How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Fidelity
Beneficiaries are managed online, in branch, by phone or by mail. Trust paperwork is taken online, in branch or by mail
Preparing your Fidelity investment 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 30 product types, Fidelity offers a range of transfer options. Some investment accounts support Transfer on Death (TOD) designations, others can be retitled into a trust, and some require probate if no beneficiary is designated. The sections below break down each step.
Beneficiary form at Fidelity
Beneficiaries - Nonretirement Transfer on Death (1.925788.107) and Beneficiaries - IRA/HSA (1.925787.107).
Open the form →- A name and date of birth for each person named is the minimum
- Adding a Social Security number is optional, and Fidelity states it makes the later transfer easier for the beneficiary
- For a trust as beneficiary: the trust name, the date it was established, and its tax ID number
- Full legal name and date of birth
- Relationship to the account owner
- Percentage share
- Full legal name and date of birth
- Relationship to the account owner
- Percentage share
- Nonretirement brokerage and cash management: Beneficiaries - Nonretirement Transfer on Death (1.925788.107)
- IRA and HSA: Beneficiaries - IRA/HSA (1.925787.107)
- List all beneficiaries you want on the account; the form cancels any beneficiary information already on file
- Enter name, Social Security or taxpayer ID number, date of birth (or trust date), and share percentage
- Check Per stirpes next to a beneficiary whose share should pass to that person’s descendants
- Every account owner must sign
Required Documents
- Each beneficiary’s name and date of birth. The minimum Fidelity asks for online
- Each beneficiary’s Social Security number (online, optional). Fidelity states it makes the later transfer easier for the beneficiary
- Trust name, date established and tax ID number (for a trust as beneficiary)
- Government-issued photo ID (at a Fidelity Investor Center)
- Each beneficiary’s relationship to the account owner and percentage share (at an Investor Center or by phone)
- Each beneficiary’s name, SSN or taxpayer ID, date of birth (or trust date) and share (on the paper TOD form)
- The beneficiary form for the account type, completed (by upload or mail)
- Social Security or taxpayer ID number for every account owner
- Date of birth, email, mobile number, and address for every account owner
- The name of the primary owner and the account being changed
- A completed Fidelity Certification of Trust, or the trust pages listed above
- Government-issued ID for all trustees
- Domestic trust: a completed Fidelity Certification of Trust (form 1.900844.113)
- Foreign trust: a copy of the trust documents showing the full trust name, trust date, trustee names, and all signatures
- The Beneficial Ownership for Trusts section must be completed
- The current owner signs in section 10a and all trustees sign in section 10b
- Required from the current owner if the account is over $10,000 and someone other than the current owner will be the trustee
- Required from the current owner if the account is over $100,000 and a co-trustee is being added
- Not required if the form is completed at a Fidelity Investor Center with all signers present. A notary seal or stamp is not a signature guarantee
Required Documents
- Fidelity Certification of Trust (form 1.900844.113) (for a domestic trust). Or the pages of the trust agreement showing the full trust name, the trust date, the trustee names and all signatures. Fidelity asks that the entire trust document not be sent
- A copy of the trust documents (for a foreign trust). Showing the full trust name, trust date, trustee names and all signatures. Foreign trusts cannot use the certification form
- Change of Account Registration - Changing to a Trust, Estate, Guardian, or Conservator (for retitling an existing account)
- Government-issued ID (for all trustees)
- Social Security or taxpayer identification number (for all account owners)
- Date of birth, email, mobile number and address (for every account owner, when starting online)
- Completed Beneficial Ownership for Trusts section
- Medallion signature guarantee (where the form’s matrix requires it). From the current owner if the account is over $10,000 and someone other than the owner will be trustee, or over $100,000 and a co-trustee is added. Not needed at an Investor Center with all signers present
- A name and date of birth for each person named is the minimum
- Adding a Social Security number is optional, and Fidelity states it makes the later transfer easier for the beneficiary
- For a trust as beneficiary: the trust name, the date it was established, and its tax ID number
- Full legal name and date of birth
- Relationship to the account owner
- Percentage share
- Full legal name and date of birth
- Relationship to the account owner
- Percentage share
- Nonretirement brokerage and cash management: Beneficiaries - Nonretirement Transfer on Death (1.925788.107)
- IRA and HSA: Beneficiaries - IRA/HSA (1.925787.107)
- List all beneficiaries you want on the account; the form cancels any beneficiary information already on file
- Enter name, Social Security or taxpayer ID number, date of birth (or trust date), and share percentage
- Check Per stirpes next to a beneficiary whose share should pass to that person’s descendants
- Every account owner must sign
Required Documents
- Each beneficiary’s name and date of birth. The minimum Fidelity asks for online
- Each beneficiary’s Social Security number (online, optional). Fidelity states it makes the later transfer easier for the beneficiary
- Trust name, date established and tax ID number (for a trust as beneficiary)
- Government-issued photo ID (at a Fidelity Investor Center)
- Each beneficiary’s relationship to the account owner and percentage share (at an Investor Center or by phone)
- Each beneficiary’s name, SSN or taxpayer ID, date of birth (or trust date) and share (on the paper TOD form)
- The beneficiary form for the account type, completed (by upload or mail)
- Social Security or taxpayer ID number for every account owner
- Date of birth, email, mobile number, and address for every account owner
- The name of the primary owner and the account being changed
- A completed Fidelity Certification of Trust, or the trust pages listed above
- Government-issued ID for all trustees
- Domestic trust: a completed Fidelity Certification of Trust (form 1.900844.113)
- Foreign trust: a copy of the trust documents showing the full trust name, trust date, trustee names, and all signatures
- The Beneficial Ownership for Trusts section must be completed
- The current owner signs in section 10a and all trustees sign in section 10b
- Required from the current owner if the account is over $10,000 and someone other than the current owner will be the trustee
- Required from the current owner if the account is over $100,000 and a co-trustee is being added
- Not required if the form is completed at a Fidelity Investor Center with all signers present. A notary seal or stamp is not a signature guarantee
Required Documents
- Fidelity Certification of Trust (form 1.900844.113) (for a domestic trust). Or the pages of the trust agreement showing the full trust name, the trust date, the trustee names and all signatures. Fidelity asks that the entire trust document not be sent
- A copy of the trust documents (for a foreign trust). Showing the full trust name, trust date, trustee names and all signatures. Foreign trusts cannot use the certification form
- Change of Account Registration - Changing to a Trust, Estate, Guardian, or Conservator (for retitling an existing account)
- Government-issued ID (for all trustees)
- Social Security or taxpayer identification number (for all account owners)
- Date of birth, email, mobile number and address (for every account owner, when starting online)
- Completed Beneficial Ownership for Trusts section
- Medallion signature guarantee (where the form’s matrix requires it). From the current owner if the account is over $10,000 and someone other than the owner will be trustee, or over $100,000 and a co-trustee is added. Not needed at an Investor Center with all signers present
- A name and date of birth for each person named is the minimum
- Adding a Social Security number is optional, and Fidelity states it makes the later transfer easier for the beneficiary
- For a trust as beneficiary: the trust name, the date it was established, and its tax ID number
- Full legal name and date of birth
- Relationship to the account owner
- Percentage share
- Full legal name and date of birth
- Relationship to the account owner
- Percentage share
- Nonretirement brokerage and cash management: Beneficiaries - Nonretirement Transfer on Death (1.925788.107)
- IRA and HSA: Beneficiaries - IRA/HSA (1.925787.107)
- List all beneficiaries you want on the account; the form cancels any beneficiary information already on file
- Enter name, Social Security or taxpayer ID number, date of birth (or trust date), and share percentage
- Check Per stirpes next to a beneficiary whose share should pass to that person’s descendants
- Every account owner must sign
Required Documents
- Each beneficiary’s name and date of birth. The minimum Fidelity asks for online
- Each beneficiary’s Social Security number (online, optional). Fidelity states it makes the later transfer easier for the beneficiary
- Trust name, date established and tax ID number (for a trust as beneficiary)
- Government-issued photo ID (at a Fidelity Investor Center)
- Each beneficiary’s relationship to the account owner and percentage share (at an Investor Center or by phone)
- Each beneficiary’s name, SSN or taxpayer ID, date of birth (or trust date) and share (on the paper TOD form)
- The beneficiary form for the account type, completed (by upload or mail)
- A name and date of birth for each person named is the minimum
- Adding a Social Security number is optional, and Fidelity states it makes the later transfer easier for the beneficiary
- For a trust as beneficiary: the trust name, the date it was established, and its tax ID number
- Full legal name and date of birth
- Relationship to the account owner
- Percentage share
- Full legal name and date of birth
- Relationship to the account owner
- Percentage share
- Nonretirement brokerage and cash management: Beneficiaries - Nonretirement Transfer on Death (1.925788.107)
- IRA and HSA: Beneficiaries - IRA/HSA (1.925787.107)
- List all beneficiaries you want on the account; the form cancels any beneficiary information already on file
- Enter name, Social Security or taxpayer ID number, date of birth (or trust date), and share percentage
- Check Per stirpes next to a beneficiary whose share should pass to that person’s descendants
- Every account owner must sign
Required Documents
- Each beneficiary’s name and date of birth. The minimum Fidelity asks for online
- Each beneficiary’s Social Security number (online, optional). Fidelity states it makes the later transfer easier for the beneficiary
- Trust name, date established and tax ID number (for a trust as beneficiary)
- Government-issued photo ID (at a Fidelity Investor Center)
- Each beneficiary’s relationship to the account owner and percentage share (at an Investor Center or by phone)
- Each beneficiary’s name, SSN or taxpayer ID, date of birth (or trust date) and share (on the paper TOD form)
- The beneficiary form for the account type, completed (by upload or mail)
- Social Security or taxpayer ID number for every account owner
- Date of birth, email, mobile number, and address for every account owner
- The name of the primary owner and the account being changed
- A completed Fidelity Certification of Trust, or the trust pages listed above
- Government-issued ID for all trustees
- Domestic trust: a completed Fidelity Certification of Trust (form 1.900844.113)
- Foreign trust: a copy of the trust documents showing the full trust name, trust date, trustee names, and all signatures
- The Beneficial Ownership for Trusts section must be completed
- The current owner signs in section 10a and all trustees sign in section 10b
- Required from the current owner if the account is over $10,000 and someone other than the current owner will be the trustee
- Required from the current owner if the account is over $100,000 and a co-trustee is being added
- Not required if the form is completed at a Fidelity Investor Center with all signers present. A notary seal or stamp is not a signature guarantee
Required Documents
- Fidelity Certification of Trust (form 1.900844.113) (for a domestic trust). Or the pages of the trust agreement showing the full trust name, the trust date, the trustee names and all signatures. Fidelity asks that the entire trust document not be sent
- A copy of the trust documents (for a foreign trust). Showing the full trust name, trust date, trustee names and all signatures. Foreign trusts cannot use the certification form
- Change of Account Registration - Changing to a Trust, Estate, Guardian, or Conservator (for retitling an existing account)
- Government-issued ID (for all trustees)
- Social Security or taxpayer identification number (for all account owners)
- Date of birth, email, mobile number and address (for every account owner, when starting online)
- Completed Beneficial Ownership for Trusts section
- Medallion signature guarantee (where the form’s matrix requires it). From the current owner if the account is over $10,000 and someone other than the owner will be trustee, or over $100,000 and a co-trustee is added. Not needed at an Investor Center with all signers present
What Fidelity says about beneficiaries and trusts
Each section is Fidelity's own statement, with the document it comes from numbered under Sources.
Which accounts take a beneficiary5
- Investment account
Only Individual, Joint Tenants with Rights of Survivorship and Tenants by the Entirety registrations are eligible for TOD.1
Tenants-in-Common and Community Property accounts cannot carry a TOD registration.1
- IRA
An IRA uses the separate Beneficiaries - IRA/HSA form, not the nonretirement TOD form.2
- Health savings account
An HSA uses the separate Beneficiaries - IRA/HSA form, not the nonretirement TOD form.2
- 529 plan
A 529 account uses a successor participant designation instead.3
- Crypto account
A Fidelity Crypto IRA has no beneficiary designation of its own. Fidelity applies the designation on the linked Fidelity brokerage IRA.3
Who can be named1
- A trust
A trust can be named as a beneficiary, with the trust name, the date it was established and its tax ID number.3
How many beneficiaries, and how shares are split
What a designation takes to be effective
Beneficiary forms Fidelity issues2
- Beneficiaries - Nonretirement Transfer on Death (1.925788.107)
Completed by every account owner. Available to download.1
Return to
Mailing address: Fidelity Investments, P.O. Box 770001, Cincinnati, OH 45277-0002
- Beneficiaries - IRA/HSA (1.925787.107)
Available to download.2
Return to
Mailing address: Fidelity Investments, P.O. Box 770001, Cincinnati, OH 45277-0002
What Fidelity's agreement says about beneficiaries6
- A designation and a will
Fidelity states that beneficiary designations override the instructions in a will. The TOD form says it preempts any terms in the will concerning the accounts listed on it.3, 1
- Changing or revoking a designation
Changing an individual TOD account to a joint registration, or to an ineligible registration, ends the TOD agreement as of that date and sends the assets to the estate at death.1
The TOD form cancels any beneficiary information already on file, so it lists every beneficiary wanted on the account.1
- When a designation takes effect
The signed TOD form must be received and accepted by Fidelity no later than 30 days after the date of death for the designation to take effect.1
- Divorce
Divorce does not revoke a Fidelity TOD designation. The agreement states that a subsequent marriage, dissolution of marriage, remarriage or adoption will not automatically add or revoke a beneficiary.1
- A beneficiary who dies first
On the TOD form, Per stirpes is checked next to a beneficiary whose share should pass to that person’s descendants.1
- No beneficiary survives
If no primary or contingent beneficiary is living on the date of death, the account assets are paid to the account holder’s estate.3
State requirements Fidelity statesLouisiana
- Louisiana
Fidelity does not offer TOD registration in Louisiana.3
Trust account forms Fidelity issues2
- Change of Account Registration - Changing to a Trust, Estate, Guardian, or Conservator (Brokerage Account)
For investment accounts. Completed by the current owner (section 10a) and all trustees (section 10b). Available to download.4
Return to
Mailing address: Fidelity Investments, P.O. Box 770001, Cincinnati, OH 45277-0002
- Fidelity Certification of Trust (1.900844.113)
Available to download.5
What Fidelity says about trust accounts2
- Review of the trust document
Fidelity does not want the full trust agreement. The Certification of Trust says to send it or, if you prefer not to complete it, only the trust pages carrying the name, date, trustees and signatures.5
- Checks and cards on a trust account
After a registration change, account features such as checkwriting and debit cards do not carry over and are re-added on the Account Features page.6
Sources6
- 1.Beneficiaries - Nonretirement Transfer on Death (1.925788.107)
- 2.Beneficiaries - IRA/HSA (1.925787.107)
- 3.How to update account beneficiaries
- 4.Change of Account Registration - Changing to a Trust, Estate, Guardian, or Conservator (Brokerage Account), form 1.962772.117
- 5.Fidelity Certification of Trust (1.900844.113)
- 6.How to change registration
Sources
Data sourced from Fidelity primary sources (19 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Fidelity instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Fidelity primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
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