How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Fisher Investments
Beneficiaries are managed by phone or by mail. Trust paperwork is taken by phone or by mail
Preparing your Fisher Investments 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.
The transfer rules at Fisher Investments vary across 7 investment accounts. Below is a breakdown of beneficiary options, trust funding, and which products support each method.
No beneficiary form at Fisher Investments
Beneficiaries are named by phone or by mail.
Open the form →Required Documents
- The custodian's beneficiary or transfer-on-death form, completed and signed
Required Documents
- The custodian's trust account application
- Trust agreement or certificate of trust. A revocable living trust agreement or an irrevocable trust agreement, or a certificate of trust, in whichever form the custodian accepts
- Government-issued ID (for each trustee, where the custodian requires it)
- Trust tax identification number (where the custodian requires it)
Required Documents
- The custodian's beneficiary or transfer-on-death form, completed and signed
What Fisher Investments says about beneficiaries and trusts
Each section is Fisher Investments's own statement, with the document it comes from numbered under Sources.
Which accounts take a beneficiary1
- Investment account
Fisher is not a broker-dealer and does not take possession of client assets, so it holds no beneficiary record of its own. The designation lives with the custodian that holds the account.1
The custodian's form governs the designation: its content, its share-allocation rules and any spousal-consent requirement are the custodian's, not Fisher's.2
What Fisher Investments's agreement says about beneficiaries2
- Online access
Fisher's Client Center does not carry account balances or holdings. Its login page directs clients to the custodian's website for balance, allocation, transaction and holding information.2
The Client Center can grant trusted individuals view-only access to a client's accounts. That is a visibility arrangement, not a beneficiary designation.2
- Changing or revoking a designation
Fisher holds an abnormal request until it can confirm it with the client directly, so expect a confirmation call before a change is processed.2
Which accounts a trust can hold1
- Investment account
Retitling is a custodian action that Fisher coordinates. Fisher's Form ADV Part 2A states: "FI is not a broker-dealer and does not take possession of client assets."1
Fisher's Form ADV Part 2A states: "FI client assets are housed in nationally recognized brokerage firms or banks, otherwise known as custodians. FI has a limited power of attorney to place trades on the client's behalf."1
What Fisher Investments says about trust accounts1
- Whether a new account is opened
Fisher works with the client and the custodian to open and establish the custodian account, so the trust account is opened at the custodian rather than at Fisher.2
A client can be assigned to a new custodian even when the existing account is already at a custodian Fisher uses.2
Accounts handled elsewhere2
- Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
Custodian holding ten percent or more of Fisher's separately managed account assets3
- Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC
Custodian holding ten percent or more of Fisher's separately managed account assets3
Not in Fisher Investments's published guidance4
- A beneficiary designation form
- A trust account form
- How long a change takes
- A trust-funding document checklist
Sources3
Sources
Data sourced from Fisher Investments primary sources (14 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Fisher Investments instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Fisher Investments primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Fisher Investments estate support
Client Service Team (Estate Plan Evaluation)
Phone
Mailing address
Website
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Fisher Investments accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
New Baby or Adoption
Your family is growing. Your protection should too. Guardian nominations, trusts for minors, beneficiary updates, and the documents new parents need in place.
Learn more
Marriage
What married couples need in place: one joint trust or two, wills, beneficiary updates, and the spousal rights your state grants you automatically.
Learn more
New Home
How to put your house in a revocable trust: the deed you record, what it does to your mortgage and property taxes, and when a TOD deed is simpler.
Learn more
Retirement
Retirement changes your financial picture. Healthcare directives, beneficiary reviews, long-term care planning, and protecting what you've built.
Learn moreForms for Planning Your Estate
Free forms for planning your estate: a will, living trust, pour-over will, both powers of attorney, living will, and TOD deed.
Revocable Living Trust
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
Last Will and Testament
Name your heirs, guardians, and final wishes. Free for every state.
Transfer on Death Deed
Transfer real property to a beneficiary upon your death without probate. Available in 34 states and the District of Columbia.
Tools for Planning Your Estate
Free tools for planning your estate: what a will or trust costs, whether you need a trust or TOD deed, and how documents are signed.
How Much Does a Revocable Living Trust Cost?
Compare revocable living trust costs across providers including online services and attorneys.
How Does SimplyTrust Compare to LegalZoom, Trust & Will, and Other Services?
Compare what it costs to make a trust official across SimplyTrust, LegalZoom, Trust & Will, Rocket Lawyer, and Quicken WillMaker.
Do I Need a Revocable Trust?
Find out if a revocable trust makes sense based on your state, estate value, and family situation.
Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?
Compare the cost of probate vs a trust for your state and estate value.
What Does Estate Planning Actually Cost?
Compare costs across estate planning providers including online services and attorneys.
How Much Life Insurance Do I Need?
Calculate your life insurance needs based on income, debts, and family situation.
