What to do when a Fidelity account holder dies
Report the death to Fidelity's Transition Services at 1-800-544-0003
When an account holder at Fidelity passes away, the next step depends on how the investment accounts were set up. Accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer outside of probate. Accounts titled solely in the deceased's name require the estate's legal representative to work with Fidelity's Transition Services (1-800-544-0003) to access and distribute the funds.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Fidelity requires:
Filing a claim
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued ID for the beneficiary, executor or successor trustee
- Certified copy of the court appointment naming the legal representative, dated within 180 days, where probate is required
- Small estate affidavit or alternate court document where state law allows one instead
- State tax waiver where the deceased person’s state requires one
- A Medallion signature guarantee is required if a beneficiary is transferring to an account with an additional owner and the amount is over $100,000
- A Medallion signature guarantee is required if an executor is bypassing the estate and the transfer is over $100,000
- Successor trustees need a Medallion signature guarantee to distribute the trust to trust beneficiaries over $17,000, or to update the existing trust over $100,000
- No Medallion signature guarantee is required if the form is completed at a Fidelity Investor Center with all signers present
- A notary seal or stamp is not a Medallion signature guarantee
- Regular mail: Fidelity Investments, Account Reregistration Services, P.O. Box 770001, Cincinnati, OH 45277-0039
- Overnight mail: Fidelity Investments, Account Reregistration Services, 100 Crosby Parkway KC1C, Covington, KY 41015
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Government-issued ID for the beneficiary, executor or successor trustee
- An existing Fidelity account number, or a new Fidelity account application, for each person receiving assetsEach beneficiary must open or identify a Fidelity account to receive the assets.
- Certified copy of the court appointment naming the legal representative, where probate is requiredDated within 180 days.
- Small estate affidavit or alternate court document, where state law allows one instead of the court appointment
- Copy of the state tax waiver, where the deceased person’s state requires oneIf a required waiver is not supplied, the receiving account is restricted from all distributions, unless state law permits otherwise, until the waiver reaches Fidelity.
- Fidelity Certification of Trust or a copy of the trust documents, where a successor trustee is acting
- Medallion signature guarantee, where the reregistration form’s thresholds applyNot required if the form is completed at a Fidelity Investor Center with all signers present. A notary seal or stamp is not a Medallion signature guarantee.
Claims Contact
Website: Online portal →
Forms Fidelity issues4
- Reregistration for Nonretirement Inherited Assets (1.791500.112)
Completed by each new owner, one form per owner. Available to download.1
- Transfer Ownership — Nonprobate Estate — Nonretirement
Available to download.2
- Spousal Claim Form for IRAs
Completed by a spouse inheriting a Fidelity IRA. Completed online.3
- Estate account application
Completed by the executor, to hold estate assets in an estate brokerage account. Completed online.4
What happens to each kind of account4
- Payable-on-death account
A Transfer on Death designation controls only if Fidelity received and accepted the signed form within 30 days after the date of death. If no primary or contingent beneficiary is living then, the assets go to the estate; a trust or other non-person beneficiary not in existence then is treated as not having survived.5
Assets the Transfer on Death agreement calls ineligible, such as insurance, endowment policies, annuity contracts and some limited partnership interests, are paid to the estate even when the account carries a designation.6
- Investment account
The Fidelity Account Customer Agreement lets Fidelity sell securities or other assets in a margin account without contacting anyone, and names an account owner’s death as one of the causes.7
- Joint account with survivorship
A joint tenants with rights of survivorship or tenants by the entirety account passes entirely to the surviving owners.7
- Joint account without survivorship
A tenants-in-common interest passes to that owner’s legal representative. Tenants in common are responsible for keeping the records of ownership percentages.7
Accounts handled elsewhere4
- Fidelity workplace plans
Inherited workplace plans (401(k), 403(b), 457)5
Phone: 1-800-835-5095
- Fidelity annuity and life insurance
Inherited annuity or life insurance held through Fidelity5
Phone: 1-800-544-4374
- Fidelity term life insurance claims
Fidelity term life insurance policies issued after 10/09/20225
Phone: 1-844-519-5433
- Fidelity term life insurance claims
Fidelity term life insurance policies issued before 10/10/2022 (option 3)5
Phone: 1-888-343-8376
What Fidelity's agreement and guidance say4
- How proceeds are paid
Fidelity says transfer of the account assets begins as soon as practicable after the date of death, and the time it takes depends on the account type and the documents supplied.5
- Indemnity a claimant may have to give
Each beneficiary signs an indemnification in the amount of the account assets.5
- Payment to a minor or incapacitated beneficiary
Where a beneficiary is a minor or under a legal disability, Fidelity may pay the share to a parent, a guardian or conservator, an existing UTMA custodial account for that beneficiary, any person having custody, or the beneficiary directly. If none of those exist, it may ask a court to appoint a custodian.5
- Dormant and unclaimed accounts
Fidelity states it has no obligation to locate a beneficiary, spouse, heir or personal representative, or to notify anyone of a transfer.5
Sources7
- 1.Reregistration for Nonretirement Inherited Assets (1.791500.112)
- 2.Transfer Ownership — Nonprobate Estate — Nonretirement
- 3.Fidelity.com/Inherited
- 4.Estate account
- 5.Loss of a loved one
- 6.Transfer on Death agreement
- 7.Fidelity Account Customer Agreement
Fidelity's Transition Services can be reached by phone at 1-800-544-0003 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Fidelity primary sources (19 pages reviewed). How we research.
Fidelity death claims support
Transition Services
Phone
Toll-free
Overnight mail
Workplace plan inheritance (401(k), 403(b), 457)
Inherited annuity or life insurance held through Fidelity
Term Life Insurance Claims (issued after 10/09/2022)
Term Life Insurance Claims (issued before 10/10/2022)
Mailing address
Website
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