at Edelman Financial: Paced by the custodian, not by EFE: a clean TOD or named-beneficiary claim typically re-registers within 2-4 weeks of the custodian receiving complete documents. A sole-name account with no beneficiary waits on probate Letters. Workplace plan claims run on the recordkeeper's schedule. Delays are almost always caused by incomplete paperwork—gathering all required documents before filing the initial claim helps avoid back-and-forth.

Documentation required by Edelman Financial includes Certified death certificate (custodians and recordkeepers each keep a copy -- order several), Government-issued photo ID for the claimant, and The custodian's beneficiary/inheritance claim form (Schwab, Fidelity, or Axos Advisor Services) or the plan recordkeeper's beneficiary claim form, along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.

Edelman Financial's No EFE claims department -- notify the planner, then file the claim with the custodian (Schwab, Fidelity, or Axos Advisor Services) or the workplace plan recordkeeper can be reached by phone at 1-800-601-5957 and email at advisor@EdelmanFinancialEngines.com for questions throughout the claims process.

Multiple Edelman Financial investment accounts may mean multiple claims. Some account types can be processed together, but others require their own documentation. Check with the No EFE claims department -- notify the planner, then file the claim with the custodian (Schwab, Fidelity, or Axos Advisor Services) or the workplace plan recordkeeper to confirm what applies.