How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at First Foundation
Beneficiaries are managed online, in branch or by phone. Trust paperwork is taken in branch or by phone
First Foundation has merged with another institutionMerged, effective April 2026
First Foundation Bank merged with and into Sunflower Bank, N.A. on April 1, 2026 and operates as "Sunflower Bank, N.A. dba First Foundation Bank" under FirstSun Capital Bancorp. The First Foundation name, logo, Client Support line (888-405-4332), and Private Wealth Management trust team continue while the systems convert. Personal and business accounts migrate to the Sunflower Bank platform on September 21, 2026; branches close at noon local time on Friday September 18 (Honolulu closed all day) and all branches are closed Saturday September 19. Mortgage servicing already moved to Sunflower Bank on July 17, 2026. Since August 18, 2026 the primary transition page has been sunflowerbank.com/merger-updates.
The key to protecting your First Foundation 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.
Each of First Foundation's 8 accounts has different rules for how it transfers at death. The sections below explain the options for each.
Required Documents
- Each beneficiary's full legal name
- Each beneficiary's identifying information. By phone, the banker confirms what verification is needed
- Government-issued photo ID (at a First Foundation office)
Required Documents
- Revocable living trust agreement or certification of trust. Either the revocable living trust agreement or a certification of trust is accepted
- Government-issued photo ID (for each trustee)
- Trust tax identification number
- Trust name and trustee names (by phone). The banker confirms which trust documents must be delivered and how
What First Foundation says about beneficiaries and trusts
Each section is First Foundation's own statement, with the document it comes from numbered under Sources.
Which accounts take a beneficiary1
- Payable-on-death account
In an office, a POD designation is made by changing the account ownership form on the signature card to "P.O.D. Account with Single Party" or "P.O.D. Account with Multiple Parties".1
Under the deposit agreement, the ownership form checked on the account record (single-party, multiple-party with survivorship, P.O.D., Totten trust, or trust subject to separate agreement) controls who receives the funds at death, not a separate beneficiary letter.1
What First Foundation's agreement says about beneficiaries2
- A designation and a will
At an owner's death, a single-party account passes as part of the estate, while a POD account passes directly to the named beneficiaries outside the estate.1
- What the owner keeps while living
A Totten trust or "revocable trust or pay-on-death" account lets the creator change beneficiaries, change the account type and withdraw the funds at any time. Beneficiaries cannot withdraw until every person who created the account has died.1
State requirements First Foundation statesCalifornia, Nevada, Hawaii
- California
The deposit agreement's ownership and beneficiary designation section is written separately for California.1
- Nevada
The deposit agreement's ownership and beneficiary designation section is written separately for Nevada.1
- Hawaii
The deposit agreement's ownership and beneficiary designation section is written separately for Hawaii.1
Which accounts a trust can hold1
- Trust account
The deposit agreement records a retitled account as a "Trust Account Subject to Separate Agreement," and First Foundation abides by the terms of the trust document filed with it.1
A retitled trust account is governed by the trust agreement rather than by a pay-on-death designation, so existing POD designations on accounts being retitled are revoked.3
What First Foundation says about trust accounts1
- Accounts from a merged institution
Trust services continue under Sunflower Bank, N.A. after the April 1, 2026 merger. Existing trust documents need no changes, and the bank continues to serve as trustee.2
Accounts handled elsewhere1
- First Foundation Private Wealth Management
Full trust administration and estate settlement for more complex arrangements, and its online trust portal4
Not in First Foundation's published guidance1
- A beneficiary form to download
Sources4
- 1.Personal Terms and Conditions
- 2.Personal Banking
- 3.First Foundation guidance on retitling accounts into a trust
- 4.First Foundation trust portal
Sources
(4)·
Data sourced from First Foundation primary sources (19 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these First Foundation instructions
A printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details, verified against First Foundation primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
First Foundation estate support
Trust & Estate Settlement (Private Wealth Management)
Phone
Trust portal (existing trust clients)
Website
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