What to do when a Firstrade account holder dies
Contact Firstrade — 5-step process, 7 required documents, and varies by account type and complexity of documentation
Firstrade Securities Inc., 30-50 Whitestone Expressway, Suite A301, Flushing, NY 11354
Firstrade Securities Inc., 30-50 Whitestone Expressway, Suite A301, Flushing, NY 11354
Death Claims / Estate Services
Firstrade Securities Inc., 30-50 Whitestone Expressway, Suite A301, Flushing, NY 11354
What happens to Firstrade investment accounts after the account holder dies depends on how each account was titled. Beneficiary-designated and trust-owned accounts transfer directly. Accounts in the deceased's name alone go through the estate, and the executor or administrator works with Firstrade's Death Claims / Estate Services (1-800-869-8800) to claim the funds.
Death claims at Firstrade can be started through an online portal, which streamlines the initial notification and document upload. Phone and mail options are also available.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Firstrade requires:
Filing a claim
- Contact customer service at 1-800-869-8800 or email service@firstrade.com
- Provide the deceased account holder's name and account number
- Download and complete the estate form from the Firstrade Form Center
- Submit a certified copy of the death certificate
- Provide a court appointment letter (Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration)
- Provide the executor's government-issued photo ID
- Complete the Affidavit of Domicile certifying the decedent's place of residence at the time of death
- TOD accounts: beneficiary provides ID and completes required paperwork
- IRA accounts: beneficiary completes IRA distribution/claim forms
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate
- Court appointment letter (Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration)
- Executor's government-issued photo ID
- Completed estate form (Affidavit of Domicile) from Firstrade Form Center
- Beneficiary's government-issued ID (for TOD claims)
- Trust documents (if trust is beneficiary)
- IRA distribution request form (for IRA beneficiary claims)
What to know at this institution
Upon notification of death, Firstrade reserves the right to cancel all open orders. Firstrade may, at its discretion, close out all or part of the account without waiting for the appointment of a personal representative. Estate form (Affidavit of Domicile) available at the Firstrade Form Center. Submit documents via Secure Document Upload or by mail.
Prepare your letter of instruction to Firstrade
Firstrade accepts a claimant-drafted letter of instruction. We draft it for you — addressed to Firstrade's verified claims department, with the documents it requires enclosed.
Build your letter of instructionProcessing timelines at Firstrade: Varies by account type and complexity of documentation. Incomplete documentation is the most common cause of delays—submitting all required documents with the initial claim helps avoid additional processing time.
Documentation required by Firstrade includes Certified death certificate, Court appointment letter (Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration), and Executor's government-issued photo ID, along with additional paperwork that varies by account type. All death certificates and court documents must be certified copies.
Frequently asked questions
Download the Transfer on Death (TOD) Beneficiary Designation Form from the Firstrade Form Center at firstrade.com/support/forms. Complete the form with your account information, beneficiary names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, addresses, and percentage allocations totaling 100%. Sign the form and submit it via Secure Document Upload or by mail. TOD designations are subject to acceptance by Apex Clearing Corporation, Firstrade's clearing firm, and TOD is not available in all jurisdictions. A TOD designation cannot be revoked or changed by will, codicil, or trust document; a new TOD form must be submitted to make changes.
Contact Firstrade customer service at 1-800-869-8800 or email service@firstrade.com to report the death. The estate will need to submit a certified death certificate, a court appointment letter (Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration), the executor's government-issued photo ID, the completed Estate Form, and the Affidavit of Domicile (both available at firstrade.com/support/forms). For accounts with TOD or IRA beneficiary designations, the named beneficiary provides their ID and completes the claim paperwork directly, bypassing probate. Upon notification of death, Firstrade reserves the right to cancel all open orders and may close out positions before a personal representative is formally appointed.
Firstrade accepts international account holders, who open through the Foreign Account Application and must have a W-8BEN on file (forms available at firstrade.com/support/forms). When a foreign account holder dies, the estate must submit the same core documents Firstrade requires for U.S. decedents: certified death certificate, court appointment letter from the decedent's home jurisdiction, executor ID, Estate Form, and Affidavit of Domicile. Non-resident decedent estates with U.S.-situs assets, including U.S. brokerage holdings, may also be subject to U.S. federal estate tax rules for non-resident aliens, which are separate from any tax owed in the decedent's home country. Estates should consult a U.S. tax advisor and contact Firstrade at 1-718-961-6600 (international) for case-specific document requirements.
Firstrade's Death Claims / Estate Services can be reached by phone at 1-800-869-8800, email at service@firstrade.com, and fax at 1-718-961-3919 for questions throughout the claims process.
When the deceased had multiple Firstrade investment accounts, some may need separate claims while others can be handled together. The Death Claims / Estate Services can clarify what's needed for each account type.
Sources
Data sourced from Firstrade primary sources (15 pages reviewed). How we research.
Firstrade Securities Inc., 30-50 Whitestone Expressway, Suite A301, Flushing, NY 11354
Firstrade Securities Inc., 30-50 Whitestone Expressway, Suite A301, Flushing, NY 11354
Death Claims / Estate Services
Firstrade Securities Inc., 30-50 Whitestone Expressway, Suite A301, Flushing, NY 11354
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